Due to the abundance of ancient Buddhist temples, Nagano has remained one of the major religious centers in Japan for many centuries. One of the most famous religious and tourist sites is Zenkoji Temple, which keeps a unique Buddhist relic - a Buddha image created in the 6th century. This Buddhist treasure is publicly displayed once every six years, and for the rest of the time, its copy is installed in the temple instead. The ancient temple itself is of great historical value too. The exact date of its construction is unknown, while the very first mention of the temple dates back to the 6th century. Experts believe that it could be built much earlier. It is noteworthy that the temple does not belong to any particular religion since the foundation - absolutely everyone can visit it freely. About 6 million people visit it in the year when the ancient Buddha statue is put on public display here.
Nagano has been known as a winter sports center since the Olympics. The prefecture is also famous for its variety of natural attractions. Jigokudani Park located at an altitude of 850 meters … Open
1. Most tourists visit Nagano in winter, as well as during major religious holidays. Hotel rooms should be booked in advance for such periods. 2. The best option for active tourists would … Open
Nagano has many interesting museums and cultural centers, including the Nojiri-ko Nauman located on the lakeshore. The collection of its exhibits is very diverse. Of particular interest are archaeological artifacts discovered in the region. Here you can see ancient religious paraphernalia, as well as petrified fragments of ancient plants and animals.
One of the exhibitions is dedicated to the first settlers of the region. There are several important archaeological areas in the vicinity of the museum. From what researches know, millions of years ago, there was a large lake in the area where the museum is currently located. It served as a natural source of water for many prehistoric animals, the petrified remains of which were found in this area. One of the museum's thematic expositions is devoted to a unique elephant species that inhabited these lands in the past.
An interesting historical site is the Old Battlefield of Kawanakajima. Since the early Middle Ages, the largest military battles in the history of Japan took place on this field. Many beautiful plants are grown and symbolic monuments are erected in the park that was formed in this place. Strolling through the park, you can find out which important historical events took place in Nagano during different periods.
Nagano's main shopping street is Naka-mise. Its name can be literally translated as "shops inside the temple." On this historic street, you can find shops of various profiles, many of which … Open