Hiking, Walking and Biking Nagano: 16 Tours in Nagano City

By Peter Ninnes

Nagano City in central Japan offers a wealth of opportunities to explore the country's unique natural, cultural and historical features. From the iconic, ancient temple of Zenkoji, to the historic castle precinct of Matsushiro, to the surrounding forested mountains replete with magnificent views, Nagano City has something for everyone. This book is the most thoroughly researched and comprehensive English language guide to the city's natural, historical and cultural sites. It provides insightful and fascinating details of the pilgrims' walk to Zenkoji temple, the various buildings and war-time tunnels of Matsushiro, the deeply spiritual highlands of Togakushi, and hikes and walks in the remote mountains on the edge of the city. The 16 tours in this book provide all the information readers need to make the most of their visit to the city. Each tour has a detailed English description, colour photographs, and a full colour map. The 16 hikes, walks and bike rides are:
Mt Jizuki Hike
Mt Omine Hike
Nagano Station to Zenkoji Temple Pilgrim Walk/Ride
Nagano Station to Ueda Castle Park via Kawanakajima Ancient Battlefield Ride
Mt Chausu Hike
Matsushiro Walk/Ride
Mt Amakazari Hike
Mt Kimyo Hike
Mt Taro Hike
Togakushi Five Shrines Walk
Togakushi Lake Walk
Togakushi Beech Forest and Mt Meno Hike
Mt Iizuna Hike
Mt Jinbadaira Hike
Mt Sunahachi Hike
Mt Hijiri Hike

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peter Ninnes
• Release date: Jun 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310998584

Peter Ninnes

Peter Ninnes has lived and travelled extensively in Japan since 2005, initially as a tourist and then as a resident from 2007-2015. Apart from Japan, he has lived in East Timor, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the US. He currently calls Sydney, Australia home.

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Hiking, Walking and Biking Nagano:

16 Tours in Nagano City

Peter Ninnes

Copyright © Peter Ninnes 2014

ISBN 9781310998584

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Although the author has tried to make the information in this book as accurate as possible, the author accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone using this book.

Published by Ninesuya (似根州屋), Chikuma City, Japan

All photographs by Peter Ninnes

Cover: Zenkoji Temple

Title page: The mausoleum of Sanada Nobuyuki in Matsushiro

Table of Contents

Introduction

Tour Location Map

Central Nagano City

Mt Jizuki Hike

Mt Omine Hike

Nagano Station to Zenkoji Temple Pilgrim Walk/Ride

Kawanakajima Area

Nagano Station to Ueda Castle Park via Kawanakajima Ancient Battlefield

Mt Chausu Hike

Matsushiro Area

Matsushiro Walk/Ride

Mt Amakazari Hike

Mt Kimyo Hike

Mt Taro Hike

Togakushi and Iizuna Area

Togakushi Five Shrines Walk

Togakushi Lake Walk

Togakushi Beech Forest and Mt Meno Hike

Mt Iizuna Hike

Others

Mt Jinbadaira Hike

Mt Sunahachi Hike

Mt Hijiri Hike

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Also by Peter Ninnes

Introduction

Back to Contents

Nagano City is located in the centre of Japan’s largest island, Honshu. It is the capital and principal city of Nagano Prefecture, famous for its mountains, winter sports and hot springs. The city has a population of 384,202 but its population density of only 517 persons per square kilometres points to the mixture of urban, suburban and rural areas that make up the city. The main urban parts of the city are located on the Zenkoji Plain at an elevation of about 380m ASL. The rest of the city is mountainous, and the highest peak, the precipitous Mt Takatsuma, soars to 2,353m. A good sense of the city’s setting can be had from the summits of Mt Jizuki and Mt Omine, just north of the downtown area (See Chapters 1 and 2).

The Zenkoji Plain has been populated since ancient times. Burial mounds that pre-date the introduction of Buddhism into Japan (in the 7th century CE) can be found in the south of the city (see Chapter 8). Japan’s oldest Buddhist image, the Amida Triad, is kept in Zenkoji Temple on the northern edge of the downtown area. The temple was relocated to Nagano City from Iida City in the south of Nagano Prefecture in 642CE (see Chapter 3).

The Zenkoji Plain was the site of notable battles during the Warring States Period (15th-16th century CE), including those in the Kawanakajima area (see Chapter 4). The plain itself is bisected by the Chikuma River, Japan’s longest, which flows from its headwaters in the south of the prefecture to its mouth in Niigata Prefecture (where it is called the Shinano River). The ride from Nagano City along the Chikuma River Bikeway (Chapter 4) is a great way to explore this riverine environment.

Apart from the downtown area, the city has a number of other distinct areas. These include the Matsushiro area in the south. The former castle here was home to a number of important lords, both during the warring states ear and during the period from 1600 CE when Japan was united under the Tokugama shogunates (see Chapter 6). This area also contains some excellent hikes up nearby mountains that provide wonderful views across the plains to the high mountains in the north and west (Chapters 7-9).

A completely different area is the highland known as Togakushi. The cool forests make for excellent walks to explore both the natural beauty and the ancient shrines which dot the landscape (Chapters 10-13). In the more remote corners of the city, there are a number of hikes that will appeal to those who love to get right off the beaten track (see Chapters 14-16).

GETTING TO NAGANO CITY

Nagano Station in downtown Nagano City is accessible from Tokyo via the Nagano Shinkansen (bullet train; soon to be renamed the Hokuriku Shinkansen) in less than 2 hours. From March 2015, it will also be possible to get to Nagano City on the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Joetsu in Niigata Prefecture, Toyama in Toyama Prefecture and Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture. From Osaka, take the Tokaido bullet train to Nagoya and then take the Shinano Wide View Express to Matsumoto and then onto Nagano station. Nagano station is also served by the Iiyama line which comes in from the northeast from Echikokawa in Niigata Prefecture; the Shinano Railway which runs through eastern Nagano Prefecture and which joins the JR Shinono Line from Matsumoto at Shinonoi station before proceeding to Nagano station; and the JR Shin-etsu Main Line from Joetsu in Niigata Prefecture.

Express buses travel to Nagano City from Shinjuku and Ikebukoro in Tokyo, and from Osaka and Nagoya. Chuo Taxi provides a door-to-door taxi service from Narita Airport for about 9,000 yen per person.

By car, Nagano City can be accessed via the Chuo, Nagano and Joushin-etsu Expressways from the direction of Nagoya and Matsumoto. From Tokyo, either the Kan-etsu and Joushin-estu Expressways or the Chuo/Nagano/Joushin-etsu Expressways can be used. From Niigata, take the Hokkoku Expressway and then the Joushin-etsu Expressway. For Nagano City itself, take the Suzaka-Higashi Nagano exit if coming from the north, or the Nagano exit if coming from the south. For the Matsushiro area, take the Nagano exit.

Shinshuu-Matsumoto airport serves Nagano Prefecture, with Fuji Dream Air operating flights from Shin Chitose airport in Sapporo (Hokkaido) and Fukuoka airport in Kyushu. Japan Airlines plans to start services from Osaka-Itami in August, 2014. From Shinshuu-Matsumoto airport there are buses to downtown Nagano City via Matsumoto Bus Terminal for about 1700 yen (2 hours).

USING THIS BOOK

The hikes, walks and bike rides described in this book are for people of average fitness and do not require specialized equipment when undertaken in the right season. As such, some of the more demanding hikes in Nagano City (e.g. Mt Togakushi, Mt Takatsuma) are not included.

Each chapter includes ample information to help you enjoy the tour. A summary indicates the main features of the hike, the walk or the ride. Each one has a purpose-made map, showing the route as a purple line. Points of interest are also marked.