Another popular wintertime day trip from Kamesei Ryokan is to the Togakushi area above central Nagano City. The famous cedar trees lining the path to Okusha, the Inner Shrine, are even more majestic with snow. The path to the trees is traveled well enough to walk without special equipment, but take one step off the path and snow shoes are a must. Togakushi's soba restaurants serve noodles made from locally grown buckwheat, and Chusha (the Middle Shrine) and Hokosha are popular pilgrimage destinations. (Okusha itself is buries under snow so save a trip there for the green season.)
We can drop guests off at Togura Station for the 25 minute train to Nagano Station to catch the bus for hour ride to Togakushi, as per this schedule:
Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park is a popular day trip for our guests from overseas. The world famous snow monkeys look so cute as they blissfully soak in their onsen bath, and winter is the best time to see the snow monkeys with snow. We are happy to drop guests off at Togura Station for the 25 minute train ride to Nagano Station to catch the 45-minute express bus to the monkey park trailhead. The 30-minute forest walk to the park entrance can be slippery but the gift shop at the trailhead rents rubber boots.
For this winter, some guests have mentioned lines to buy tickets at the park entrance so we suggest getting an early start. Also, buying the 2-day Snow Monkey Pass at the subway ticket counter under Nagano Station's Zenkoji Exit would not only let you skip the park's purchase line and save a few yen, but it also saves you the hassle of trying to figure how/ when/ where to pay for the transportation between Nagano Station and the trailhead. When you go, please say 'hi' to the monkeys for us. 🙂
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.
The Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park and the world-famous Snow Monkeys are an easy 25-minute train and 45-minute bus ride (plus a 30-minute walk through a beautiful cedar forest) from Kamesei Ryokan and our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada.
Here is a convenient train and bus schedule for Summer / Fall 2023. There was a baby rush this past spring, so a plethora of adorable baby snow monkeys are waiting your visit.
While there are group tours available from Nagano Station, many of our guests use Nagaden's express bus as per the above schedule, and enjoy the freedom to travel at the times they like. And by buying the Snow Monkey Pass at the Nagano Dentetsu subway ticket counter below Nagano Station's Zenkoji Exit, besides saving money you can avoid the hassle of figuring out what/ how/ when to pay for transportation to and from the trailhead.
One last word of advice -- make sure to recharge your camera's battery before going as you will be taking lots of pictures!
百名山である2,354mの四阿山と花百名山である2,207mの根子岳は菅平牧場から約7時間の登山ループで繋がれている。Mt. Azumaya (one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains) and Neko-dake (a Top 100 Wildflower Mountain) can both be climbed via a 7-hour loop hike from the Sugadaira Pasture.
菅平から見る根子岳（左）と四阿山 Nekodake (left) and Mt. Azumaya from Sugadaira
We’d climbed both peaks individually before but on 20-April we managed to do the 2.5km course to Nekodake after summiting Mt. Azumaya for an enjoyable loop hike. The 360-degree view from the top of Azumaya was particularly impressive, and the trail offers a great variety of scenery, from bamboo grass with birch trees to pine forests. Nekodake’s course runs along a cow pasture at the bottom for expansive views of the Sugadaira Highlands and ski areas.
牧場の駐車場から北アルプスの眺め まだ冬季だったから簡易トイレ敷かなかったけど、4月21日は公式の開山だそうで、それから常設トイレと売店が開くそうです。 View of the Northern Japanese Alps from the Sugadaira Pasture parking lot. The regular toilet and gift shop probably open with the official start of the climbing season on 21-April, but there was a porta-potty.
Mt. Azumaya trailhead
前半は笹と白樺 The trail starts through "sasa" (bamboo grass) and birch trees.
中間の高台から見る四阿山 View of Mt. Azumaya from a high point midway up the mountain
菅平高原を見下ろす 背景に北アルプス Looking down over Sugadaira Highlands with the Northern Japanese Alps in the distance
登山道は面白い地質を通る。時に赤っぽい石、時に青っぽい、他の場所に黒い土。火山の影響かな? この石は赤と青のハイブリッド。 Interesting geology along the path. Some areas with reddish rocks and dirt, some with blue rocks, and others with dark black earth. We could sense the ancient volcanic activity. This rock was a hybrid of red and blue.
4月20日の時点で所々に雪が残っていて、アイゼンは必要だった。 As of April 20th, there was still snow in several places. We definitely made us of our crampons.
四阿山の頂上付近の木の階段 Wooden stairs near Mt. Azumaya's summit
四阿山の頂上にある宮。真田地区の山家神社の説明版によると、戦国時代に四阿山が修験道の聖地だったのでその神社が登山口だったそうです。 Shrine at the top of Mt. Azumaya. According to a sign at Yamaga Shrine down back at the Sanada District, Mt. Azuyama was a pilgrimage destination back in the Warring States era, with Yamaga Shrine as the trailhead.
Mt. Azumaya's summit (2,354 meters elevation)
四阿山の北側の下り。アイゼンに感謝！ Descending Mt. Azuyama's north side. Thank goodness for crampons!
道が雪で隠れて、足跡も少なく、ピンクリボン探しでした。 The path was covered in snow, and footprints were hard to find, so we had to rely on the pink trail markers.
二つの山の間の笹平（標高2,040m） これから根子岳の頂上へ The bamboo grass flat between the two peaks (elevation 2,040m). From here we started the ascent to the top of Mt. Nekodake.
笹平を見下ろして、背景は四阿山 Overlooking the bamboo grass flat, with Mt. Azumaya in the background
根子岳の頂上付近の岩場。ドキドキする道。 Boulders near the summit of Mt. Nekodake. The path is not for the faint of heart.
根子岳の頂上 Mt. Nekodake summit 2,207m
根子岳の頂上から牧場へ降りる道 Descent from Mt. Nekodake's summit back to the pasture trailhead
途中に牧場の上で展望台の東屋がある Gazebo at the viewpoint at the top of the pasture.
左は牧場、右は白樺の林 Pasture to the left, birch woods to the right.
下りてからのお勧めのソフトアイス; 菅清園 Best spot for post-climb soft-serve ice cream: Kanseien in Sugadaira's central village
今回の立ち寄り湯; 十福の湯 外の広い石風呂と周りの庭園（枝垂れ桜も山桜も満開だった!）で体の充電が出来た。 Our post-climb bath this time was Juppuku no Yu. With it's outdoor bath made of majestic rocks and glorious garden (the weeping cherry trees and wild cherry trees on the nearby hillside were in full bloom), we rejuvenated our sore bodies.
There aren't too many places where you can climb two mountains from one starting point, so being able to summit both Mt. Azumaya and Mt. Nekodake from the Sugadaira Pasture trailhead is pretty special. It takes a long time (I suggest planning on 7 hours to be safe) but you get twice the summitting satisfaction. We went Pasture - Mt. Azumaya - Mt. Nekodake - Pasture (i.e. reverse-clockwise). However, in the summer, the path from the bamboo grass flat up to Nekodake doesn't have any tree shade whereas the ascent to Azumaya would be through a pine forest (thus relatively cooler) so I suggest circling clockwise.
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
Kobo-Yama is the smallish mountain behind national treasure Zenzan-ji Temple on Ueda City’s Shioda Plain. Despite its short stature the view from the summit is stunning but what makes Kobo-Yama distinct are the remains of the Warring State era Shioda Castle and the adventure of finding the 33 stone Buddhas tucked into crevices around the peak.
弘法山から見下ろす塩田平 Looking down on the Shioda Plain from Mt. Kobo塩田城跡（虎口）Shioda Castle: remains of the Tiger Gate33石仏（弘法の眼）Searching for the 33 stone Buddhas — the Eye of the Kobo (Priest)
弘法山 Mt. Kobo (842m)
距離 Length 1.3km. 標高差 Elevation Gain 280m. 登り Ascent 90 min. 下り Descent 90 min. （探検しながら、前山寺見学含め）難度 Level of Difficulty: 初心者 Easy (冬は雪でアイゼン必須・中級 In winter Moderate due to needing crampons when snow). 2022.03.01
前山手の駐車場（とトイレ）Zenzan-ji parking lot (with toilet)登山口（後は弘法山） Trailhead (Mt. Kobo in the distance)足跡がガイド Footprints were our guide一つ目の石仏見付け♪ Found the first stone Buddha岩に階段が掘られた Stairs carved in stone岩場 stone cliff高さ2mの穴も Some hollows were 2m tall他は高さ1.5m Others only 1.5 meters tall背景は菅平 Sugadaira in the distance塩田平と背景は戸隠山 The Shioda Plain with Mt. Togakushi in the background塩田城城・虎口 Shioda Castle Remaiy前山寺の未完成の三重塔 Zenzan-Ji’s “Unfinished” Pagoda
ACCESS: By car, Zenzan-ji Temple is a National Treasure so well-signed. Use the large parking lot by the public toilet. By train, from Ueda Station take the Bessho Line to Shiodamachi and transfer to Bus #8 to the Zenzan-ji stop (frequency and operation limited). From Kamesei Ryokan, 20km (40 min.) by car. From Togura Station via Ueda 45 min. to Shiodamachi +20 min. bus or 5 min. taxi.
コース: 正面の登山口と塩田城経由の二つのコースがあるからループ可能。33石仏探しも含めて中嶋豊さんの「信州山歩き地図・里山編III北信東信」がマスト。COURSE: Two trailheads (official one above Zenzan-ji Temple and via Shioda Castle) so can be done as a loop. For both the course and for finding the 33 stone Buddhas, get Yutaka Nakajima’s 3rd hiking book.
The giant cedar trees of Togakushi’s Okusha (Inner Shrine) in the mountains above central Nagano City are popular as a sort of Power Vortex. The cedars are especially impressive during the winter and the area is our favorite place for snowshoeing.
戸隠奥社の杉並木。雪と素敵なコントラスト。The towering cedars lining the path to Togakushi’s Inner Shrine
Winter in Nagano is synonymous with skiing and snowboarding and rightly so. But steadily snowshoeing is gaining in popularity. We’ve gone snowshoeing throughout the prefecture but keep returning to our favorite: Togakushi. It has areas that are only accessible when covered in snow and would be impossible with just regular shoes.
亀清の女将: スノーシューの笑顔 Kamesei’s proprietress in her happy place snowshoeing at Togakushi
When we went in early February there was about 5 feet of snow. We parked at the Okusha entrance, put on the snowshoes, passed the Torii gate and headed towards the Zuijinmon Gate which marks the beginning of the cedars.
入り口の鳥居。随神門まではよく通られて普通な靴で行けるがその道から一歩離ればスノーシューが必要。The entrance Torii. The path to Zuijinmon is well-enough traveled so that regular shoes could suffice but take one step off the path and you’ll need snowshoes.ミズナラ大王 “King of the Forest” Oak
天命稲荷神社を通って Pass by the Tenmei Inari Shrine and its rows of vermilion Torii gates長〜い影 Long shadows鏡池の上から見る戸隠山 Togakushi Mtn. as seen from on top of Mirror Pond
冬で鏡池に雪が積もるから上に歩ける。戸隠連峰が迫力ある背景になります。ピクニックには最適な場所。 In winter Kagami Ike (“Mirror Pond”) is covered by a layer of snow so thick that you can walk out on to the middle of the pond, meaning you can literally walk on water. With the towering Togakushi Range as a dramatic backdrop the pond makes a perfect place for a picnic.
