Nagano Private Tours

Matsumoto Castle was built about 400 years ago. It has one of the oldest castle towers in Japan, designated as a national treasure. The black and white contrast of the castle with a backdrop of the Japan's northern Alps is really photogenic!! When you stroll the castle town, you come across rows of old houses and also fresh spring waters in every corner.

Highlights for Obuse and Suzaka from Nagano City

You can visit some lovely places near Nagano Station, such as Obuse and Suzaka. Obuse is a small but pleasant town where Hokusai, the ukiyoe woodblock print artist known for "The Great Wave," lived in his later years. Entering the Museum and eating delicious chestnut sweets will bring back good memories. Suzaka is famous for its warehouses, which give a good atmosphere and are now used as stores and museums. Garyu Park also provides a beautiful sight in each of the four seasons.

Karuizawa History Town Walk

3 hours

Why not explore Karuizawa, a famous upper-market mountain resort welcoming about 8 million visitors a year? You will walk around the Old Town area with a local guide. The destinations include historic lanes and paths, one of the area's famous churches, areas with holiday villas, Karuizawa Ginza Street and more! You will experience a cafe break, which is a must when you come to a resort area.

Snow Monkey and Hokusai One day tour to Nagano

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10 hours

Today Japanese monkeys of Jigokudani Onsen became so famous that many foreign visitors eagerly want to visit to see. In Jigokudani (literally meaning is Hell Valley) monkeys take bath in open-air Onsen(Hot spring) in particular during winter season. Visitors can reach there in 3 hours by taking bullet trains and Nagano Dentetsu railway from Tokyo. Near the snow monkey park, there is a old town of Obuse. Obuse is famous for the works of Hokusai Katsushika. In 1840's Hokusai visited Obuse in his 80's years old and stay there for several years. There is the museum of Hokusai and his patron's housing. You can have lunch in Obuse. There are some restaurants and confectionery shops and Sake breweries. You could have chances to Sake tasting. If you want, you could visit the temple whose ceiling paint is the largest and last work by Hokusai and his daughter. As the temple is located at outskirt of Obuse, you need to take taxi. Leaving Tokyo station at 7:20 in the morning, you would arrive at the park around 10:30. You will have enough time to watch monkeys' life. You will enjoy seeing not only the snow monkeys but the beautiful landscape of Central Japan Mountain. You could be back to your hotel by around 19:00 in Tokyo.

Nagano Art, Culture, & Historical Tours

Zenkoji Temple and History Tour – Half Day Trip from Nagano Station

3 hours

I propose a tour from Nagano Station to the Zenkoji Temple. There are traditional Japanese shops and historical spots on the way to Zenkoji from the station. You can try some light snacks such as dango sweets, enjoy some shopping, and if you want, I can take you to a Japanese public bathhouse. I'll propose a flexible plan based on your request. When we arrive at Zenkoji temple, I’ll talk about the history of them and introduce you to various historical points to help you expand your imagination.

Obuse: Chestnuts and Hokusai's Works

A world-famous ukiyoe painter Hokusai (1760-1849) stayed in Obuse and made his works in his later years. In Obuse Hokusai Museum, you'll encounter not only his ukiyoe woodblock printings but also his original handwritings you cannot see elsewhere. Akso, Obuse is well-known for its chestnuts. There are many chestnut trees and a variety of foods with chestnuts. Why don't you try one of them?

Matsushiro: Unique Samurai Town

Matsushiro is a quiet castle town 10km away from the center of Nagano. The town used to be the domain of the Sanada clan (feudal lords). In Matsushiro, you see the castle remains, the residence of the Sanada clan, middle-class samurai houses, a school for samurai children. You will enjoy walking around the cosy town, breathing fresh air.

Zenkoji Temple and its Surroundings

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Zenkoji Temple is very famous for Japanese and its beautiful main hall is one of Japan's national treasures. The temple has a long history of pilgrimage and some say that they want to visit it at least once in their lifetime. Your guide shows you some historical spots in the precincts and also tells you some interesting stories of them.

Nagano Day Trip Tours

Snow Monkey Park and Zenkoji Temple in Nagano

8 hours

The park provides us a rare opportunity for us to watch the Macaque up close and observe their fascinating behavior. During winter the monkeys enjoy bathing in the hot spring. The history of Zenkoji temple started in 642 and it does not belong to any religious sect. Legend says that Zenkoji's golden triad was the first Buddhist image to arrive in Japan. After taking a walk in Nakamise street, you can enjoy Sake tasting if you like.

Customized Tour in Karuizawa

Our professional guide will take you to the places that you wish to visit in Karuizawa and nearby areas. We are local guides and do our best to talk about our areas with our warm hearts! Shiraito Waterfall, Karuizawa Shaw Memorial Churches, Soba making experience, Karuizawa Old Town Areas, Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza, Karuizawa's History Road, Mt. Asama Magma Stone Park are just some of the popular places. I hope you will have a lot of fun

Matsumoto Castle and Daio Wasabi Farm in Nagano

8 hours 30 min

Matsumoto castle which was built in 1593-94. The 5 roofed, six story tower castle is the oldest in existence in Japan. It is designated as a national treasure of Japan. Daio Wasabi Farm is situated amongst the picturesque valleys of central Japan’s famous Alps region. It is known as the largest farm of Wasabi (horseradish) in Japan and noted for its picturesque beauty and long history. The tour starts at Matsumoto station and we will visit these places by train or taxi.

Visiting Togakushi Shrine and Zenkoji Temple in Nagano

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9 hours

Meet at Nagano station. Travel by bus for an hour to the entrance of Togakushi Okusha Shrine and walk about 40 minutes to the Okusha.Along the way to Okusha shrine, we will walk through a beautiful path surrounded by 400-year-old cedar trees. After visiting Okusha Shrine we will visit the Togakushi Ninja Museum where we can see ninja tools on display. At Chusha Shrine we will have lunch at a soba noodle restaurant. From Togakushi, we will move to Zenkoji temple by bus (or taxi).

Nagano Nature & Outdoor Tours

Horse trekking in a beautiful forest near Karuizawa

3 hours 30 min

This tour includes horse trekking and lunch in Karuizawa area, where you can relax in beautiful nature away from the city. Horse trekking is for very first beginners to experienced riders. Just let me know what your level is! I will be taking many photos for you during the tour and send them to you later. Later for lunch, you can try Nagano Soba noodle or Tempura in my recommended restaurant(favorite place among local people!), or you can just tell me what you would like to eat.

Snow Monkey Park & Local Train

Jigokutani Yaen Koen, so-called the Snow Monkey Park, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nagano. If you are lucky, you will see some monkeys bathing in the hot spring. In winter, the natural trail is often frozen and slippery. From spring to autumn, trekking to the park is easier than in winter. How about enjoying a local train ride and encountering wild monkeys in natural settings?

Snow Monkey&Togakushi Snowshoeing! Nagano Winter Special!

9 hours

Visiting world famous "Snow Monkey" park and snowshoeing in beautiful Togakushi Shrine's forest! The Mokey park is outstanding and you will love it to see the wild monkeys relaxing in Onsen. Moreover, this tour offers the other special experience "Snowshoeing in Togakushi". Explore the snowy beech forests. Woodland creatures also roam the area, so keep your eyes peeled for animal tracks! Approach the legendary Togakushi Shrine nearby, strolling along its idyllic tree-lined trail.

Togakushi Snowshoe Hiking Tour

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6 hours 30 min

The mountains of the north Nagano are covered with deep snow during the winter. The pond freezes, all the shrubs are buried under the snow, and the trees wear beautiful white robes. The sound of footsteps and breathing of ourselves as we step on the snow in silence, and the footprints of rabbits and foxes that remain on the snow surface. In winter, when bushes are covered with snow, you can freely walk around the forest, and you can also get to the forest of giant trees,

Nagano Off the Beaten Path Tours

Togakushi: Sacred Forests & Shrines

5 hours

Togakushi is a sacred place where mountain worship once flourished. You'll see some shinto shrines in the deep forests guarded by sacred mountains. Unbeaten natural beauty will also make you feel refreshed.

Iiyama: Nostalgic "Satoyama"

How about exploring Japan's countryside "satoyama", where people live in harmony with nature? A trip to Iiyama would be an unforgettable experience for you. The lake Hokuryu is a heart-shaped serene lake in a deep forest. You'll enjoy taxi driving along the Chikuma river, where you'll find many photogenic landscapes. Visiting a doll museum or some temples in Iiyama will also soothe your mind.

Togakushi Pilgrimage Trail Walking Tour

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Togakushi area is considered as one of the most important places for the Esoteric Buddhism. Togakushi Kodo is a path which has been used by mountainous ascetics since ancient times. On this tour, we are going to walk the pilgrimage trail and visit the five Togakushi shrines. Let's explore the mysterious culture and abundant nature of Togakushi area!

Nagano Unique Experience Tours

Nozawa Onsen: Cosy Village Waik

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Nozawa Onsen is a village back in the mountains. You will see how local people live there, and enjoy local speciality foods, and clean air and lush greenery. Please enjoy everything in Nozawa!

Nagano Kids & Family Friendly Tours

A Day Tour for Snow Monkey and Obuse Town

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You will go to Snow Monkey Park and see how wild monkeys live and seem relaxed without minding human beings watching them. There are also some lovely places to visit from Nagano City, such as Obuse Town and Suzaka City. Especially, Obuse is a small but pleasant town where Hokusai, the ukiyoe artist known for "The Great Wave," lived in his later years. Entering the Museum, learning about his life, and eating delicious chestnut sweets will surely bring back good memories.

Nagano Food & Drink Tours

Suzaka: Fermented Food and Culture

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In Suzaka, silk manufacturing industry flourished from the 19C to the early 20C. Silk was exported via Yokoyama to the US. You will see old warehouses walking along the street, and visit a miso brewery and a local sake retailer. You also visit a wealthy merchant's house which has been there since the Edo period.

Day Trips from Nagano

Yamanashi

Takayama

Niigata

Toyama

Gunma

Nagano Tour Reviews

Alec W.

5 / 5

Jan 21, 2025

7-hour sightseeing tour from Suwa to Lake Yamanakako

Customized

Jan 21, 2025

“Nice can and great driver”

Driver is so groomed with alux can for us

Tym T.

5 / 5

Jan 20, 2025

From Narita Airport to Chalet Shiga

Customized

Jan 20, 2025

“Highly recommended, excellent service”

SoQ is an excellent and safe driver. He was very friendly, highly responsive, and provided very useful information for our travels. He made my group's visit to Japan extremely enjoyable and I would highly recommend him to anyone who is visiting Japan.

SoQ Bright Taxi

It is an honor to be recognized by everyone. I wish you happiness, good health, and joy in your future life. SoQ

Taylor K.

5 / 5

Jan 17, 2025

Zenkoji Temple and its surroundings