Nagano City

Nagano City

Nagano City is located at the confluence of the Chikuma River and the Sai River. Established in 1897, it serves as the capital of Nagano Prefecture. The city lies in the Zenkoji Plain through which the Chikuma River flows, and developed as a bustling market area in front of the Zenkoji Temple.

The most renowned historic site in Nagano City is the Zenkoji Temple, established in the early 7th century. It is a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan, and the principal absolute secret Buddha enshrined there is also the earliest known spiritual Buddha discovered in Japan to date. The temple’s approach street, known as the Omotesando, is the largest shopping street in the city. It was renovated for the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic Games, and its rows of buildings were reconstructed in modern styles from traditional “dozō-zukuri” (storehouse-style) and Western-style architecture. Along the avenue, you’ll find a Firefighting Museum displaying items such as vintage fire pumps and fireproof clothing, a Clock Museum preserving antique timepieces from around the world, a Glass Museum where you can view various lamps and glassware, as well as small street museums integrated within certain shops.

At the M-wave Oval, one of the venues for the Winter Olympics, there is the Nagano Olympic Memorial Museum, where visitors can simulate the experience of sled racing.

Nagano

Reason to visit: A city in Nagano Prefecture with a distinctive historical charm

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia【Asia】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Japan[Japan]

Prefecture/State where the attraction is located: Nagano Prefecture [Nagano Prefecture]

City where the attraction is located: Nagano City [Nagano]