Category: Japanese Alps
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Nagano between temples and mountains
The prefecture of Nagano (長野県, Nagano-ken), located in the central region of Chubu, represents the essence of the Japanese Alps. Known worldwide for hosting the 1998 Winter Olympics, this city offers much more than snow sports. It is an enclave where Buddhist history and wild nature converge, offering travelers a necessary pause from the hustle…
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Togakushi-Jinja, five shrines in the heart of Nagano
Deep in Nagano Prefecture, where mountain peaks seem to touch the sky, lies one of Japan’s most fascinating spiritual treasures. Togakushi-Jinja is not a single temple, but a complex of five sacred shrines (Okusha, Chusha, Hokosha, Kuzuryusha and Hinomikosha) spread across the slopes of Mount Togakushi. At Asiahop, we believe that this destination represents the…
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Nakasendo Trail through the Japanese Alps
The Nakasendō Route (中山道), which literally means “road through the mountains,” was one of the five major highways of the Edo period (1603–1868), connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with Kyoto. Unlike other routes that followed the coastline, such as the Tōkaidō, the Nakasendō cut through the mountainous interior of the country, stretching over 500 kilometers and…