The Koshinetsu area is an inland area in central Honshu facing the Sea of Japan and consists of Yamanashi, Nagano, and Niigata prefectures. The Koshinetsu area consists of mountains over 1,000 meters high, basins, and plains, and is known for its large climatic variations from place to place.
Niigata and Nagano prefectures are known for their abundant snowfall, with Niigata being one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan.
On the other hand, in Yamanashi Prefecture, temperatures vary greatly depending on elevation, with average annual temperatures varying by about 5°C between basins such as Kofu and higher elevation areas such as Lake Yamanaka and Lake Kawaguchi.
Each region is also known for its well-known agricultural products and gourmet foods. Yamanashi Prefecture is known for its cultivation of fruits such as grapes and peaches that take advantage of the difference in temperature between day and night, Nagano Prefecture for its soba noodles known as Shinshu soba, and Niigata Prefecture for its rice production known as the Koshihikari brand, which is well known throughout Japan.
Major attractions in the Koshinetsu area include Lake Motosuko in Yamanashi Prefecture, Ueda Castle in Nagano Prefecture, and Kiyotsukyo Gorge in Niigata Prefecture.
Lake Motosu in Yamanashi Prefecture is one of the Fuji Five Lakes located at the foot of Mt. Fuji, and was dammed up by the eruption of Mt. It is known among some as the model for the upside-down Fuji printed on the current 1,000 yen bill and the old 5,000 yen bill, both of which were first issued in 2004.
Every winter morning, the gap between the water temperature and the air temperature causes steam fog to rise from the surface of the lake, which, combined with the sunlight pouring onto Mt. In addition to the lakeside campgrounds, there are also many hands-on activities, such as canoeing and fishing for pike, making the lake one of the most popular tourist spots in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Ueda Castle in Nagano Prefecture is located in the center of the Ueda Basin and was built in 1583 by Masayuki Sanada, a general in the Warring States period. It is now maintained as a park and is generally known as a cherry blossom viewing spot.
The park is planted with approximately 1,000 cherry trees of various varieties, such as romo-zakura, Edo higan cherry, higan-zakura, weeping cherry, Somei-Yoshino, and Utsukin-zakura, and attracts many tourists every year from late March to late April, when the cherry trees are in full bloom.
Kiyotsukyo Gorge in Niigata Prefecture is a 12.5 km-long gorge formed by the Kiyotsu River that flows from Tokamachi City to Yuzawa Town. Kiyotsukyo Gorge is one of the three most beautiful gorges in Japan because of its magnificent rock surface and clear water, which is composed of diorite rock and columnar joints.
The nearby Kiyotsukyo Onsen hot spring and a variety of accommodations such as Japanese-style inns make it a popular spot for tourists.
Matsumoto Castle is one of Japan’s most important surviving early-modern castles. Located in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, the castle is famous for its striking black-lacquered exterior and its five-story, six-level main keep, standing dramatically against the backdrop of the Northern Alps. Originally known as Fukashi Castle, it played an important role in the conflicts that shaped Shinano P...»
A spectacular natural landscape that leaves a lasting impression Kamikochi is a highland valley at an elevation of approximately 1,500 meters in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. Surrounded by the mountains of the Northern Alps, including the majestic Hotaka Mountain Range, it is one of Japan’s most celebrated mountain resort destinations. Kamikochi is part of Chubu-Sangaku National Park and ha...»
One of the most beautiful valleys in Japan, the Shosenkyo Gorge is lined with oddly shaped rocks, rare stones, and famous stones among steep cliffs.It is especially beautiful during the season of fresh green leaves and autumn leaves when the colors of the trees deepen. Ontake Shosenkyo, one of the most scenic spots in Japan, has been designated as a special place of scenic beauty by the governmen...»
An amusement park with world-class scream attractions and elaborate haunted houses that hold numerous Guinness World Records. There are more than 60 thrilling and fun attractions, including the four major coasters, FUJIYAMA, Do Dodompa, Ee Jana Yana, and Takabisha, that are sure to please scream lovers. There are also attractions named after characters from cartoons and video games, "Thomas Land...»
Zenkōji Temple is a historic Buddhist temple located in Motozencho, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture. It is renowned for its long history, deep spiritual traditions, and distinctive architecture. The temple is said to have existed before Buddhism became divided into the various sects known today, and it remains an independent, non-sectarian Buddhist temple. The exact date of its foundation is uncer...»
A Sacred Place Where Japan’s Spiritual Heritage Can Be Experienced Suwa Taisha Upper Shrine – Main Shrine, located in the Suwa region of Nagano Prefecture, is known as the head shrine of approximately 25,000 Suwa Shrines throughout Japan. With a history and prestige dating back to ancient times, it is regarded as one of Japan’s oldest and most historically significant shrines. In ancient times, ...»
Lake Kawaguchi is famous for the upside-down view of Fuji on its surface.Many tourist attractions, including Fujikyu Highland, museums, and hot spring facilities, are located in the surrounding area. Fuji, and is the second largest of the Fuji Five Lakes.There is a small island called Unoshima (鸕鷀島) in the center of the lake. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.Fuji - Object of Faith and Source of Art...»
Tsumago-juku is a beautifully preserved post town along the historic Nakasendo highway in Nagiso Town, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture. It was the 42nd of the 69 post towns established along the Nakasendo, the important route that connected Edo, present-day Tokyo, with Kyoto during the Edo period. Located at the southern end of the Kiso Valley on the eastern bank of the clear Araragi River, Tsum...»
Lake Suwa is the largest lake in Nagano Prefecture, located almost in the center of the prefecture in the middle of the Suwa Basin. At an elevation of approximately 759 meters, the lake has a circumference of about 15.9 kilometers and an area of approximately 13.3 square kilometers. Surrounded on all sides by mountains, Lake Suwa offers a different landscape in every season. Its calm waters, moun...»
Kiyotsu Gorge is a gorge formed by the Kiyotsu River, a tributary of the Shinano River.It is a V-shaped grand canyon with huge cliffs cutting across its 12.5-kilometer length, and is a magnificent scenic spot with its columnar-jointed rock surfaces and emerald-green clear stream. It is designated as a national scenic beauty spot and natural monument, and together with Kurobe Gorge and Osugi Valle...»
The deepest of the Fuji Five Lakes, with a maximum depth of 122 meters, Motosu Lake is the westernmost of the five lakes scattered at the northern foot of Mt. The lake has the highest transparency in Honshu, although the transparency of the lake water fluctuates seasonally.The deep cobalt-colored water has a mysterious, calm atmosphere. The north shore is a good vantage point for viewing Mt. Fuj...»
Yamanakako is the easternmost and largest of the Fuji Five Lakes scattered at the northern foot of Mt.The lake is the highest in elevation among the Fuji Five Lakes and the third highest in Japan as a whole.The depth is 13.3 meters, the shallowest of the Fuji Five Lakes. Its shape resembles a cow, and when viewed with the north side up, it also resembles a whale. It is designated as Fuji-Hakone-...»
The eight springs that have been gushing out from the rain and snow that have fallen on Mt.The water is endlessly clear and surprisingly blue when you look into it. The springs are designated as a national natural monument and one of the 100 best waters in Japan.Fuji - Object of Faith and Source of Art" is registered as a World Heritage site. Fuji and from the foot of Mt. Shakushiyama to Mt. Ish...»
Sado Kinzan is said to have been founded in 1601 by three mountain priests.Two years later, the mine became the shogunate's territory, and it continued to support the Tokugawa government's finances. During the Meiji period (1868-1912), the mine became a government-run mine, and mechanization and modernization were promoted by inviting engineers from the West, contributing to the modernization of ...»
The hot spring resort has made a name for itself as a hot spring resort in the backcountry of Niigata, and in recent years, a variety of interactive stores have opened with the aim of creating a hot spring resort town that makes visitors want to walk around. The beautiful emerald green color of the hot water is so vivid that many people mistake it for the color of bath salts. Depending on the se...»
This open-air museum features about 20 restored thatched-roof houses on the shores of Lake Saiko, overlooking Mt.Fuji in the background, visitors can see a nostalgic scene of old Japan where thatched-roof houses used to stand side by side. Each thatched-roof house is used as a souvenir store, a restaurant serving local delicacies, a sweet shop, an exhibition of handicrafts, a corner for needlewor...»
A Natural Hot Spring Surrounded by the Northern Alps Shirahone Onsen is a peaceful hot spring village located along the Yukawa River in Azumi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. Set at an elevation of approximately 1,400 meters on the foothills of Mount Norikura in the Northern Alps, the area is surrounded by pristine mountain scenery. Known as one of Japan's renowned secluded hot spring destina...»
This gigantic monolith soars toward the sea, reaching a height of 168 meters above sea level.It is possible to climb to the top and enjoy a 360-degree view. The stone pagoda of Zenpo-ji Temple stands at the top. A colony of 500,000 plants and 1,000,000 tobishima kanzo (Ganoderma lucidum) grow in the area, and the yellow flowers bloom all over the area in early summer. The best time to see the flo...»
Lake Hyouko is a registered wetland under the Ramsar Convention, and is famous throughout Japan as a swan migration site.It is an artificial lake created in 1639 as an irrigation pond, and was called "Hyouko" (gourd lake) because the shape of the pond at that time resembled a gourd. It is designated as a national natural monument as a migratory site for swans in Suiwon, and as a national protecte...»
Shirakaba Lake is an artificial lake located on the border between Chino City and Tateshina Town in Nagano Prefecture. Set at an elevation of approximately 1,416 meters, the lake stretches across a beautiful highland landscape. It has a circumference of about 3.8 kilometers and covers approximately 36 hectares. The lake is part of the Yatsugatake-Chushin Kogen Quasi-National Park. The lakeside is...»