Ueda, home of Yukimura Sanada, who gained popularity in the Taiga Drama. Komoro is famous for Shakusonji Kannon-do Temple, which hangs over a precipitous cliff. Saku, home to the Tatsuoka Goryokaku, is another area that has been attracting attention in recent years.
Ueda, Komoro, and Saku are home to such tourist attractions as the Utsukushi-ga-hara Plateau Art Museum, Bessho Onsen Hot Spring, Kitamukai Kannon, Ueda Castle, Shinshu-Ueda Sanadamaru Taiga Drama Museum, Sugadaira Plateau, Anrakuji Temple, Komoro Castle, Takamine Plateau, and Asama Mountain.
Mushiri, Anyoji Ramen, Saku Carp, Komatsu Misokatsu-don (miso katsu-don on rice topped with pork cutlet), Mimidare Yakitori (grilled chicken with a delicious sauce), and other local specialties are also recommended.
Utsukushigahara Open-Air Museum is an extraordinary outdoor sculpture museum located at an elevation of approximately 2,000 meters in the Utsukushigahara Highlands of Ueda, Nagano Prefecture. Surrounded by vast grasslands and spectacular mountain scenery, the museum offers a unique experience in whi...»
Michi-no-Eki Utsukushigahara Kogen is a roadside station located in the Utsukushigahara Highlands of Nagano Prefecture. Situated at an elevation of approximately 2,000 meters, it is known as the highest-altitude roadside station in Japan. Standing high above the surrounding valleys, the facility of...»
Utsukushigahara is one of Japan’s most spectacular highland areas, stretching across Matsumoto City, Ueda City, and Nagawa Town in Nagano Prefecture. Located in the northwestern part of the Yatsugatake-Chushin Kogen Quasi-National Park, it is also one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains. The broad plat...»
The Venus Line is one of Japan’s most spectacular mountain roads, crossing the highlands of Nagano Prefecture from Chino City to the Utsukushigahara Highlands in Ueda City. The route stretches for approximately 76 kilometers and has an average elevation of around 1,400 meters, creating the sensation...»
Ogawa Village is a peaceful mountain village in northern Nagano Prefecture, located roughly halfway between Nagano City and Hakuba. Surrounded by forested mountains, deep valleys, and clear streams, the village is known for its beautiful rural landscapes and traditional way of life. Ogawa is partic...»
Kozanji Temple stands quietly amid the mountains of Ogawa Village in northern Nagano Prefecture. Belonging to the Buzan School of Shingon Buddhism, this historic temple is known by its mountain name, Hojuzan, and enshrines Shokannon Bosatsu, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, as its principal object of ...»
Iwahana Cliffs is a striking natural landmark located along the Chikuma River near the border between Ueda City and Sakaki Town in Nagano Prefecture. The Chikuma River is the name used for the Shinano River within Nagano Prefecture, and here it flows between two imposing cliffs that face one another...»
A Strategic Stronghold at the Heart of Sengoku Shinano Katsurao Castle was a mountain fortress located in what is now Sakaki Town, Nagano Prefecture. During Japan's Sengoku period, when regional warlords fought for control of the country, it served as the principal stronghold of the powerful Muraka...»
A Peaceful Retreat in the Mountains of Ueda Sugawako Lake is a tranquil mountain lake located in the Suwagata area of Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Surrounded by forests and mountains, it offers a peaceful escape from the city and a chance to enjoy the changing scenery of the Japanese countryside. ...»
Sakaki Town is located in northern Nagano Prefecture, at the meeting point of the Hokushin and Toshin regions. Surrounded by mountains and crossed from north to south by the Chikuma River, the town combines beautiful natural scenery with a long history, distinctive local cuisine, agriculture, and a ...»
Ueda City is located in eastern Nagano Prefecture and serves as the cultural, economic, and transportation center of the Toshin region. With a population and urban scale that make it one of Nagano Prefecture's major cities, Ueda offers a fascinating combination of samurai history, Buddhist temples, ...»
A Castle Famous for Strategy and Samurai History Ueda Castle is a historic flatland castle in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Construction began in 1583 under the command of Sanada Masayuki, one of the most skilled military leaders of Japan's Warring States period. The castle became famous for the r...»
Shinano Kokubunji Temple is a historic Tendai Buddhist temple in Kokubu, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Its principal image is Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of healing and medicine. The temple carries on the legacy of the original Shinano Kokubunji, one of the provincial temples established throughout J...»
Ueda City Museum is a municipal museum located within Ueda Castle Ruins Park in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. The museum introduces the history, culture, traditional industries, and natural heritage of the region, with a particular focus on Ueda Castle, the former Ueda Domain, and the castle town. ...»
Shinano Omiya Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. It is traditionally regarded as the former provincial grand shrine, or Sosha, of Shinano Province, where provincial governors are believed to have worshipped the major deities of the region. For centuries, the shrine ...»
Ikushima Tarushima Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine in Shimonogo, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Traditionally regarded as the former provincial shrine, or Sōsha, of Shinano Province, it has been revered as an important guardian shrine since ancient times. The shrine is recorded in the Engishiki J...»
Jorakuji Temple is a historic Tendai Buddhist temple in the Bessho Onsen area of Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Known as a special head temple of the Tendai school, it has long been an important center of Buddhist faith and learning in the region. The temple's mountain name is Kongozan, and its prin...»
Anrakuji Temple is a historic Zen temple in Bessho Onsen, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Belonging to the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, it is traditionally regarded as the oldest Zen temple in Nagano Prefecture. The temple is known by the mountain name Sofukuzan and the temple name Gokoku-in, and its...»
Zensanji Temple is a historic Buddhist temple located at the foot of Mt. Tokko in Maeyama, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. It belongs to the Chisan school of Shingon Buddhism, and its principal object of worship is Dainichi Nyorai, the Buddha who represents the universal truth at the heart of Buddhist...»
A Historic Thatched-Roof Temple in the “Kamakura of Shinshu” Chuzenji Temple is a historic Buddhist temple located in Maeyama, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. It belongs to the Chisan School of Shingon Buddhism and is traditionally known by the mountain name Ryuo-zan and the temple name Enmeiin. Surr...»
A Legendary Hot Spring Town Surrounded by History and Tradition Bessho Onsen is a historic hot spring resort located at an elevation of approximately 570 meters in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Known as one of the oldest hot spring resorts in Shinshu, the region has been associated with healing wat...»
A Peaceful Hot Spring Retreat Surrounded by Nature and Tradition Kakeyu Onsen is a historic hot spring resort located in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Nestled along the clear waters of the Uchimura River, the resort is surrounded by mountains and forests, creating a peaceful atmosphere far from the...»
A Peaceful Hidden Gem Surrounded by Nature and History Reisenji Onsen is a small and secluded hot spring resort nestled in the mountains of Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Surrounded by forests and mountain scenery, this quiet destination offers a traditional atmosphere where nature, history, and hot...»
A Museum Dedicated to the Literature of Shotaro Ikenami and the Sanada Clan The Ikenami Shotaro Sanada Taiheiki Museum is a literary museum in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, dedicated primarily to Sanada Taiheiki, a historical novel by renowned Japanese author Shotaro Ikenami. The novel tells the dr...»
A Rare Museum Dedicated to the Art of Woodcarving The Ozawa Woodcarving Museum is a specialized museum in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, dedicated to the art and culture of woodcarving. One of the few museums in Japan devoted specifically to this art form, it introduces visitors to the beauty of han...»
Discover the Artistic Heritage and Creative Spirit of Ueda The Ueda City Museum of Art is a cultural and artistic center in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. It introduces visitors to the region's rich artistic heritage while providing spaces where local residents and artists can create, exhibit, and e...»
A Memorial Museum for Student Artists Lost in World War II Mugonkan is a unique art museum in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, dedicated to the works and memories of young student artists who lost their lives during World War II. Opened in 1997 through the efforts of museum founder Seichiro Kubo, it i...»
Where the Afterglow of Their Art Lives On KAITA EPITAPH Zanshōkan is an art museum located in Maeyama, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Opened in 2020, the museum carries on the spirit and collection of the former Shinano Dessin Museum, creating a new space where the art and memory of artists who died...»
Discover How Fire and Light Shaped Everyday Life in Japan The Takeshi Tomoshibi Museum in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, is a unique museum dedicated to the history and culture of traditional lighting. Its collection includes a wide variety of objects such as oil lamps, candle holders, lanterns, and...»
A Spacious Mountain Resort for Skiers and Snowboarders of All Levels Sugadaira Kogen Snow Resort is a historic ski resort located in the scenic highlands of Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, in the area formerly known as Sanada Town. Opened in January 1928, it has welcomed skiers for generations and is...»
A Local Specialty Born in Ueda Oidadare Yakitori is a distinctive local specialty from Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Unlike ordinary yakitori, in which grilled chicken is typically brushed with sauce or seasoned before serving, Oidadare Yakitori is enjoyed with a rich soy sauce-based sauce containi...»
A City Where History, Mountain Scenery, and Local Culture Meet Komoro City is a historic city in eastern Nagano Prefecture. Located in the highlands of eastern Shinshu, the city is surrounded by mountains and blessed with dramatic landscapes, historic sites, traditional culture, hot springs, and lo...»
A Prestigious Edo-Period Lodging and Transportation Facility The Former Komoro Honjin stands in the historic Komoro Post Town along the old Hokkoku Kaido in Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture. Dating from the Edo period (1603–1868), the building served both as a honjin, a prestigious lodging facility f...»
Historic Castle Ruins in the Heart of Komoro Komoro Castle is a historic castle site in Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture. Once located in the former Saku District of Shinano Province, the castle played an important role in the history of the region from the Sengoku period through the Edo period. Kom...»
A Glimpse into the World of Edo-Period Travelers Komoro Post Town Honjin Omoya is a historic building associated with Komoro Post Town, which flourished along the Hokkoku Kaido during the Edo period. Together with the nearby Former Komoro Honjin, it preserves an important part of the history of the...»
Preserving the Spirit of a Pioneering Private School The Komoro Gijuku Memorial Museum is a historical museum in Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture. The building is a reconstructed main school building of Komoro Gijuku, a private school that operated during the Meiji period. After being relocated and r...»
Where Art, Architecture, History, and Mountain Scenery Come Together The Komoro Kogen Museum of Art and Shirotori Eisetsu Museum is a municipal art museum located near the summit of Mt. Iizunayama in the northwestern part of Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture. Opened on October 7, 1998, the museum was ...»
A Peaceful Highland Retreat in the Mountains of Komoro Hishino Onsen is a quiet hot spring resort tucked away in the mountains of Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture. Located at an elevation of approximately 1,000 meters, the area is surrounded by fresh mountain air, forests, and beautiful seasonal scen...»
A Secluded Retreat Surrounded by the Silence of Nature Takamine Onsen is a secluded hot spring destination in Hishidaira, Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture. Located at an elevation of approximately 2,000 meters in the Takamine Highlands, the hot spring is surrounded by the pristine natural environment...»