Getting Around Nagano City

Getting to Nagano

Nagano City is one of the few stops in Nagano Prefecture found on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. The bullet train which has been running for over 20 years brings visitors all the way from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station in less than 1.5 hours. With Nagano Station found along seven JR lines in total, JR Pass holders can travel from many spots to Nagano without any extra fee. Those traveling by car from Tokyo to Nagano can expect to get there in between 2.5 and 4 hours depending on traffic.

Nagano City by Bus

Tourist buses around Nagano City are a quick, easy, and affordable way to get from one place to the next. The Nagano City Circular Bus “Gururin-go” runs every 15 minutes from Nagano Station between 8.35am and 7.20pm. For just 150 yen per ride, the bus stops off at several useful spots along the way including Central Square, Gondo-iriguchi for the Nagano Gondo shopping arcade, and Zenkoji-iriguchi for Zenko-ji Temple which is just a six-minute bus ride away.

Nagano City by Subway

The Nagano Dentetsu Line which runs through Nagano City stops at just four stations: Nagano Station, Shiyakusho-mae, Gondo, and Zenkoji-shita, making it one of the quickest ways to get around. Running from 6:20am to 11:00pm anyone planning on staying out into the evening can use this to travel around easily. This is especially handy for the Gondo shopping arcade area which is one of the best places to experience the Nagano nightlife. The subway also carries onto the neighboring areas Suzaka, Obuse, Shinshu-Nakano, and Yudanaka Onsen with a ride all the way from Nagano to Yudanaka taking around 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Nagano City and Beyond By Car

As the city center is small, those arriving by car are best to park and discover the city by foot or public transport. However, with several small cities within close proximity in Nagano Prefecture exploring by car gives you the freedom to travel around this fascinating region of Japan. Car hire is available in Nagano City with Toyota, Nissan, or Nippon but remember you will need either an international or Japanese license.

Nagano City and Beyond By Car

Nagano

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Zenkoji Temple

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Gondo Shopping street Kyodo Union

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Suzaka

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