Best Nagano Itinerary: 3 to 5 Days in Central Japan
2026/03/27
Most visitors to Japan stick to the Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka corridor—73% of foreign stays in just five prefectures—and miss what lies between. Nagano Prefecture sits in the mountainous heart of central Japan, where wild monkeys soak in hot springs, samurai-era post towns line ancient highways, and one of the country's oldest temples has welcomed pilgrims for over 1,400 years.
This guide walks you through a flexible 3 to 5 day Nagano itinerary covering Zenkoji Temple, Matsumoto Castle, Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Nakasendo post towns, and alpine day trips to Kamikochi or Karuizawa—with the exact routes, timing, and logistics to make it work.
A Nagano itinerary typically balances historic sites like Zenkoji Temple and Matsumoto Castle with natural attractions like Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park and the Japanese Alps. You can explore the entire region using Nagano City and Matsumoto as bases, moving between them by train without renting a car.
What sets Nagano apart from Tokyo or Kyoto is the variety packed into one mountainous prefecture. In three to five days, you can walk through a 7th-century Buddhist temple, watch wild monkeys soak in hot springs, climb one of Japan's original castles, and hike through alpine valleys.
Zenkoji Temple: One of Japan's oldest pilgrimage sites, founded before Buddhism split into sects
Matsumoto Castle: A black-and-white fortress and one of twelve original castles still standing
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park: Wild macaques bathing in natural hot springs, visible year-round
Nakasendo post towns: Preserved Edo-era villages like Narai-juku along the historic highway
The Hokuriku Shinkansen connects Tokyo to Nagano in about 80 minutes, making the region easy to reach even on a tight schedule.
The Hokuriku Shinkansen runs directly from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station. Kagayaki trains make no stops and arrive in roughly 80 minutes, while Hakutaka trains stop at a few stations along the way and take closer to 100 minutes.
If you already have a JR Pass for your Japan trip, the Shinkansen ride to Nagano is covered at no extra cost. A 7-day pass costs around ¥50,000, and the pass also works on regional JR lines within Nagano Prefecture, so you can move between Nagano City and Matsumoto without buying separate tickets.
Travelers arriving from western Japan have two main options. The Hokuriku Shinkansen connects Kanazawa to Nagano in about 65 minutes. From Osaka, the JR Chuo Line runs through Matsumoto and takes around four hours, though the mountain scenery along the way makes the longer ride worthwhile.
JR trains link Nagano City and Matsumoto, the two main hubs. Local buses handle everything else, including routes to Snow Monkey Park, Kamikochi, and Togakushi. Alpico, a regional bus company, operates many mountain routes and sells day passes for certain areas.
A rental car opens up remote spots like Kurobe Dam and scenic highland drives, but it is not necessary for the core itinerary. If you are comfortable driving in Japan and want flexibility, a car works well for day four or five when you venture into the mountains.
Takkyubin is a luggage forwarding service available at convenience stores and hotels throughout Japan. You can drop off your bags in the morning, travel light for the day, and pick them up at your next hotel by evening. Moving between Nagano City and Matsumoto becomes much easier when you are not dragging suitcases onto trains.
Three days cover the highlights: Zenkoji Temple, Matsumoto Castle, Snow Monkey Park, and one Nakasendo post town. Four days adds time for Kamikochi or Hakuba. Five days lets you include Karuizawa or the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.
Staying near Nagano Station puts you within walking distance of Zenkoji Temple and close to buses heading to Snow Monkey Park and Togakushi. Hotels around the station range from budget business hotels to mid-range options with mountain views.
Matsumoto works as a base for the castle, Nakasendo post towns, and Kamikochi. The area around Matsumoto Station has plenty of choices, and you can walk to the castle in about 15 minutes.
Nagano Prefecture has several onsen towns where you can stay at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn with hot spring baths and multi-course dinners. Asama Onsen sits near Matsumoto, Shibu Onsen is close to the snow monkeys, and Bessho Onsen lies south of Nagano City. One night at a ryokan adds a layer to the trip that hotels cannot replicate.
The following three days cover the essential Nagano experiences. You will start in Nagano City, move to Matsumoto on day two, then return to Nagano City for day three before heading out.
Zenkoji Temple dates back to the 7th century and predates the split of Japanese Buddhism into different sects, which is why it welcomes all visitors regardless of affiliation. The approach to the main hall takes you through Nakamise-dori, a shopping street lined with souvenir stalls and food vendors.
Inside the main hall, you can descend into a pitch-black tunnel beneath the altar. The goal is to touch a metal key mounted on the wall, said to grant salvation. It sounds simple until you are shuffling through complete darkness with your hand against the wall.
After the temple, walk back through Nakamise-dori and stop for oyaki, a stuffed dumpling grilled or steamed and filled with vegetables or sweet bean paste. The Shinano Art Museum is nearby if you want a quieter afternoon.
Restaurants near Nagano Station serve Shinshu soba, the buckwheat noodles Nagano is known for. You can stay in the city or take a 40-minute bus to Shibu Onsen for a ryokan night before day two.
Take the JR Shinano Limited Express from Nagano to Matsumoto, about 50 minutes. Matsumoto Castle is one of Japan's twelve original castles, meaning the keep survived wars and fires rather than being rebuilt.
The black exterior stands out against the surrounding mountains, and climbing the steep wooden stairs inside rewards you with views of the Northern Alps.
Two streets near the castle are worth exploring on foot. Nawate Dori runs along a small canal and has a frog theme, with statues and frog-shaped goods in the shops. Nakamachi preserves old merchant warehouses converted into cafes, craft shops, and sake bars.
Asama Onsen is a hot spring town about 20 minutes by bus from Matsumoto Station. Several ryokan offer day-use bathing if you are not staying overnight, and the public bathhouse Hotaka-no-Yu costs only a few hundred yen.
Return to Nagano City by train, then take a bus to Jigokudani Yaen-koen. The bus ride takes about 40 minutes, followed by a 30-minute walk through the forest to reach the park.
Wild Japanese macaques gather around a natural hot spring here, and while winter produces the most photogenic scenes with snow-covered monkeys, the animals are present year-round.
In the afternoon, visit one of the preserved Nakasendo post towns.
Narai-juku stretches for about a kilometer with wooden buildings lining both sides of the old highway. Tsumago bans cars entirely, giving it a quieter atmosphere. Both towns offer a sense of how travelers moved through Japan during the Edo period.
From Nagano Station, the Shinkansen returns you to Tokyo in about 80 minutes. If you are continuing west, trains run to Kanazawa (65 minutes by Shinkansen) or Takayama (about three hours via Matsumoto).
Adding a fourth or fifth day opens up Nagano's alpine scenery. The options below depend on the season and your interests.
Kamikochi is a mountain valley accessible only by bus from Matsumoto, about 90 minutes each way. Private vehicles are prohibited, keeping the area quiet. The valley is open from mid-April to mid-November, so winter visitors will want to choose a different day-four option like Hakuba.
The flat riverside walk from the bus terminal to Kappa Bridge takes about 20 minutes and offers views of the Hotaka peaks without any climbing. From Kappa Bridge, you can continue to Myojin Pond (another hour round trip) or turn back and explore the other direction toward Taisho Pond.
Karuizawa is a resort town popular with Tokyo residents escaping the summer heat. You can rent a bicycle and ride through tree-lined streets, visit Shiraito Falls, or browse the Prince Shopping Plaza outlet mall. The town has a relaxed pace that contrasts with the more active days earlier in the itinerary.
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route crosses the Northern Alps using a series of cable cars, ropeways, and trolley buses. The route connects Nagano Prefecture to Toyama and operates from mid-April to late November. In spring, the road cuts through snow walls that can reach 20 meters high.
Coordinating trains, hotels, and timing across Nagano's spread-out attractions takes planning. Trip To Japan's free consultation service connects you with specialists who can help design your itinerary and book accommodations, tours, and JR Pass packages in one place.
