Kiso Valley, located in southwestern Nagano, is an enchanted place and one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Visit the valley's sacred Mt. Ontake, charming historic towns, and the well-preserved section of the ancient Nakasendo merchant trail for a fascinating journey back in time. There are a few post towns along the Kiso Valley that have been preserved to look as they did when they served Nakasendo travellers, and three of these towns stand out in particular: Magome, Tsumago, and Narai. The wooden structures and cobblestone streets transport guests to a time gone by. The Kiso Valley, a mountain valley in Nagano Prefecture that borders the Central Alps features the Kisoji, a 70-kilometer-long ancient trade route, established along the valley and played a crucial role in the region's economic development.

Beginning in the Edo period, when the Kisoji was combined with other routes to form the 500 km long Nakasendo, it assumed even greater significance. The Nakasendo (which literally means "path through mountains") was one of the two main roads that linked Edo and Kyoto.

All over the valley are breathtaking gorges, rivers, waterfalls, and mountain trails that will captivate your imagination and calm your spirit. If you love being transported back in time, you should definitely check out the ancient towns of Kiso Valley that have been preserved so well under a blanket of snow.

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The Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival is one of the best three fire festivals in all of Japan. The celebration is held annually in the middle of winter on January 15th. As night falls in Nozawa Onsen, men light up the night with their fierce battles in celebration of the festival. The story focuses on a group of unfortunate Japanese men between the ages of 25 and 42 who live in a rural village. Many residents of Nozawa Onsen attempt to destroy a temporary shrine known as a shaden by lighting torches and storming the structure, but a group of 42-year-olds and 25-year-olds stand guard at its top and bottom, respectively. The festival's goals are twofold: to rid the unlucky men of their misfortune and to pray for their health and success. Despite the mayhem and fierce competition, the festival is a good time and a great addition to any trip to Japan.

Iiyama City, located in northern Nagano Prefecture, is one of Japan's regions that receives significant snowfall every winter. In the middle of February, during the snowy winter season, this city hosts the Iiyama Snow Festival, drawing in thousands of visitors from all over the world. At this winter festival, enormous snow sculptures serve as the showpiece, while smaller ones line the streets of the city centre. The competition and evaluation of sculptures is a central part of this festival. Wonderful snow sculptures depicting a wide variety of Japanese themes will be on display here.

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As a commemoration of the city's Buddhist heritage and the 1998 Winter Olympics, Nagano Tomyo has been celebrated annually for a full week in the middle of February since 2004. One of the most well-attended events in Nagano involves lighting the city in the five Olympic colours and adorning the main street leading to the temple with hundreds of gorgeous handmade paper lanterns. Besides the lighting ceremony, there will be other events going on, such as a sake tasting, live music, and an art show. This is a great festival to enjoy if you are in the region in February.

What is Restaurant Kamakura Village? Well in Nagano, it’s an intimate igloo village which is actually a restaurant with all the enchantment of a snowy landscape. Eat a nabe hot pot in the comfort of your own igloo at the temporary Restaurant Kamakura Village in Iiyama. The magical Restaurant Kamakura Village, comprised of more than 20 pop-up igloos, is not to be missed if you like to plan your trips around meals. Located in the picturesque town of Iiyama in the prefecture of Nagano, Japan, the restaurant boasts a picturesque setting amidst the snowy Japanese Alps. The seasonal restaurant opens every winter for a little over a month. Visitors can warm their bodies and minds with hot-pot dishes and Liyama specialities cooked over portable clay stoves. The village becomes a romantic dreamscape as night falls and the lights come on. Noroshi nabe, a hot pot made with miso, pork, and local vegetables, will be served to groups of up to four in each of the igloos. The igloos are perfect for enjoying a hearty meal for lunch or dinner, or a quick snack like amazake or soup. You'll find a chilly Shinto shrine in an igloo behind a tiny red torii gate. The area immediately outside the restaurant is ideal for sledding, and those visiting the area's ski resorts might want to stop in for a bite to eat before or after their runs. The cost of lunch in Kamakura Village is 3,700 yen (2,400 yen for children), while dinner for two with noroshi nabe, onigiri rice balls, and exclusive use of an igloo is 4,200 yen (2,800 yen for children). For 1,800 yen (1,200 for kids), you can rent a private igloo between 3 and 4 p.m., enjoy a cup of amazake or soup, and ride in a snow car.

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Over 1400 years have passed since Zenkoji's original construction, and it has since become a true temple of the common people, welcoming all visitors from across the nation and around the world, regardless of their religious affiliation.

The Zenko-ji Omotesando Illumination takes place every winter and transforms the road leading to the temple, known as the Omotesando or 'Pilgrims Path,' into a dazzling spectacle. Beginning in early November and continuing through mid-February, the Omotesando will be lit up to create a glowing path to the temple. Then, beginning in the middle of December, the temple's precinct will be illuminated with lighting and projections that will transform the building into a phantasmal Buddhist paradise of purple and violet, silver and gold.

There is no admission fee to enter any part of the temple, including the holy inner sanctuary. Despite its popularity, the festival is not overrun with people, so attendees can take in the sights without being squished and get great photos without waiting in long lines. Many shops along the Nakamise, the historic street within the temple complex, will extend their hours during the festival. This is a great way to see the city after dark, especially in the brightly lit up Omotesando district.

The ancient Ganshoin Temple can be found hidden away in Obuse, located in northern Nagano Prefecture, and hosts one of the finest examples of Japanese art can. In 1848, at the age of 89, a painter by the name of Hokusai created a masterpiece that is still widely recognised and appreciated today. The ceiling of the temple is still covered with his final masterpiece, which has been carefully preserved over the years.

About thirty years after the last reconstruction of Ganshoin, one of Japan's greatest artists, Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), painted a beautiful ceiling picture called "The Great Ho-O" (Phoenix Staring in eight Directions). Since the bird appears to stare directly at the viewer from any angle, the painting is also known as "Ho-O Staring in eight directions."

There have been nearly three reconstructions of this ancient temple, the most recent of which was 180 years ago. The artwork measures a massive 584 by 636 cm. Twelve panels of cypress wood were painted directly, then raised and mounted to the ceiling. Colours of red, green, blue, brown, and gold shine brightly in this high-calibre masterpiece.

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Travellers looking for an off-the-beaten-track winter experience should take a snowshoeing tour around Kamikochi, Nagano's most well-known national park. On these walks, you’ll wear snow shoes, which allow access to areas of Kamikochi’s dusted slopes that you might otherwise miss. The tours are led by informative guides. There is a chance to see winter wildlife that is only found in the Nagano Alps and take in the stunning alpine scenery, which includes mountainside ranch trails, frozen ponds, and icefalls. The city of Nagano undergoes a dramatic transformation in the winter. Many people find this season to be one of the most beautiful despite the fact that it can feel particularly cold and harsh. This untouched valley at the foot of the Japanese Alps offers breathtaking views of the Hotaka Mountains. There are no buses to Kamikochi and no facilities open in the winter at the park, but the beautiful scenery is still there if you're willing to walk. Walking two kilometres through the Kama Tunnel and then snowshoeing along the riverbank is the only way to see the mountains and the crystal clear Azusa River. Having the lakes, forests, and mountains of Kamikochi to yourself is a challenge, but it is well worth it.