A spring route through Shinshu (Nagano) that starts with the cherry blossoms at Takato Castle Ruins Park and Matsumoto Castle, continues along the Nagano Electric Railway to Suzaka, Obuse and Yudanaka, and ends with Jigokudani Monkey Park and Zenko-ji. It combines castle blossoms, hot springs and Hokusai's town.
Take a bus from Inashi Station on the JR Iida Line to Takato. After the cherry blossoms, move to Matsumoto and walk around Matsumoto Castle and Nakamachi-dori.
Take a bus from Inashi or Inakita Station to Takato. The small, deep-pink Takato Kohigan-zakura blossoms cover the entire castle site.
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Move to Matsumoto and view the black keep and the cherry blossoms across the moat.
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Have dinner on this street of namako-kabe storehouses, within walking distance of Matsumoto Castle. It is also lined with folk craft and handicraft shops.
Official site ↗Travel from Matsumoto to Nagano and head north on the Nagano Electric Railway through Suzaka and Obuse, then stay at a hot spring in Yudanaka.
Go to Garyu Park from Suzaka Station on the Nagano Electric Railway. Walk all the way around the pond to enjoy the cherry trees that surround it.
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Walk from Obuse Station to the Hokusai Museum. After seeing Hokusai's original paintings, you can stroll the streets lined with chestnut sweet shops.
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Ride to Yudanaka Station at the end of the Nagano Electric Railway. Make the rounds of Shibu Onsen's public bathhouses, or relax at your inn in Yudanaka.
View guide →In the morning, see the monkeys at Jigokudani Monkey Park, then return to Nagano Station to visit Zenko-ji and the neighboring art museum.
Visit the monkey park known for its hot-spring-bathing monkeys. You walk along a mountain trail from the entrance, so wear comfortable shoes.
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Take a bus from Nagano Station to Zenkoji Daimon. Walk along the Nakamise-dori shopping street to the main hall.
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An art museum right next door to the east of Zenko-ji. It includes the Higashiyama Kaii Gallery, and you can stop by after visiting the temple.
Official site ↗Sample itineraries from day trips to 5 days, by region and season. Every stop links to its guide, and you can save any itinerary as your own trip plan and rearrange it day by day.
🗺 2 days, 1 nightChubu & Hokuriku ・ 6 stops
On day 1, visit the railway museum and Nagoya Castle in the city, then snack your way around Osu in the evening. On day 2, take the Meitetsu line to Inuyama to see National Treasure Inuyama Castle, its castle town and the Museum Meiji-mura.
🗺 3 days, 2 nightsWinterChubu & Hokuriku ・ 9 stops ・ January・February
A winter-only route that starts at Kenrokuen with its yukitsuri snow supports, takes in the snow-covered gassho-zukuri villages of Gokayama and Shirakawa-go and the light-up, and ends in Hida-Takayama. You travel from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go and from Shirakawa-go to Takayama by highway bus.
🗺 5 days, 4 nightsAutumnChubu & Hokuriku ・ 15 stops ・ October・November
An autumn route that starts at Narai-juku and Matsumoto Castle, then takes in the fall colors of Kamikochi, the hot springs of Okuhida and the Shinhotaka Ropeway, Hida-Takayama and Gero Onsen before ending in Nagoya. You travel from mountain foliage down to city foliage, losing altitude as you go.
Check prices, opening hours and access on each stop’s guide and official website. Seasonal events and peak seasons vary from year to year.
Information as of 2026-10-13
