Top Nagano Walking Tours

Come to Nagano and join this experience to taste one of the best Sake in Japan. The Sake maker we’ll explore has over 300 years history and you will taste the differences between Sakes of the highest quality, unfiltered, unpasteurized, and many other seasonable Sakes. - Taste more than 5 local Sakes including Nagano’s plum wine with nibbles like soy source beans and some Japanese pickles. - Taste 3 different Amazake(non alcoholic sweet drink) -Complimentary photographs taken throughout the experience to be shared with you after the tour - You can have Nagano’s miso soup - Admission free to visit old sake factory - Explore Nagano’s laid back area around Zenkoji temple to visit some local shops - Learn and practice authentic Japanese eating style and discover other parts of Nagano - Connect with local business owners to learn the history and local culture.

Avoid the risk of getting lost in the Japanese Alps when you take a private day hike with a guide. Enjoy an easy two-hour walk along the Nakasendo Trail between two traditional villages, Magome and Tsumago. Learn more about Japanese history and culture from your guide, and enjoy getting some exercise in the beautiful landscape.

Foodies who love to learn about local culture through cuisine will enjoy this small-group evening tour of Nagano’s local bars and eateries. Throughout the evening you’ll visit several izakaya and backstreet bars, eating enough samples to comprise a full meal. Your guide will take you to places you’d struggle to find by yourself, and will make sure you have a good time and don’t get lost.

Explore the greater part of Zenkoji temple town and sample authentic Japanese snacks and sweets on this small-group walking tour. Try traditional Nagano bites such as oyaki (Japanese stuffed dumplings), sweets, matcha, and a sampling of sake and meet local business owners in the area. Your guide will take you off the beaten path in Nagano and tell you all about the 1400-year history and culture while discovering parts of the city not found in guidebooks.

See two of the top attractions near Nagano on this full-day excursion. Explore the tranquil grounds of the 1400-year-old Zenko-ji Temple, one of Japan's most important temples. Enjoy a guided sake tasting at a nearby brewery and a hearty lunch at a local restaurant. Then, head to the Snow Monkey Park, located down a beautiful forest trail, to witness a group of local macaques known for their willingness to live in the snow and bathe in the local hot springs.

This action-packed private day tour to Matsumoto allows you to create a tour that fits your interests. Choose from a list of over 15 landmarks and attractions and experience the city at your own pace. Visit the historic Matsumoto Castle, stop at one of Japan’s biggest wasabi farms, Hotaka Shrine, Buddhist temples, museums, and many more. Going on a guided tour saves time navigating and uncovers hidden gems you might not discover alone.

Travelers who enjoy hiking but don’t have time for the full 5-day Nakasendo Trail will love this day hike between Magome and Tsumago, two post towns on the route. Avoid the risk of getting lost by going with a private guide. Learn more about Japanese history and culture from your guide and get plenty of time to explore the two historical villages.

Japan’s Nagano prefecture is widely regarded as the country’s winter capital, due to its snowy landscapes and premium ski spots. Visit one of Japan’s most famous winter spots on a 3.5-hour tour of Jigokudani Monkey Park from Shimotakai-gun. Marvel at red-faced Japanese macaques as they bathe in steaming ‘onsen’ (hot springs) and follow walking trails rife with flora and fauna.

Explore the magnificent temples and natural wonders of Nagano on a full-day tour and benefit from the undivided attention of a private guide. Visit the famous Zenkoji Temple and Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, enjoy lunch (own expense) in Obuse Town, then choose a soak in the hot springs at Shibu Onsen.

Pair up with a Nagano local for a private walking tour that’s a new concept in travel. Unlike traditional, pre-packaged tours, it’s like exploring the city alongside a local friend, complete with tips, advice, and insider recommendations. From a pre-tour chat with your Lokafyer guide to the walking tour itself, the experience is completely tailored to your preferences.

Discover Nagano’s many highlights on this private 2-day tour. You’ll have a guide to show you around on the first day, and then free time to explore on the second day. Overnight stay in a Japanese Ryokan, entrance fees to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Zenko-ji Temple, and a private onsen experience is included, making it the ultimate hassle-free tour.

Prepare to experience Old Japan on foot with this exciting hike through traditional post towns, ancient forests, and dramatic mountain passes. Starting in Tsumago-juku post town, your guide will explain a bit about what kinds of people traveled the roads in Old Japan, where they were going, and how they lived. You will get a chance to enter some buildings including an old Inn and a horse-stable that perfectly illustrate what your guide has mentioned. Leaving Tsumago-juku post town, you will start out on an 8km trek to the next post town, passing by roaring waterfalls and quiet hamlets along the way. Keep an eye open for wildlife and wildflowers while you are led by your guide along what was once one of the main avenues of travel in Japan. Arriving at Magome-juku post town, you will be treated to far off views of fields and mountains as you descend to the bottom of this very vertical village. After having a little time for shopping, you will board the tour vehicle and head back.

Enjoy fun winter activities and visit the famous Japanese snow monkeys during this full-day trip to Shiga Kogen, Japan’s largest and highest ski resort. Start off with some fun in the snow where you for sledding, snow bikes, and snow scooters. After a warm and hearty lunch, head to Jigokudani Monkey Park, where you can observe the famous wild macaques bathing in the hot springs.

This 1-day tour from Nagano accompanied by an English-speaking National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter visits a miso brewery to watch the miso production process in Nagano Prefecture, Japan’s leading miso-producing region; and Jigokudani Monkey Park, which is famous as a place where Japanese macaques soak in hot springs during the cold season. Miso is a traditional food in Japan which has been sustaining the dietary life of the Japanese since ancient times. To watch how miso is made, a historical brewery established about 300 years ago. Obuse, a town famous for chestnuts, is the place for lunch. Jigokudani Monkey Park is where the behavior of Japanese macaques can be seen up close in every season. As they soak in hot springs characteristic of winter, these Japanese macaques are also called snow monkeys, and have become a famous attraction. visitors can enjoy seeing cute baby monkeys during their birth season in spring, and the charming sight of lively young monkeys.

The city of Nagano is an intensely beautiful and historic part of Japan, only a stone’s throw away from the capital city of Tokyo. Nagano is a place of incredible Shinto and Buddhist history and home to one of Japan’s most iconic temple and shrine. While many of Japan’s cities lay claim to an identity of nature-meets-human-invention, that atmosphere can be felt in Nagano better than almost anywhere else in Japan. In this tour, your knowledgeable licensed local guide will accompany you on your journey features an historic districts and even ancient pilgrimages. Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize your four-hours special tour that's best for you. Note*1: You will not be able to visit all the sights on the tour. You must choose 2 to 3 sights and inform your guide. Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

On this tour we will visit the Hokusai Museum where many of the painter’s work is displayed. Katsushika Hokusai is one of the most famous Japanese artist of ukiyo-e during the Edo period (1603–1868), He (1760–1849) is the author of a world-famous work: “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” (1831 ). Hokusai called himself “the drawing madman”. We will also visit Takai Kozan Museum. Kozan is who invited Hokusai to Obuse. You can do Sake Tasting in friendly owner’s brewery, and after that you will have set meal lunch in the Japanese stylish restaurant. We will walk through famous street called ‘Chestnut Lane’ in old town as well as hidden path and private garden to explore more about Obuse. Finally, we will visit Ganshoin temple to see Phoenix Glaring in All Directions on the ceiling. - Sake Tasting is included - Delicious Lunch is included - Photography Tour *We will be on hand to take some happy snaps(by DSLR camera) which will be shared with you after the tour!

Explore Matsumoto at your own pace and to your own interests on this full-day private guided tour from Nagano. Visit Matsumoto Castle, one of Japan's best-preserved castles, then explore surrounding streets, including quirky "Frog Street," known for its abundance of frog products. Afterward, visit tranquil Hotaka Town, home to Japan’s largest wasabi farm where you can try wasabi ice-cream and visit nearby Hotaka Shrine.

On this guided tour, you are visiting the primitive forest in Myoko-Togakushi renzan National Park. The guide is a national licensed English translator guide as well as a licensed trekking guide. You will learn a lot about the history, nature, and the local culture of north Nagano. After the snow melt in late April, lots kind of flowers ( so called spring ephemeral) start to bloom on the ground of the forest. In July to August, it's the best place for avoiding the summer heat, and in fall, the leaves change its color to the gorgeous autumn colors. The forest in here are mostly the mix of beech, oak, and many other broadleaf trees. Some of those trees are more than 400 years old.. In the forest, you may also find a charcoal kiln or a small shinto shrine from olden times. Even in this deep mountainous area, people used to live and use the forest for their lives since ancient times. Let's explore the north Nagano's hidden gem together.

For those looking to escape the bustling city and embark on a peaceful adventure, this self-guided tour along Nakasendo road was made for you. Become immersed in Japan’s countryside lifestyle as you make your way between Nakatsugawa and Tsumago. A detailed itinerary is sent to you, complete with a walking map, so all you have to do is pack your bags and complete the walk.

Enjoy making Oyaki(Japanese Stuffed Dumplings) and you can have it in front of a traditional Japanese sunken hearth. A Nagano specialty, oyaki are roasted dumplings made of wheat and filled with seasonal vegetables or sweet bean paste. You will learn to make oyaki and roast them in a sunken hearth. After enjoying the warm dumplings by the fireplace, your guide will take you to Nagano’s laid back area to visit some local shops around Zenkoji temple ・Making 2 Oyaki and have them with Soba Tea in a traditional Japanese house with sunken hearth. ・Explore Nagano's back street area, as we walk to Zenkoji temple. ・Learn and practice authentic Japanese eating style and discover other parts of Nagano outside of your guidebook. ・Connect with local business owners to learn the history and local culture. ・Photography Tour : We will be on hand to take some happy snaps which will be shared with you after the tour! *Please let us know if you have any food restrictions beforehand*

Guests on this exciting 1 day tour of Matsumoto Castle and Narai-juku will have the chance to get hands-on with Japan's fascinating history by personally entering the renowned Matsumoto Castle and strolling the streets of the quaint Narai-juku. There will also be opportunities to walk the downtown area of Matsumoto city and window shop or taste some of its delicious local specialties. With all transport included in the tour, you will not have to worry about anything more than which souvenirs to buy for your family and friends. This tour also includes a seasonal activity at Narai-juku, to allow you to get even closer to the fascinating culture of this region of Japan which often feels as though it has been pulled out of a different era.

This is a special lunch experience only available on this day, with part of the space with a spectacular view by Lake Shirakaba reserved for private use. A sommelier who runs a wine shop in Shimosuwa, Nagano Prefecture, will be your host, and you can enjoy a one-plate meal made with the bounty of the Yatsugatake mountains, paired with local liquor and soft drinks, mainly wines from Nagano Prefecture.

Designed to provide guests with an intimate yet entertaining understanding of Nagano’s near-1,400 year-old Zenko-ji temple, this 2 day group tour combines an in-depth guided experience at the temple including a private ‘goma’ prayer fire ceremony and an exploration of the region’s food culture and renowned ‘sake’ with an overnight stay at a traditional ‘shukubo’ (temple lodging).