Daioji Temple has been recognized as a national valuable cultural resource for almost 600 years and has a cathedral with a thatched roof, which is uncommon in Japan. With a thatched roof cathedral, which is rare in Japan, Daioji Temple has a long history of over 600 years and has been designated as a national important cultural property At the temple, you can experience Zazen, a sitting meditation where you can look within and replenish your mind.
With the perfect climate for sake-making, soil, and subterranean water, Otawara’s sake has won several awards at international competitions. At Tentaka Sake Brewery, you can tour the brewery and enjoy samplings.
Play in the snow and spend the night in a traditional home. Take a trip to a hot spring and partake of the local foods between sips of sake. Choose from a wide variety of ways to make your trip unforgettable.
The Hoshitoge Rice Terraces of Tokamachi were selected by Tsunagu Japan as the top choice in its list of “30 reasons to go to Japan before you die.”
At 700 meters above sea level, Hakuba’s high elevation, cold climate, and clear, alpine streams together form a setting which imparts superior flavor to the locally grown buckwheat known as “Hakuba soba.” Flour ground from the soba is used in several regional specialties, and a soba festival is held every autumn. Soba noodles (often simply called “soba”) are served by numerous shops in town and may be eaten hot or cold. Hakuba locals will insist, however, that the crisp air of winter brings out the noodles’ best flavor.
Fruit trees growing apples, grapes, peaches, and other fruits are grown under favorable conditions, such as sloping terrain with good sunlight and drainage, as well as a large difference in temperature between day and night. In addition, the mineral-rich melt water from the Shiga Kogen Highlands, which is registered as a UNESCO Eco Park, nurtures these trees and produces sweet and delicious fruit. Enjoy the exquisite fruit produced by the land of the Shiga Kogen Highlands.
Sukagawa, Yamanouchi is located near the entrance to the Kita-Shiga Kogen Highlands, where buckwheat has long been grown and handmade soba noodles are served at celebrations and other occasions. Sukagawa soba, made from 100% local buckwheat flour and using the fibers of oyamabokuchi leaves as a thickener, has a strong texture and is served at soba restaurants and guest houses.Hard-boiled shredded daikon radish is mixed with buckwheat flour dissolved in water. It is called “Hayasoba” (fast buckwheat noodles) because the amount of daikon (radish) is larger than that of buckwheat flour, making it look as if it is cut into buckwheat noodles, and because it can be made in a short period of time. Sakae Village and Sukagawa in Yamanouchi Town are the only places in Nagano where it is made, and it cannot be found outside of the prefecture.
Yamanouchi is one of the leading producers of fruit in Nagano Prefecture. The clear streams from the Shiga Kogen Highlands and the difference in temperature between the day and night produce sweet and delicious fruit. Depending on the season, you can pick a variety of fruits such as cherries, blueberries, grapes, and apples at farms in the town. You can experience fruit-picking in Yamanouchi at authentic farmhouses, so you can enjoy the freshest market-ready fruits.
In Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, a town known for its Sukagawa soba (buckwheat noodles), visitors can experience soba noodle-making at soba restaurants and guest houses in the town. The experience begins with grinding locally-grown buckwheat on a millstone. Using the leaves of a type of burdock called oyamabokuchi to thicken the noodles, soba is made in an authentic, old-fashioned way.
Ryuo Mountain Resort in Yamanouchi is a resort complex offering glamping, herb gardens, and cafés. Visitors may take the world’s largest 166-seat ropeway to “SORA terrace” at the top of the mountain, where they can enjoy a panoramic view that stretches 1,770 meters above sea level. When conditions are favorable, the entire area can be enveloped in a sea of clouds, offering a fantastic and magical view of the world. The morning sun rising above the sea of clouds is a truly unforgettable sight.
