Togakushi: A Serene Walk Through Sacred Forests & Soba Traditions

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. In front of Beck’s Coffee inside Nagano Station (just outside the Shinkansen ticket gates)

   5 min

2. Get on the vehicle with you guide and heading to Togakushi.

   40 min

3. Arrival at Kagamiike Pond. It is a spectacular spot of fresh greens and forest where the mountains of Togakushi are reflected on the surface of the water like Kagami (mirror in Japanese) ＊＊Please note: This spot is not accessible during the winter months due to snow, but its beauty in other seasons makes it a must-visit.＊＊

   20 min

4. We will visit hidden gem and view a beautiful red Shinto gates in line called Tenmei Inari Shrine. After this we will be heading to the entrance of Okusha area. ＊＊Please note: This spot is not accessible during the winter months due to snow, but its beauty in other seasons makes it a must-visit.＊＊

   20 minAdmission included

5. Arrival at Okusha area. You will see 400 years old massive cedar trees linking to the path to Oku Sha. This journey into the heart of the forest is about 2km long and through the red Zuishinmon Gate, past cedar trees, up to the Main Hall which sits spectacularly on the mountainside of Mt. Togakushi. ＊＊Please note: The Okusha shrine is not accessible during winter due to snow, but visitors can still enjoy the breathtaking cedar-lined path and the serene winter scenery along the way.＊＊

   20 min

6. Arrival at Okusha Shrine, where is the innermost of the five Togakushi shrines. The shrine enshrines the god of strength, who moved the rock so that Amaterasu could come out of hiding. Okusha Shrine is considered the most important of the five Togakushi shrines. After this, we will be go back to the entrance of Okusha area. ＊＊PLease note: The Okusha shrine is not accessible during winter due to snow, but visitors can still enjoy the breathtaking cedar-lined path and the serene winter scenery along the way.

   20 minAdmission included

7. Arrival at Kuzuryusha Shrine, which is The former enshrines a nine-headed dragon, which governs water. Farmers make prayers for rain here. In addition, it is also worshipped as a god of matchmaking. ＊＊Please note:The Kuzuryusha shrine is not accessible during winter due to snow, but visitors can still enjoy the breathtaking cedar-lined path and the serene winter scenery along the way.＊＊

   25 minAdmission included

8. Optional visit to the Togakure Ninpo Museum (admission not included).

   30 min

9. Visit Chusha Shrine (Middle Shrine) Savor a delicious bowl of Togakushi soba noodles, one of Japan’s most famous soba dishes, at a local restaurant. Explore the central shrine of Togakushi, dedicated to Tajikarao-no-Mikoto, the god who brought light back to the world. Admire the cedar-lined approach and traditional architecture.

   1 hAdmission included

10. Visit Hokosha. The Lower Shrine, dedicated to Ame-no-Uwaharu, a deity associated with learning and agriculture. ＊＊PLease note:The Hokosha shrine may not accessible during winter due to snow, but visitors can still enjoy the breathtaking cedar-lined path and the serene winter scenery along the way.

    15 min

11. Zenkoji Temple Option: Visit this historic Buddhist site with a convenient pickup back to Nagano Station.

    Passes by

12. Get on the vehicle with you guide and heading back to Nagano station. Please note: The duration of this tour depends on the walking pace of the group, so please have extra time for your next schedule after this tour.

    40 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 11 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Nagano

• Its from-price is 15% below the median of the 179 experiences we list in Nagano.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 34 of 179.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Nagano

Nagano is a mountain city in central Japan, centred on the old Zenko-ji temple and ringed by ski slopes, hot springs and alpine valleys.

Nagano sits in a basin among the mountains of central Honshu, and Zenko-ji, a temple traditionally founded in the seventh century, is the heart of the city. Pilgrims have come to it for more than a thousand years, up a long approach lined with shops and lodgings to a great wooden hall. The city hosted the Winter Olympics in 1998.

Top-ranked sights in Nagano: Jigokudani Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen-Koen), Zenkoji Temple, Yudanaka Onsen.

See all 179 experiences in Nagano