Tokamachi

Tokamachi, land of snow, food and scenic beauty Receiving up to four meters of snow in the mountain heights and two meters of snowfall in town, Tokamachi spends half the year snowed under and is the snowiest city in the world. The beautiful village culture here is represented by kaen-gata pottery, named for its unique flame-shaped embellishments. This pottery, whose history can be traced back more than five millennia, is the oldest National Treasure of Japan. Unravel the history behind this ancient village culture as you sample distinctive local cuisine that reflects the area’s snowy climate.

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Tour Route

A journey to immerse oneself in the culture of the snow country, nurtured by the abundance of snowfall.

Day 1

Learn history & culture at Tokamachi City Museum

The museum has three permanent exhibition rooms: "Jomon Period and Flame Pottery Kuni," "History of Textiles," and "Snow and Shinano River. Visitors can learn about the history and culture of Tokamachi City.

Try hegisoba, a traditional dish from the snow-covered countryside.

The noodles are made with seaweed called fu-nori as a binding agent, and are served in bite-sized Hegi bowls. They are characterized by a firm, chewy texture and a silky smooth finish.

Kimono Factory Tour

At Kimono Aoyagi, visitors can observe all the intricacies of yuzen dyeing and tie-dyeing, and even have the opportunity to try their hand at tie-dyeing and printing yuzen themselves.

Matsunoyama Onsen - One of Japanese Top 3 medicinal hot springs

This hot spring is considered one of the top three in Japan due to its medicinal properties. It is known to have healing qualities and is located next to Kusatsu and Arima hot springs. It is believed that the source of this hot spring dates back to 12 million years ago and consists of fossilized seawater, which is very salty. In winter, it is difficult to lower the temperature due to the high concentration of salt.

Day 2

Bijin Bayashi Forest

The area is lined with a forest of beech trees that are approximately 100 years old. Because of the breathtaking beauty of the beech trees, the area became famously known as the "Beautiful Forest".

Inaka Gotzo Konbu

At Setoguchi, located in the tranquil Seto Valley, you can gather around the hearth and enjoy the flavors of traditional preserved foods and game dishes from the snowy countryside.

Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel

This is one of the three great canyons in Japan, along with Kurobe Gorge and Osugidani Gorge. The panorama station at the far end offers a fantastic opportunity to take photos of the reflection of the V-shaped mountain in the water.