The world famous Snow Monkeys of nearby Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park continue to be a popular day trip for our guests. And the green season (spring/summer) is a great time to go as the baby snow monkeys born in the spring time are energetic balls of fur running all over the park.
The Snow Monkey Park is an easy 25 minute train from Togura to Nagano, then a convenient 45 minute express bus to the trailhead. Alternatively, especially when the bus is full, you can take a train/local bus between Nagano and the trailhead.
温泉へ行く言い訳が欲しい？2024年の春は戸倉上山田で沢山の「訳」がある♪お勧めのイベントを紹介します。Need a reason to head to an onsen this spring? Here are our recommended events for our onsen town Togura Kamiyamada.
~4/12 あんず祭り・森「杏の里」Apricot Blossom Festival
花が遅れて咲いたので祭りは4月12日まで延長。花はおそらく13〜14日の週末まで見頃。The world famous Mori “Apricot Village” blossom festival has been extended to April 12th as the blossoms came late this year.
4/10-20 （予報）戸倉宿キティーパーク桜 Togura-juku Kitty Park Cherry Blossoms
戸倉駅の裏山の斜面が一面桜🌸になります。でかい天狗で有名な戸倉宿キティーパークが戸倉上山田温泉の人気花見スポット。Tengu Park on the hillside behind Togura Station becomes awash in pinkish white cherry blossoms. Enjoy sakura-viewing with the huge Togura Tengu statue.
戸倉駅前のでかい茅葺き屋根で有名な酒蔵で市場が行われます。食べ物やクラフトなどの販売や音楽の演奏、利き酒コーナー、人力車などなど。The massive thatched roof sake brewery in front of Togura Station will be bustling with dozens of food stalls and arts & crafts shops. There will be music, sake sampling, even rickshaw rides.
4/27 イースターエッグフェスティバルin戸倉上山田温泉 Easter Egg Festival in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen
戸倉上山田温泉の春の人気イベント、子供の為のイースターエッグフェスティバルは5年ぶりに再開♪ 今回は開催場所に初めて中央公園になります。春の「生まれ変わる」気持ちを兼ねて楽しむイベント。キッチンカーの出店も。Celebrate spring and re-birth at the Easter Egg Festival. It has been popular with local children for decades and is back post-Covid for the first time in 5 years. It will take place for the first time at Central Park. Food vendors will be there, too!
4/29 亀清旅館のロビーリニューアル演奏by麻友 Kamesei Renewal Concert
当館のロビー改装工事の記念コンサートで千曲市シンガーソングライター「麻友」の演奏を提供します。一新されたロビーで麻友さんの美しい音楽を是非に♪ We remodeled our inn’s lobby and will celebrate with a concert by Chikuma City’s most famous singer-songwriter Mayu. Come and be dazzled by our inn’s new look and by Mayu’s charming music.
4/30 884のロビーコンサート Lobby Concert by 884
戸倉上山田温泉のシンガーソングライターの884君は月一回に「884の日」って事でライブを行ってまして、4月はなんと我が亀清旅館のロビーです。貴重な演奏🎵 Togura Kamiyamada Onsen’s beloved singer-songwriter 884 will perform his monthly special concert here at Kamesei Ryokan’s lobby.
5/03 長野獅子フェス Nagano Shishi Lion Festival
長野市の中心街に周辺のお神楽は68団体が獅子舞を披露します。我が上山田神楽保存会が初参加♪（亀清旅館のタイラーが横笛を吹きます。是非に応援しに来てください！） 68 lion dance troupes will perform in central Nagano City. Kamiyamada’s will participate for the first time. Tyler from Kamesei will be playing the flute!
戸倉上山田温泉でクラシックなラリーカーがまた集まります。観光会館の前の駐車場が展示会場で、荒戸城の山道にてヒルクライム。わくわくな車は沢山が来ます！ Classic rally cars will once again gather here in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen for the hill climb competition up the Arato-Jo Castle mountain road.
詳しく http://nasc.jp/kamiyamada-histrica-gp-2024/
5/25-6-09 坂城町薔薇祭りSakaki Rose Festival
隣の坂城町は千曲川沿いに薔薇園があります。330種類、2300株の美しい薔薇を目と花で楽しめます。Nearby Sakaki has a gorgeous rose garden along the Chikuma River with 330 varieties.
Fall here in our onsen town Togura Kamiyamada means a bumper crop of fun events such as grape, miso, sake brewery and other marches, music concerts, moon viewing, cycling, not one but two Halloween parties, and more! Here are some of our recommendations:
ぶどうなどの秋の幸のマルシェ Local grapes and other fresh produce and other local specialties (10/14 tba)
高村味噌の秋まつり Takamura Miso Fall Festival (10/21 9:00-17:00 亀清旅館から車で7分）
ジャズのロビーコンサート 歌手のteaさんが我が亀清旅館のロビーで。前座はシンガーソングライターの麻友さん Lobby Concert by jazz singer “tea” here at Kamesei Ryokan. Opening Act: Singer-songwriter Mayu. (10/23 18:30~)
For Kamesei Ryokan’s Anniversary Plan guests can choose a preserved flower making lesson. A couple celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary gathered in our lobby next to the wood stove and followed the kind instructions of Togura Kamiyamada Onsen’s flower artist Satoh-san from Atelier Bamboo to make a beautiful flower decoration.
長野市・善光寺さんの七年に一度のご開帳は6月29日（水）まで。駐車場が溢れて、回向柱、戒壇巡り、御朱印そしてお蕎麦屋さんに列が長くて、最後まで待つ人が多いんで、これからはさらに混む可能性大。ラストスパートのご開帳のためのアドバイスを提供します。The venerable Zenkoji Temple in center of Nagano City is celebrating its once every 7 years Gokaicho ceremony through 29-June.
戸倉上山田温泉の夏祭りと千曲川花火大会は3年ぶりに開催決定なのでカレンダーに入れましょう♪ Togura Kamiyamada’s Onsen Summer Festival and Chikuma River Fireworks will both be held for the first time in 3 years, so mark your calendar!
千曲川に反射する花火 Fireworks reflecting on the Chikuma River
2022年千曲川花火大会8月7日 2022 Chikuma River Fireworks 07-August
第91回信州千曲市千曲川納涼煙火大会が2022年8月7日（日）午後7時半〜9時まで開催。我が亀清旅館から川辺（土手）まで徒歩5分。かなり迫力のある花火です。打上げ数がなんと10,000発！近くから見えますから真上で光る様な感覚。そして音は周辺の山から響くし。グランフィナーレの万葉橋の「ナイヤガラ」が格別。 The 91st edition of Togura's Chikuma River Fireworks will be held on Sunday 07-August 7:30-9pm. The riverside viewing area is a short 5 minute walk from our inn Kamesei Ryokan. This is a stunning pyrotechnical display with over 10,000 fireworks launched. From the river bank the explosions seem to happen practically overhead, with the flashes reflecting on the surface of the Chikuma River and the sound reverberating off the surrounding hills. The grand finale includes an awe-inspiring "Niagara" of fireworks extending the length of Manyo Bridge.
土手に並ぶ屋台 Festival food stalls万葉橋の「ナイヤガラ」 Manyo Bridge “Niagara”
ギャル神輿が輝く Popular "Gal" omikoshi
2022年上山田温泉夏祭り9月18日に延期 2022 Kamiyamada Onsen Summer Festival postponed to 18-September
コロナの影響で2022年度の上山田温泉夏祭りは海の日の連休から9月18日日（日）に延期。若連のお神輿と勇獅子と冠着太鼓がいつもの様に燃えます♪ Kamiyamada Onsen's Summer Festival normally takes place on the Marine Day holiday weekend in July, but this year it will be held on Sunday 18-September instead. The energetic Omikoshi (portable shrines), massive Shishi Lion and Kamuriki Taiko Drummers will be as explosive as always.
Setsubun-so (Eranthis pinnatifida “winter aconite”) is a cute harbinger of winter. The wildflower’s tiny (2-3cm) snowy white petals contrast with the purple and yellow stamens to form an elegant color combination. In warmer climates it blooms around Setsubun, the change in seasons around February 3rd, hence the flower’s name. Here at our elevation the snow doesn’t melt until early March so Setsubun-so blooms a month later. (Note: for 2022 there’s been an unusually large snowfall so prime viewing won’t start until around the weekend of March 12th.)
戸倉キティパークの駐車場から徒歩750m、約20分 From the Togura Kitty Park parking lot, 750 meters, approximately 20 minutes on foot途中の自在山神社と樹齢400年の天狗の松 Jizaisan Shrine and its 400-year old Tengu pine tree
Nagano Prefecture has declared a Quasi State of Emergency from 27-Jan through 20-Feb. There are no restrictions on ryokans so our inn will be operating as normal albeit with reduced number of guest rooms for the well-being of our guests.
The Prefecture's Special Discount promotion is also being continued as normal through 10-March. Our chef's bento (2160 yen) and our Seattle Cookies (1000 yen for baker's dozen) are also available.
This summer, the Obasute sake brewery and our inn, Kamesei Ryokan, are teaming up for a special promotion. After staying at our inn, visit the brewery and receive a free gift.
Kamesei Ryokan boasts a main building with a history of over 100 years, but Obasute's brewery is even older -- the main building is on the national historical registry. We encourage everyone to go see it.
The Obasute brewery is 9km from Kamesei Ryokan, approx. 15 minutes by car. It is the only sake brewery in operation here in Chikuma city.
