Nagano » Nozawa onsen, Shiga Kogen
The Nozawa Onsen and Shiga Kogen areas are especially busy during the ski season. The area is also famous as a hot spring resort with high-quality hot springs, attracting tourists regardless of the season.
The Nozawa Onsen/Shiga Kogen area offers tourist attractions such as Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, tourist events such as the Soba Festival, Shibu Kyo, and Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Festival, and local gourmet foods such as Japanese sake, horse sashimi, and soba gaki.
Speaking of skiing, Shiga Kogen is a highland area located in Shimotakai County, Nagano Prefecture, and is home to the Shiga Kogen Ski Area. The panoramic view of the surrounding white mountains is truly spectacular, and the best part of skiing here is that you can ski downhill while viewing them.
In the surrounding lowlands, there are many ponds filled with melted snow, and many rare and endangered species of animals can be seen. Nozawa's hot springs include the famous "Kumano-te-washi-jo" (Bear's Te-washi-jo), which is famous for its sulfur spring water.
This area is a hot spring resort, where visitors can soak in various forms of hot spring water. It can be said to be a typical hot spring resort, a place where the Japanese atmosphere is concentrated. Nozawana Onsen is very famous for its "nozawana.
Famous sights around Shiga Kogen include the famous "Jigokudani Yaen-koen" where you can observe monkeys at close range, "Sekai Heiwa Kannon" where there is a flower festival in early spring, and "Yokoteyama Observatory" where you can see the sea of clouds.
If you are driving, you can also enjoy the spectacular view at "Yokoteyama Drive-in". Located at the far end of Shiga Kogen, "Yokoteyama" offers breathtaking panoramic views and delicious bread if you climb to the top of the 2,305-meter-high mountain via the Sky Lator and lift, which is the only way up in Japan.
Speaking of gourmet foods in the vicinity, "onsen manju" (hot spring buns) from "Shosen-do" are extremely popular. FUKIYA SHOTEN, located in the center of the hot spring resort area, also sells "onsen manju", but the manju here are unique and come in a variety of flavors.
For souvenirs, "banana rolls," which are only available in winter in this area, are good, or you can go for the standard "onsen manju" (hot spring buns).
If you are planning to explore the area by car, you can also enjoy your own unique way of having fun. The "Shiga-Kusatsu Road" is virtually the best sightseeing spot in Shiga Kogen. The panoramic view of the vast nature on both sides of the road, with not a single tall tree, is breathtaking.
The Higashidateyama Alpine Botanical Garden is also a relaxing place where you can see many alpine plants that you are not accustomed to seeing. There are also many wetlands in this area, which provide visitors with very beautiful scenery. If possible, it is a good idea to rent a car and tour around the area.
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