Suwa Taisha (Suwa Grand Shrine) Kamisha Honmiya, one of the oldest shrines in the country and the head shrine of over 10,000 Suwa shrines throughout Japan, has no main building, but only a “heihaiden” and a “katahaiden,” a unique style known as the Suwa style. Many precious buildings remain, and six of them are registered as Important Cultural Properties. In olden times, people worshiped at Suwa Myojin to pray to the guardian deities of wind, water, and the harvest, as well as brave men. Nowadays, it is believed to house the deity that guards life and livelihood. It’s about five minutes from the Suwa Interchange on the Chuo Expressway.

Lake Shirakaba, with a circumference of four kilometers, was originally a pond created as a reservoir for farm use. You’ll find an amusement park, golf course, ski resort, hotels, and other facilities around this area, making it one of Shinshu’s top resort spots. Throngs of people visit every year.

An outdoor sculpture museum located on the Utsukushigahara Highlands in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture which displays some 350 modern art sculptures on a meadow 2,000 meters above sea level. Dotted with pieces by such famed domestic and international artists as César Baldaccini, Alexander Liberman, Izumi Ando, and Masuo Ikeda, the museum’s meadow is truly a stunning sight. The museum is also surrounded by magnificent mountains, and lovely mountain plants bloom from spring to fall. The museum is open from late April to mid-November.

This vast wasabi farm in Azumino spans a space equal to 11 Tokyo Domes. Entry is free and the farm is open every day year-round. In addition to wasabi fields and a processing plant, visitors can enjoy the tranquil waterside scenery, including a water mill used in a Kurosawa’s film. The farm’s shop sells unique products found nowhere else such as wasabi soft serve ice cream and wasabi-don rice bowls. If traveling by train, a 10-minute taxi ride from Hotaka Station on the JR Oito Line.

The result of underground water welling out of bare rock, Shiraito Falls has a thin stream of water almost like a strand of silk with beautiful lines of water and white spray falling down. The refreshing sight is one of Karuizawa’s representative sightseeing spots. In the winter, icicles are artificially created using water gushing forth from the waterfall, producing a fantastical atmosphere.

The enshrined deity is Ame no Yagokoro Omoikane no Mikoto, the originator of Iwato Kagura (sacred dance). Kagura is a collective term given to the theatrical dances that are dedicated to the God of the shrine at festival time. In Japanese mythology there is a story about Ama-no-Iwato (literally “The cave of the sun goddess”) where Ame no Yagokoro Omoikane no Mikoto created the chance for Amaterasu (the Sun Goddess), who was hiding in the cave, to open the door and come out. The divine virtues of this shrine are good luck, warding off evil, prosperous business, peace and prosperity in the household and academic achievement. The dragon painting on the ceiling of the main shrine was painted by Kawanabe Kyosai of the Kano School and was restored in 2003. In the grounds of the shrine is a sacred tree over 700 years old.

Long ago, the Nakasendo was an important highway connecting Edo and Kyoto, and many travelers stopped at the post town of Narai-juku before or after crossing the Torii Pass following this route. The post town once prospered due to the many people moving along the highway, and the town was even described as “Narai Sen-ken” (1,000 buildings of Narai). Narai was quite large, and divided into three districts—uptown, midtown, and downtown, and today the townscape remains mostly unchanged from its heyday. In 1978, the post town was designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.

Togakushi-jinja Shrine is located at the foot of Mt. Togakushi, Nagano City and consists of five shrines each named Okusha, Chusha, Hokosha, Kuzuryusha and Hinomikosha. It is said that the temple’s origins lie in the Iwato legend of mythology, and has been worshiped by many people as a sacred place since ancient times. The avenue of 400-year-old cedar tree which cover the approach road to Okusha have a powerful lure and this area was also used as a shooting location by commercials. There are also points on the road between the shrines with steep drops, so it is recommended to wear clothes which are easy to walk in if you plan to walk around by foot.

This is a beautiful highland that spreads out around Mt. Kuruma, the highest peak in the Kirigamine Mountain Range, where around 600 types of alpine plants grow. The view from Mt. Kuruma’s summit is exquisite, overlooking the Southern Alps (Akaishi Mountains), Mt. Fuji, Mt. Yatsugatake and the Asama Mountain Range. In summer one can enjoy hiking or trekking, and in winter skiing.

One of the Nakasendo (old route from Tokyo to Kyoto) post towns which still retains the appearance of a post town from the Edo period. Tsumago-juku is known as the first post town in Japan to preserve its old town atmosphere and it has been designated as an important architectural preservation site and a regional conservation area. The town is full of places to see such as Koi-iwa (Carp rock), one of the three famous rocks, the Waki-Honjin Okuya (a National Important Cultural Property), Nagiso Museum of History with displays on the history of Nagiso Town and the Kisoji Road, and the preservation of Tsumago-juku.

This is a small mountain hut offering lodging on Mt. Kuruma in Kirigamine, Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture, and it provides a cafe service as well between the end of April to the end of November. The rooms all require prior booking. The cafe has a wooden deck terrace from which one can look out over the Mt. Kuruma wetlands while enjoying the fresh mountain air along with a light meal or sweets. Popular menu items include the limited cheesecake, special siphon coffee, and warm borscht. They also sell souvenirs and original goods.

Selected as one of the top 100 famous mountains in Japan, Kirigamine Highlands, at approximately 1,600 meters above sea level, extends 10 kilometers east to west and 15 kilometers north to south. In early summer the azaleas and daylilies are at their best, and from summer through to autumn you’ll find fireweed and silver grass in bloom. Lots of alpine plants can be spotted in these grassy meadows and visitors can get views of Mt. Fuji and the Yatsugatake Mountains from this popular scenic spot.

This mountain skyline that connects Shiga Kogen and Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture is a popular driving course. It is part of National Route 292 and many tourists visit for long holidays and to see the autumn leaves. The Shibu Pass, the border between Gunma Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture, reaches an altitude of 2,172 meters. The Shibu Pass Hotel on the border is famous as a spot where you can come and go between the prefectures inside the hotel. The road is closed to traffic for the winter season between late-November to late-April.

This large ropeway, able to carry 100 people, is located at the northern tip of the Yatsugatake mountain range and connects Mt. Kita Yokodake and Mt. Shimagare. It takes about seven minutes to reach Yokodake-Tsuboniwa summit station with an altitude of 2237 meters from the station at the base of the mountain with an altitude of 1771 meters. The magnificent view of the mountains seen from the gondola window is spectacular, and is especially popular among mountaineers.

A highland situated along the Takabocchi Skyline road in Kataoka, Shiojiri City. Sprawling at the foot of 1,665-meter-tall Mt. Takabocchi, the highland is a renowned picturesque destination and offers a 360 panoramic view of the area, including Lake Suwa, Yatsugatake, Mt. Fuji, and the Akaishi Mountains.

This is the main shopping district of Karuizawa located along the old Kyu Nakasendo. It has over 400 years of history, and the area boasts a row of long-established shops such as a bakery, boutiques of imported fashion, and various new and established shops. The area is bustling with many tourists in the summer months.

The Mishaka Pond was created as a reservoir for agricultural purposes. The pond was also used as inspiration for the painting Midori Hibiku (echoing green) by renowned Showa period painter Kaii Higashiyama. Surrounded by glorious nature, the water surface reflecting the image of the trees like a mirror is both beautiful and fantastic.

"A pass situated along Prefectural Route 112 in Takayama Village, Kamitakai County. The pass is also the starting points of routes leading up Mt. Hafu and Mt. Omeshi. ""Kenashi"" literally means ""no hair,"" and as its name implies, no tall trees grow in the area; however, lingonberries, black crowberries, and other short evergreen shrubs do grow in abundance here, adding large splashes of green color to the scenery."

Sprawling at the foot of Mt. Kenashi, this is one of the most historic hot spring districts in the prefecture. There are various theories as to when the hot spring district was discovered. One belief is that it was found by the priest Gyoki (or an itinerate monk undergoing training) during the reign of Emperor Shomu, while another legend says that it was happened upon by a hunter following a wounded bear. Since the Edo period, the district has been lovingly maintained by the hands of local residents under a system called Yunakama, and today this system continues to preserve and service the area's abundant water flow and more than 30 source springs. In addition to bathhouses, the town is dotted with countless footbaths and 13 external bath areas for visitors to sample and enjoy.

A Shinto shrine located in Shimosuwa Town, Suwa County, Nagano Prefecture. The Akimiya is one of six shrines which comprise Suwa Grand Shrine, the head shrine of some 25 thousand Suwa shrines located across the country. Worshipped for providing abundant harvests and granting bravery since ancient times, in recent times the shrine has also come to be worshipped for protecting life and livelihood. The Kagura-den hall, with an eye-catching giant rope hanging in front, and the two-storied Heihai-den (worship and offering hall) are designated Important Cultural Properties. Other shrine highlights include the Neiri no Sugi, an 800-year old Japanese cedar tree. The shrine is famous for the Ombashira Festival held every seven years, as well as the Boat Festival (Ofune Matsuri) held on August 1.

Shirakaba Resort Family Land Ikenotaira is near Lake Shirakaba and features many facilities besides the theme park attractions, such as an art museum and sports activities. You can bring food and drink onto the premises, and pets are allowed with leashes and cages. There’s an adjoining hotel as well with amenities for nursing children. There’s something for everyone at this nature-surrounded facility regardless of age. It’s about 35 minutes from the Suwa Minami Interchange or Suwa Interchange on the Chuo Expressway.

This is a lake dammed by the lava flow of Mt. Madarao, and because the shape of the lake is similar to a cotton rose flower it is sometimes called Lake Fuyo. From the lake shore one can look out over Mt. Madarao and Mt. Kurohime. Between mid-April and mid-November there are excursion boats along Lake Nojiri, and it is particularly popular among visitors during the autumn when the leaves are changing.

This is the Karuizawa Branch of “Tsuruya,” a supermarket chain with roughly 30 locations throughout Nagano Prefecture. It is close to the “Toriihara Higashi” light along the Karuizawa Bypass. They have original Tsuruya-brand products and fresh food products like green vegetables obtained directly from contracted farms.

This art museum located inside of the Azumino Chihiro Park in the Matsukawa Village district of Kita-Azumi County, Nagano Prefecture collects and displays works by picture book artists from around the world including Chihiro Iwasaki. In addition to displays about Chihiro’s representative works, related items, and career, the museum also introduces the history of picture books and a collection of original pictures from picture books around the world. The museum is complete with facilities sure to delight children such as a reading room where they can read their choice from approximately 3,000 picture books as well as a play area for small children. There is also a picture book café where visitors can relax while gazing out at Japan’s Northern Alps (Hida Mountains).