Culture A Hokusai on the Ceiling Robert Grey Ganshoin Temple, located in northern Nagano's town of Obuse, contains one of the best kept local secrets around -- a large..
Nightlife The Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival 2027 Jan 13th - Jan 15th The Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival, an outrageous combination of flames, kindling and tons of sake is held every year on January 15th..
Beauty & Spa A Hot Spring Bath at 700 Meters Robert Grey At an altitude of 700 meters, you won't find many hot spring baths in Japan so far above sea level, and few will offer the breathtaking..
Activities A Tomb with a View Robert Grey Those interested in Japanese culture and history may be familiar with kofun, the ancient burial mounds found all over the country...
Culture A Tiny Shrine Under a Big Tree Robert Grey Go to Iiyama's remote Karayama neighborhood and there is a surprise for you. Off the side of the main road going through t..
Activities Togakushi's Lake Kagami-ike Robert Grey A little off the beaten path in Nagano City's Togakushi District is the breathtakingly beautiful Kagami-ike, an artificial reservoir..
Food The Best Soba in Togakushi Robert Grey It has been said that Togakushi is the birthplace of soba. So why not go with the best of them all: the centuries-old, family-run..