Popular among Australians for its snowcapped mountains, ski slopes, hot springs and snow monkeys, Nagano seeks to expand its appeal to the warmer “green” months.
The Nagano Tourism Organization, led by managing director Keisuke Sato, is looking to build on the record numbers of Australians holidaying in winter to experience the region in the other seasons.
They are urging more Australians to experience the great outdoors, whether it’s for thrill seeking experiences, wellness holidays or for the area’s culture and colourful festivals.
Dining out on Nagano’s traditional cuisine, including Soba (a classic buckwheat noodles dish for centuries), is also in the menu.
Among the major attractions outside winter is the ancient route Nakasendo which for more than 400 years cut a path through the mountainous heart of main island Honshu and is a drawcard for hikers.
During the visit, Yoshimi Koyasu from Hakuba Valley Tourism said the area offered many activities in summer, from rafting, canoeing and canyoning to paragliding, hot air ballooning and hiking and mountain bike riding.
Pic cap: Akira Mori with daughter Yukimi
“Trekking is popular as there are many trails to walk and the views are breathtaking, especially around cherry blossom time in spring when the mountains are still covered in snow,” she said.
Her comments were echoed by 18th generation family Japanese inn owner Akira Mori who said the May to June and September to November periods were ideal times to holiday in his mountainous region.
As president of the Ryokan Sakaya hot spring inn, Akira said during those seasons guests could join a tour where they ventured into the mountains to pick Japanese vegetables for the dinner table.
Ryokan Sakaya (Nozawa Onsen) is in the middle of a hot spring town, where holidaying guests visit the outdoor springs several times a day wearing traditional yukata robes.
During the ski season, Australians are travelling to Nagano in record numbers, with figures released by the Japan National Tourism Organization pointing to more visitors to the mountainous destination than from any other source market.
