Nagano

Introduction

Nagano - Zenko Ji quarters

© All Rights Reserved Gelli

Nagano is the capital of the Nagano Prefecture which is part of the Chubu region in central Honshu, Japan's main island. Almost 400,000 people call the city their home, which became better known after the 1998 Winter Olympics which were held in Nagano and its immediate surrounding Japanese Alps. Nagano is still one of the best places in the country for winter outdoor activities like skiing and snowboarding. In summer, there are good treks into the mountains and in both seasons you can enjoy a few good sites in the city itself.

Neighbourhoods

Sights and Activities

• Zenkō-ji, a 7th century Buddhist temple overlooking the city
• Matsushiro, the former castle town of the Sanada clan, is located in the southern part of the city
• Shiga Kogen is Japan's premier ski resort area
• Jigokudani Monkey Park, famous for the wild Japanese Snow Monkeys often found bathing in its hot springs
• Olympic buildings like the M-Wave speed skating arena with the largest wooden suspension roof in the world
• Nagano Chausuyama Zoo
• Outdoor dinosaur park
• Botanical garden
• Museum of natural history

Events and Festivals

Weather

Summers in Nagano are hot and relatively humid like most of the country. Temperatures hover around 30 °C from June to September while nights are generally between 18 and 22 °C during this time. Winters last from December to Marc when daytime temperatures are generally well above zero and nights in the city itself are around zero or just below though it gets much colder in the mountains. Summer months see most of the rain, though winters are far from dry as well. Spring and Autumn are pleasant times for a visit if you are not keen on skiing and want to avoid the hot conditions.

Naeba Mountains

© All Rights Reserved funkfaerie

Getting There

By Plane

Nagano itself has no airport, but the nearest airport is Matsumoto Airport with Japan Airlines (JAL) having flights to/from Sapporo, Osaka and Fukuoka.
Buses connect the city and airport in about 70 minutes, the train to Matsumoto is faster but you will need a connection to the airport after that.

By Train

Japan Railways offers a number of services to other Japanese cities. Shinkansen trains run twice hourly from Tokyo (1½ hours). The JR Shinonoi line connects Nagano with Matsumoto (50 minutes) and Nagoya (three hours).

By Car

By Bus

Buses connect Nagano with regional destinations, though usually trains are faster and more comfortable the further you travel. Not all cities have connections though, so buses are sometimes a good alternative.

By Boat

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

• Nagano Nihon University High School

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

The Japanese postal service is excellent! Domestic and international mail service is very quick and reliable. The prices for sending letters, postcards and parcels vary depending on where you send if from and to which country you send it too, and of course depends on weight as well, so check this calculation page of Japan Post for more details. Post offices generally are open from 9:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays, closing at weekends and also on national holidays, though a few open on Saturdays from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Central post offices are sometimes open until 7:00pm, open on Saturdays from 9:00am to 5:00pm and on Sundays and holidays from 9:00am to 12:30pm. Another thing to remember is that the post office is one of the few places in Japan that is guaranteed to have ATMs that take international cards.