Exploring Nagano – Photography + Travel Guide

Nagano is located in the Chūbu region of Honshu, Japan’s largest island, and is often referred to as the “Roof of Japan” due to its high mountains, including parts of the Japanese Alps. The prefecture is famous for its cool, refreshing summers and snowy winters, making it a popular destination for both summer hiking and winter sports.

Nagano has a long history and is home to many significant cultural sites. One of the most famous is Zenkō-ji Temple in Nagano City, one of Japan’s oldest and most important Buddhist temples, dating back over 1,400 years. The temple attracts millions of visitors annually for its cultural and spiritual significance.

Nagano is known for its outdoor offerings, particularly skiing and snowboarding. The 1998 Winter Olympics were held here, cementing its status as a world-class winter sports destination.

During the warmer months, Nagano offers great hiking, cycling, and scenic drives. The Kamikochi Valley and Togakushi Shrine are well-known spots for nature lovers. The Japanese Alps provide stunning backdrops and opportunities for trekking.

Nagano is easily accessible from Tokyo, taking around 90 minutes by the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen. Its central location makes it a great base for exploring the Chūbu and Hokuriku regions of Japan.

We only spent a couple of days in Nagano, mainly to visit the Snow Monkeys. However, we discovered Nagano is an excellent base for visiting nearby Matsumoto and Narai-juku in the Kiso Valley. If you are planning to visit the Snow Monkeys at Jigokudani Monkey Park in Yamanouchi and want the iconic shots of the monkeys sitting in the steaming water, you must visit during the winter months. We were there in early December, but it was still too warm for them to venture into the water, even at 0ºC.

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If you have already been to Tokyo you will understand the importance of a pre-purchased a SIM card (data only) for your phone to assist with daily street navigation which is essential for any traveller visiting Japan. Here’s a great place to purchase both the JR Pass & SIM Card.

As mentioned above, it is pretty straightforward to get to Nagano. It will take about 90 minutes from Tokyo to Nagano on the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen. It is on the same line as Toyama and Kanazawa, making it an ideal stopover if doing the loop route to Kyoto eg. Tokyo – Nagano – Toyama – Kanazawa – Kyoto – Tokyo OR Tokyo – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Toyama – Nagano – Tokyo. The JR Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo will get you as far as Kanazawa. Kanazawa to Kyoto will be on Limited Express trains, but you can still use your JR Pass.

The trip is covered by the JR National Pass, the  JR East Pass*, and Hokuriku Arch Pass*. If you are travelling from Kyoto or Osaka to Nagano, it will take about 3.5 hours to Kanazawa on the limited express trains, then 90 minutes on the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano.

* In early 2026, JR East and Hokuriku Arch Pass revised their coverage areas for the better. Click here for more details.

If you are not planning to travel extensively in Japan, it may not be worth getting the JR Pass. To illustrate the importance of using the JR Pass Calculator, we calculated the cost of travelling the Tokyo – Nagano – Matsumoto – Nagano – Toyama – Kanazawa – Kyoto – Osaka – Kyoto – Tokyo route. It turns out that it is much cheaper to purchase the tickets individually rather than getting the JR Pass or the JR Hokuriku Arch Pass. It’s cheaper to purchase the JR Hokuriku Arch Pass; however, the JR pass is only valid for 7 consecutive days, and we don’t recommend attempting an itinerary like the one mentioned above in just 7 days. The pass is better if you are spending 7 days exploring a small area within the pass area.

Most places to visit in Nagano can be visited on foot. However, if you are staying in Nagano for an extended period, then you may want to consider purchasing a Kururu IC Card as the Pasmo and Suica IC cards are not accepted in Nagano. For all the details about this card click here.

If visiting the Jigokudani Monkey Park we found the most straightforward way was to catch the Nagaden Shiga Kogen Express Bus from Nagano Station (about 45min). You also may want to consider purchasing the 2-Day Snow Monkey Pass which will save you some money (more info in this post).

To get to Matsumoto to visit the castle is an easy 45min (2,500Y one-way) train trip on the JR Shinonoi Line. If you want to visit the old post town of Narai-juku it is not far from Matsumoto, however, the trains are infrequent so you may want to look at the timing to decide whether you visit on the same day as Matsumoto. We caught the train from Nagano to Shiojiri and then to Narai and visited Matsumoto on the return to Nagano. If you have the time it is well worth the visit to Narai-juku.

We find it counter-intuitive to carry a bag full of prime lenses as we find that you can miss shots very easily. It never ceases to amaze us on our travels when we see photographers hunched over while carrying heavy backpacks full of unnecessary equipment. It is up to you what you are prepared to lug around every day but beware you will be walking a lot in Japan and a bag full of lenses will only diminish the enjoyment. 

Filters

Our NiSi 100mm filter kit didn’t get any use in Kanazawa, although our URTH CPL (polarizer) and a couple of circular URTH ND filters went everywhere with us. If you don’t own a square filter system, consider getting a URTH ND Variable filter. This filter will help you to obtain slower shutter speeds on sunny days. We use both the Urth Variable ND8-128 (3-7 stop) and Urth Variable ND2-400 (1-8.66 stop). For nighttime shots, you may want to consider using a Night Filter (see below – Left: Urth Right: Nisi) which can help balance different light sources in a scene.

During our visit to Nagano, we booked a 3-night stay. There are numerous hotels to choose from, catering to various budgets. We chose the Hotel Courtland (it was known under another name when we stayed but has now been renovated and rebranded) as we knew that we weren’t going to be spending a lot of time in Nagano itself so we wanted to be close to the station. The hotel is situated about a 2-minute walk from the east exit of the station. We stayed in a double room, which was a good size (around 15sqm) and reasonably priced. The room included free wi-fi, a humidifier/air purifier and a kettle. 

Most Nagano City attractions are within walking distance so accommodation near the station is fairly central. The city is a popular destination in the Winter months due to its proximity to the ski fields, therefore there are plenty of accommodation options. During the rest of the year, the city benefits from those wanting to visit the Jigokudani Monkey Park and the Zenko-ji Temple. Check out some great deals below on accommodation below.

There are not many places to visit in Nagano City, however, when used as a base there are enough attractions in the region to keep you entertained. 

As mentioned, the main attraction is the Zenkoji Temple, which is about a 30-minute walk from the JR Nagano station. The temple was built in the 7th century and is one of the most important Buddhist temples in Japan. There is a very pleasant walk along shop-lined Zenkoji Nakamise Street that will lead you to the temple offering you ample photographic opportunities. Depending on the time of year you visit this may be the busiest area in Nagano, however, this should not deter you from visiting. We visited Nagano in early December at the end of an Autumn visit so it was very quiet. The ski season had not commenced so the throngs of skiers had not yet arrived. We visited the temple at blue hour and unfortunately, the temple was closed and there was not a soul around. So, if you are hoping to avoid the crowds, early morning and early/late evening may be the perfect opportunity to capture some images without the crowds.

The main hall of the temple is open from about one hour before sunrise to 16:30 (until 16:00 from December to February, until 16:15 in March and November); the history museum opens from 9:00 to 16:00. As mentioned, we did not get a chance to visit the interior of the temple or the museum due to the time of our arrival in Nagano and the following days were spent outside of Nagano. Admission to the temple is 500 yen.

If you plan to visit the Zenkoji Temple and Togakushi on the same day then we suggest you consider purchasing the Zenkoji & Togakushi 1-Day Ticket. The ticket will provide you with unlimited rides on buses from Nagano Station. The one-way ticket to Togakushi Okusha alone will cost 1,550 yen so the price of the ticket (3,000 yen) is well worth it. The bus timetable and info can be found here.

We have not visited Togakushi, however, based on our research this is worth a visit. Togakushi can be easily visited from Nagano by bus or train in just over an hour. There are 3 shrines. Bus Route 70 will take you firstly to Togakushi Hokosha then to Togakushi Chusha and finally to Togakushi Okusha – the main shrine. Photographically, the Togakushi Okusha shrine, with its 2km path lined with 400-year-old cedar trees is the most appealing, so if you want to avoid the crowds take the first bus from Nagano and get off at this shrine. To visit the main website for the shrines click here. We’ll certainly be visiting the shrines on a return visit

We visited Matsumoto as a day trip combined with a visit to the beautiful old post town of Narai-juku in the Kiso Valley. We used our JR Pass from Nagano to travel to Shiojiri Station (see the map) and then to Narai-juku. Matsumoto was visited on the return trip to Nagano. Unfortunately, we had a fairly overcast day in Matsumoto which didn’t allow us to capture the best images of the castle, however, thanks to a bit of software magic we replaced the sky. 

Visitors generally only travel to Matsumoto for its castle, one of the best-preserved castles in Japan. Once you have arrived it is an easy 15-minute walk from the station to the castle. Make sure you spend some time walking the perimeter of the castle looking for great photographic vantage points. 

There are lots of places to use a tripod so maybe try some long exposures if you have moving clouds and dig out the CPL filter to cut any reflections on the water, although be careful not to eliminate the castle’s reflection in the water. The castle is generally open from 08:30 to 17:00 and the last entrance is at 16:30. During “Golden Week” (29th April – 5th May) and Summer months, this is extended to 08:00 to 18:00 with the last entrance at 17:30 Entrance: 700 yen.

On the way back to the station we found it worthwhile to stroll on Nawate Shopping Street which runs parallel to the river and is lined with shops, cafes, food vendors, and frog-themed souvenirs and Nakamichi Street with its little shops, cafe’s, and bars. Both of these streets will offer you countless photographic opportunities. If you are staying in Nagano it’s pretty easy to get back from Matsumoto so you could always consider hanging around till after dark to get some more photos and take a late train back.

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We visited Narai-juku before heading to Matsumoto as we wanted to beat the crowds to Narai, as the town only consists of one main street. As it turned out there was barely anyone there anyway. The trains are not direct from Nagano to Narai-juku. You must change in Shiojiri so plan your trip to avoid a long transit. Nagano to Shiojiri is on the Shinano Line and takes just under 1 hour. You can use your JR Pass if you have one. The Chuo Line will then get you to Narai-juku in just under 30 minutes, however, these trains aren’t frequent. There are frequent trains from Nagano to Shiojiri so we would suggest you time your departure from Nagano based on what time you need to be in Shiojiri to catch the connection to Narai-juku.

Narai-juku is one of the best-preserved post towns along the Nakasendo Trail in the Kiso Valley. A visit here offers a glimpse into a bygone era. Strolling along the quaint street of this historic post town is a must. There are some opportunities for great photos in Narai-juku and if you get there early enough you may be able get some without the crowds.

A couple of hours in the town should be enough before heading back to Nagano or to Matsumoto as a secondary stop.

The main reason to base yourself in Nagano is to stay relatively close to the Jigokudani Monkey Park. The monkey park is one of the best places to see the Japanese Macaque monkeys up close. However, as mentioned previously, if you want to capture the iconic shots of the monkeys bathing in the hot springs you must visit during the Winter months. Although we captured some fantastic shots of the monkeys they would not venture into the hot springs when we were there at the beginning of December. 

There are several ways to get to the Monkey Park. Both options take about 1 hour. We found it easiest to catch the Nagaden Shiga Kogen Express bus from the JR Nagano Station to Kanbayashi Onsen (1800 yen one-way). The bus operates from Bus Stop No.23 (see map below), outside the station’s East Exit and the first departure in the Summer months is about 09:00 and in Winter at 08:50. Buy the ticket from the driver. From Kanbayashi Onsen it’s about a 10-minute walk to the beginning of the trail and a further 30-minute walk to the Entrance. By the time you purchase a ticket for a return trip plus entry to the Monkey Park it is cheaper to purchase the 2-day Snow Monkey Pass mentioned below.

To get there by train, take the Nagano Dentetsu Line to Yudanaka Station. (Please Note – this route is NOT covered by the JR Pass). From Yudanaka Station, take a local bus to Kanbayashi Onsen, and then proceed as described above. Alternatively, you could consider purchasing the 2-day Snow Monkey Pass for 4,000 yen. This pass will cover all travel on the Nagano Dentetsu Line and the Nagaden Shiga Kogen Express bus from the JR Nagano Station as well as a one-time entry to the Jigokudani Monkey Park.

April to October / Green Season:  08:30 to 17:00
November to March / Winter Season:  9:00 to 16:00

Entrance: 800 yen

For comprehensive information about the Jijokudani Monkey Park click here

We hope you enjoyed this post gives you lots of options for your visit to Nagano and surrounds. If you have found your own little gem in Nagano, leave us a message and we’ll try to include it in an update of the post. If you are interested in other areas in Japan check out our other Exploring Japan guides below.