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OBUSE: the Town of Chestnuts, Hokusai Ukiyo-e and Open Gardens
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Joined 2025
Obuse town is the smallest town in Nagano-pref. Obuse chestnuts have 600 years' history and provide us delicious chestnut sweets.
This town is also famous that both the Ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai and the poet Kobayashi Issa created numerous works.
Many beautiful flowers and open gardens welcome you.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Lobby of your hotel in Nagano city
Nagano Station (Nagano Electric Railway Co., Ltd)
Walking upto Nagano station and boarding the train at 08:01AM.
After arrived at Tsusumi station at 08:37AM, let's walk for approx. 11 mins bound for Ganshoin temple.
Ganshoin Temple
On the ceiling of Ganshoin temple, Hokusai's masterpiece "Phoenix Glaring in All Directions" is painted. It is measured more than 30 square meters.
Takai Kozan Museum
Takai Kozan was a one of Obuse's wealthiest farmer-merchant invited Katsushika Hokusai to Obuse, nurturing an air of culture in Obuse town.
In the museum, there is Kozan's study and salon called Yuzenro which has two-story building in the Kyoto style.
The Hokusai−kan Museum
Walking through Kuri-no-Komichi, a narrow pathway that is paved with blocks of chestnut wood, we will visit Hokusai-kan museum. Hokusai's Ukiyo-e paintings including Dragon and Phoenix, Masculine Waves and Feminine Waves for the ceilings of the festival carts.
Chestnut Rice Lunch, Chestnut Sweets, Japanese Sake Tasting
In Obuse town, you may try Chestnut Rice and sweets, Japanese Sake Tasting.
(Option: Hot Spring Bathing at Obuse Onsen Anakannon-no-yu/ If you'd like to take a bath in hot spring, you may choose this option. I'll take you to the best place where you can enjoy milky green coloured hot water and the scenic view of 5 mountains in the region.)
Obuse Station
Walking back to Obuse station, let's get on the rrain at 05:36PM bound for Nagano station.
Nagano Station
Arriving at Nagano station at 06:09PM,
let's walk back to the your hotel.
Ending Point
Lobby at your hotel
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
•Guide fee
•Train Ticket fm Nagano to Tsusumi
(¥970 /person for you and guide)
•Train Ticket fm Obuse to Nagano
(¥680 /person for you and guide)
•Entrance fee at
Ganshoin Temple (¥600 /person)
Takai Kozan Museum (¥300/person)
Hokusai Museum (¥1,200 /person)
•Lunch fees, Chestnut sweets' prices, the Hot spring tax (¥750 /person for you and guide)
Tour Important Information
* This tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
* If your tour date is on the weekends from the mid Apr. to Nov., we may get on the circulation buses in the Obuse town.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2025
About Tour Guide Ken-ichi M.
In March 1983, I graduated Chiba university. Major is psychology.
In April 1983, I entered a manufacturing company of semiconductor components and I was assaigned to the overseas sales dept.
For more than 40 years, I had done sales activities with foreign semiconductor companies using English language.
I had visited foreign customer companies located in several foreign countries on once a month basis.
I have stationed myself in Singapore and Malaysia for 5 years.
I have homestayed in Los Angels for a month and in Oakland New Zealand for a week.
I have welcomed an American teacher in my house for a week as a homestay program.
I have passed the examination of Tour Guide in 2016.
I have teached the skiing in Shiga Highland Ski Resort, Happo-one Ski Resort and Iwatake Ski Resort.
I had guided bus passengers(most of them were Austllarian people) at the bus terminal in Hakuba-Happo.
I am now teaching junior high school students English grammar.
Reviews
Carole B.
“À nice day”
The tour guide provides an excellent experience. He was knowledgeable , friendly and well organisez making both visit enjoyable and informative. The itinerary was thoughtfully planned, allowing enough time at each location.he was attentive to the group’s need and adapted it for us. We were hangover after a saki night the day before the tour… Thank you very much for the tour Carole
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Ken-ichi M.
Ms. Carole B. and other 3 colleagues, I am overwhelmed by your so many compliments. Although you have been so tired with 10 days travels, all of you could kindly follow my guiding with friendly smiles. It would be my great pleasure if you feel this time tour with me would be memorable. I wish the rest of your tours could be wonderful experiences of quite different cultures of Japan. Thank you very much for choosing me as a guide. Ken
Sarita P.
“Fabulous tour with Ken”
Ken was a very kind and thoughtful person. He carefully planned out the day to make sure my customised trip was perfect. Seeing the monkeys was a wonderful experience and could have watched them all day. We spent time in Matsumoto afterwards and went to a local specialized restaurant that Ken had researched so I could try their cuisine. Was a wonderful day - thank you Ken
Ken-ichi M.
First of all, I thank you very much for choosing me as the guide. I hope you could have spent wonderful time in Nagano area. Monkeys were so Kawaii = cute, weren't they ? Matsumoto castle was so unique, wasn't it ? Eating the raw hourse meats and the local food Oyaki = a kind of dumpling could be a funny experiences for you. I hope you might have the feeling of touching Japanese OMOTENASHI (welcoming attitudes) again and paying another visit to Japan in the future. Thanks again for the tour with me. Ken
Ys C.
“Unforgettable and Magical Tour!”
We have no regrets taking this tour as we got to see the majestic wonder of the shrines, cedar trees and not forgetting the powdery snow which covers the entire area. Ken made the experience even better as he was knowledgeable and very much accommodating. He planned the entire itinerary and logistic nicely for us even before we arrived and took us around the beautiful sites and even arranged for soba and sake lunch.
Ken-ichi M.
Dear YS-san and your family, Thank you very much for your warmful comments. If you could satisfy the tour, it would be the biggest pleasure for me as your guide. With your beautiful wife and cute daughter, we could enjoy powder snow by making snow balls and snowmans though the slippery paths made us quite difficult to walk comfortably. Also we could have made a good conversations about Malaysia topics as well as the foods' experiences of soba and sake. If you have a chance to visit Japan next time and to be able to travel together again, it will be a great pleasure for me. Please have a happy new year of the firehourse. Thanks and Best Regards Ken
$294/ per group
More tours by Ken-ichi M.
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TOGAKUSHI/ Ninja Experience, 400years Cedar Ave.＆ Shrines
"Togakushi" means hiding the door. In Japanese mythology, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu hid herself inside the rock-cave door, resulting in the total darkness of the world. In order to recover sunlight, another goddess danced very attractively in front of the door and other gods pulled Amaterasu out from the door strongly. Then, the door was flown far away to Togakushi. Ninja was also hide-related specialist. Let's experience Ninja activities and voltex of sacred, spiritual shrines and cedar avenue.
TOGAKUSHI/ Ninja Experience, 400years Cedar Ave.＆ Shrines
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Matsumoto Castle / Narai-Juku / Daio Wasabi Farm Tour
Matsumoto Castle is one of the oldest castles in Japan. Fortification of the site dates back to simple wooden structures built during the Warring States period. Narai-Juku is well-preserved post town that remains of Edo-era streets. Daio Wasabi Farm is one of Japan's largest wasabi farms and a popular tourist destination.
Matsumoto Castle / Narai-Juku / Daio Wasabi Farm Tour
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Snow Monkey Park / Togakushi Shrines / Zenkoji temple
Let's watch Japanese monkeys taking bath in hot spring and enjoy walking the worshipper's path toward Togakushi Okusya shrine surrounded by 400years' big cedar trees. Eating soba noodles in Chusya area maybe a fun since Togakushi soba noodles are very famous in Japan (If you have food allergy, the alternative food will be arranged). This tour covers Zenkoji temple at the night.
Snow Monkey Park / Togakushi Shrines / Zenkoji temple
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Snow Monkey Park / Matsumoto Castle / Daio Wasabi Firm
The Jigokudani Yaen-koen (altitude 850 meters) is known as snow monkey park that has been a worldwide popular place for watching the bathing monkeys in a hot spring. (Winter is the best tour season for it.) The five-story, six-tiered keep of Matsumoto Castle is Japan's oldest existing National Treasure. Daio Wasabi Firm is one of Japan's largest wasabi farms.
Snow Monkey Park / Matsumoto Castle / Daio Wasabi Firm
Other Popular Art, Culture, & Historical Tours in Nagano
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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?
Obuse: Chestnuts and Hokusai's Works
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Matsumoto Castle / Narai-Juku / Daio Wasabi Farm Tour
Matsumoto Castle is one of the oldest castles in Japan. Fortification of the site dates back to simple wooden structures built during the Warring States period. Narai-Juku is well-preserved post town that remains of Edo-era streets. Daio Wasabi Farm is one of Japan's largest wasabi farms and a popular tourist destination.
Matsumoto Castle / Narai-Juku / Daio Wasabi Farm Tour
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Half a day Nagano Food & Culture Tour
Japanese food is an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and Nagano is famous for local food culture. This 3hr tour takes you to old part of Nagano. You'll enjoy local food and Sake, learning about the secrets of longevity and food culture here that only locals can tell you. We'll walk on backstreets of 1400yrs old temple ground, discovering authentic local food stores and shrines which you wouldn't noticed otherwise. Watching a fire ceremony, hearing chants and drums is such a experience.
Half a day Nagano Food & Culture Tour
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Matsushiro: Samurai Town and its History
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.
Matsushiro: Samurai Town and its History