Travel Guide Asia Japan Honshu Chubu Nagano
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chuoukan Shimizuya Ryokan | 49,Daimoncho | Hostel | 92 |
| Hotel Iidaya | 1-2-3, Chuo Matsumoto | Hotel | - |
| Kamesei Ryokan | 2-15-1 Kamiyamada Onsen | Hostel | - |
| Kawaichiya Ryokan | 8923-1 Toyosato Nozawa Onsen-mura, Shimotakai-gun | Hotel | - |
| Kaze-no Yasuyado | 4-7-40, Tsukama, Matsumoto-shi Nagano | Hostel | 90 |
| Megamiko Station Inn | 1027 Megamiko Tateshina-machi Kitasaku-gun | Guesthouse | - |
| Obuse-no-Kaze Youth Hostel | 475-2 Oaza Obuse, Obuse-machi Kamitakai-Gun | Hostel | - |
| Ryokan Seifu-so | 634-5, Minami-asama | Hostel | 94 |
| Zenkoji Tokugyoubou Shukubo | 448 Motoyoshicho | Hostel | - |
| Hotel Yudanaka | 3246-2 Hirao Yamanouchimachi | Hotel | - |
| Yorozuya Annex Yurakuan | Yudanakaonsen yamanouchi-machi Shimotakai-gun | HOTEL | - |
| Yudanaka Seifu-so | Yamanouchicho Shinyudanaka Onsen | HOSTEL | 93 |
| Hatunoyu Ryokan | Shibuonsen,Yamanouchi-cho,Shimotakai-un Onezawa Yukinori | HOSTEL | - |
| Ryokan Suisensou | 3155,Heion,Yamanouchi-cho Shimotakai-gun | HOSTEL | - |
| Kawahiro | Nagano-ken Shimotakaigun Nozawa Onsen Mura 7819 | Hostel | - |
| Pension Chiisana Kuni | 3878-136 Azumi Norikura-kougen Matsumoto City | Hotel | - |
| Nagano Yudanaka Shimaya | 3075, Hirao Yamanouchi-machi | Hostel | 95 |
| Japan Karuizawa Stay | 5538-6 Nagakura, Kitasakugun Karuizawa city | Guesthouse | - |
| Guesthouse Hilltop | 130, Shinkai, Kiso-machi Kiso-gun | Guesthouse | - |
| Pension Tengallonhat | 4306-8 MatsumotoCity Azumi Norikura | Guesthouse | - |
| Takahan Ryokan | 923 Yuzawa Yuzawa-machi Minamiuonuma-gun | Guesthouse | - |
| Villa Alpen | Sunvalley Shiga-kogen Yamanouchi-machi Shimotakai-gun | Hotel | - |
| Hotel MATSUMOTO YOROZUYA | 1-24-1,Chuo,Matsumoto-shi,Nagano-ken | HOTEL | 90 |
| Matsuya Ryokan Zenkoji Temple | 484 Motoyoshi-cho, Nagano city, Nagano Prefecture | HOSTEL | - |
| 1166 Backpackers | 1048 Nishimachi | HOSTEL | 93 |
| KOTOBUKI | Kanbayashionsen,Yamanouchicho,Shimotakaigun,Nagano | HOSTEL | - |
| Hotel New Station Matsumoto | 1-1-11, Chuo, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0811 | HOTEL | - |
| Sakae-no-yu Asama Onsen | 3-4-12, Asama Onsen, Matsumoto City, Nagano 390-03 | Hostel | - |
| Moritomizu Backpackers | 1-6-2 Nakagosho, Nagano, Nagano | HOSTEL | 83 |
| Lodge Nagano | 6846-1 Oaza-Toyosato Nozawa-Onsen-Mura, Nagano | GUESTHOUSE | - |
| Hotel Petit Riviere Karuizawa | 709-2 Shiozawa, Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nag | HOTEL | - |
| Hotel Hoshikawakan | 2941-50 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, N | HOSTEL | - |
| Senshinkan Matsuya | 2222 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi Shimotakai-gun | HOSTEL | - |
See also International Telephone Calls
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.
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