Autumn Scenery in Nagawacho Mountains in the Wada area, Nagawa Town, and scenes from Nagakubo-juku. These are the autumn leaves you should see and feel in person at the spot. The Wada area has two campsites. Camping here in autumn feels especially wonderful 🍂⛺!! Miyashita Hills Auto Campsite http://www.miyashitahills.jp// TEL 0268-88-2915 Akakura no Mori Auto Camping Ground https://akakuranomori.sakura.ne.jp// TEL 0268-88-3126 Nakasendo Wada-shuku and Nagakubo-juku are particularly charming at this time of year. Please come and visit 😊❤️

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the merger, we are holding a town business tour stamp rally! Collect stamps at each venue and enter the draw for a chance to win prizes 🎁 For details, please see the site below: (Nagawamachi Town Hall website) https://www.town.nagawa.nagano.jp/soshiki/somu/somukakari/1/20kinen/2525.html... Discover the many charms of Nagawa and join us in celebrating the 20th anniversary together! We look forward to many entries ✨

Chōwa Town rice fields The weather is nice again today. The sun is out, but the breeze feels like autumn. This is a lovely season as the landscape begins to change with the coming autumn foliage. The rice paddies are gradually turning golden. I wonder if this year's harvest will come a little earlier...

The Himekidaira Information Desk will open for a limited time from August 1st. The Himekidaira Information Desk is conducting a survey. Visitors who complete the survey will receive a towel as a gift. We also offer Nagawa Cycle (E-bike rentals), so please stop by when you are nearby. Nagawa Cycle booking: https://fd-system.tours/plan/?plan=plan000257... Address: 3515-72 Daimon, Nagawa Town, inside Himeki no Mori Shop Period: August 1st–31st, 2025 (Closed on August 23rd) Hours: 10:00–16:00

Chowa Town Nakasan-do Eitai Jinba Service Station (Reception Hut) Please do not litter In Chowa Town and the Ueda area, instead of a "litter-free Jizo" there is a "litter-free little monk"? It quietly stands in the parking area of the Eitai Jinba Service Station (Reception Hut) near Wada Pass. This place was originally established by Kaseya Yohei of Edo Gofukucho, and it is said that, to ease the hardships of travelers crossing the pass, free porridge, campfires, and fodder for horses and people were offered. #Chowa Town #Nagano Prefecture #Nakasendo #Wada-juku #Eitai Jinba Service Station #litter-free Jizo

Chowa Town Sasayaki Shrine Sasayaki Shrine at Marmelo Station Nagato. It was dressed up stylishly 😍! They say that if you whisper to the "ear stone" visible in the back from both sides, a bond will be formed… 🤭🌟 #Chowa Town #Marmelo Station Nagato #Sasayaki Shrine #wagasa (Japanese oil-paper umbrella) #Nagano Prefecture

Nagawa Town The mountains have turned bright young green and deep forest green, growing lush and vibrant!!😄💪! The fields reflect on the water laid across the paddies, creating a lively scene✨ Doesn’t this kind of road make you want to ride a bicycle🚵?😉 Search for Nagawa Cycle (E-BIKE)🔍 Half day (4 hours) from 1,000 yen〜

Thank you to everyone who visited Nagawa Town over Golden Week! 😍 At Nagawa Cycle (E-bike), guests experienced the rich nature around Utsukushigahara, Fudotaki Falls, and Furumachi. The green season is just getting started! Why not enjoy a special nature experience in Nagawa Town? 😮🚵‍♂️⛺🌄 Utsukushigahara as seen from the Mihune Grand Observatory The Japanese Alps as seen from the Mihune Grand Observatory

I visited Fudo Falls in Nagawa Town! As I climbed the mountain path where wild cherry blossoms fluttered down, huge rocks that hinted at the presence of the waterfall appeared. When I began to hear the sound of water cascading down... That spot felt like a different world...

Nagawacho Karasawa's Dosojin Shrine A Dosojin shrine near the Karasawa ichirizuka (one-ri mound) on the Nakasendo road. For many, many years, it has stood here as proof that it watched over this place... A pine tree is growing between the stone monuments 😮

At Utsukushi-no-ike in Himeki, Nagawa Town, the Asian skunk cabbage called zazen-so was peeking out ☺️ It is said to be called zazen-so (literally “seated meditation plant”) because its shape resembles a monk sitting in zazen.

Nagakubo-juku Museum “Ippukusho Hamaya” and Wada-juku Museum have opened for this season. The camellia in the Ippukusho Hamaya parking lot is blooming beautifully.☻ Many of the plum blossoms at Wada-juku Honjin were still buds.💦 Is spring still a little way off…?🌸

Nagawacho Wada Yonoike (Yono Pond) Kappa Dosojin Yono Pond lies on the route from Wada to Utsukushigahara. A Dosojin stands at the entrance to Yono Pond, which is said to have been formed overnight when Kappa Taro created the pond and moved in. A close pair...🤭💕

Nakatsukendo Ichirizuka — 51 ri from Edo The snow has finally melted, and I was able to go 😊 The ichirizuka at Karasawa, Wada, Nagawacho still preserves two large mounds on either side of the road. These mounds were built as landmarks for travelers along the Nakasendo. It’s a very atmospheric spot that evokes the past.

Nagawacho Kikazu Dōsojin Long ago, an old man visited the Dōsojin shrine every day without fail, hoping his grandchild would be able to hear. After walking home hand in hand with the grandchild one day, a huge thunderbolt struck. Then a rainbow appeared, and when the two who had fallen finally stood up, the grandchild clung to the grandfather’s leg, saying, “That thunder was so loud, I’m scared.”😮 The grandfather leaped for joy when his grandchild’s hearing was restored and offered his treasured bowl as a gift.👏 At that time there was a custom of speaking in opposites, and the shrine became known as “Kikazu Dōsojin” (Not-Listening Dōsojin). It’s one of those old tales that might bring a little tear to your eye…😊🌈

Nagawacho Tourist Information Center will begin lending e-bike rentals called “Nagawa Cycle” for this season from Saturday, April 12. Reservations opened on Wednesday, March 12! Please make your reservation from the site below! https://fd-system.tours/plan/?plan=plan000257... 〇 Reception hours 9:30–14:00 〇 Usage hours 9:30–16:30 〇 Pickup location Nagawacho Tourist Information Center (2424-19 Furumachi, Nagawacho, Chiisagata District, Nagano)

Nagawacho Wada Kyuin Shrine "After a heavy, continuous downpour, floods swept through and clusters of earthworms about one shaku long died. After that, an epidemic broke out in this area and caused a great uproar. People said, 'It's the curse of the earthworms,' so they built a small shrine and enshrined the earthworms." Kyuin (earthworm) may have transformed into a deity, and it is called 'Okin-sama.' The earthworm's form is... 😘

Nagawacho Wada along the Nakasendo A stone monument erected near the side path toward the Mimizu Shrine. Can you see that it says “mimizu”? It’s such an adorable Mimizu-sama (Okin-sama) 😊

Nagawacho Wada Along the Nakasendo Road: Dosojin 2 and Spring Water A pair of dosojin leaning close together like a loving couple💕 Beside them, a spring bubbles up... A water-rich, warm-hearted community 😊

Dousojin along the Nakasendo in Wada, Nagawacho Along the Nakasendo in the Wada Area, you can see several dousojin 😊 Are those children enjoying a shishimai dance...? Their faces are so adorable 🥰💕

Nagawacho Furumachi Toyouke Taijingū Annual Festival “Otaya Festival” At the festival, each district presents a “dashi” that depicts a scene from folktales, legends, or historical stories. Themes change each year, and handcrafted figures and sets are built to near life-size for that year’s display. Though called “dashi,” these are not the pullable or carriable floats people often imagine; instead, they are stationary decorative stages called okiyama placed on five stages around the shrine. They blend with the surrounding scenery and draw you into the story they represent. This year (2025) features five displays: “Bunbuku Chagama Tightrope,” “Dōjōji The Maiden Who Became a Serpent,” “The Nine-Tailed Fox (Tamamo-no-Mae) Legend,” “Chūshingura Vendetta,” and “Kōmon and His Party Traveling Through Shinano.” The festival is held every year on January 14 and 15, when the shrine conducts the Senrei Ceremony, a dedication of the Urayasu no Mai dance, and a performance of Yanagato and Fudō Taiko drums. Food stalls line the area around the shrine, and fireworks are set off at night.

Nakasendo Ichirizuka — Fifty ri from Edo An ichirizuka monument stands at Kajiashi Intersection in Wada, Nagawacho. The nearby stone stele reads, “Left: Matsuzawa Footpath · Right: Suwa Kaido.” The right is the old Nakasendo. The 51st ri mound is located in Karasawa, Wada, Nagawacho, and the earthen mounds that once lined both sides of the road still survive.

The amount of remaining snow varies by area in Nagawacho⛄ Even though these photos were taken on the same day (January 21, 2025), the difference is striking📷 Photo 1: Himekidaira Photo 2: Nagakubo Himekidaira sits at about 1,300 m and Nagakubo about 650 m, so the difference in elevation makes sense, but it still surprises me😂

Nakasendo Ichirizuka Milestone: Forty-nine ri from Edo A monument marks the site of an ichirizuka milestone between Nagawacho Nagakubo-juku and Wada-juku. Beside it stands a haiku stone inscribed with the kigo “Mt. Asama.” Still, the charming little house-shaped building behind the ichirizuka monument catches my eye...🙄 For reference, the fiftieth ri mound sits in Wada, Nagawacho, and the forty-eighth ri mound is in neighboring Tateshina Town.

The Odaya Festival, the annual celebration of Toyouke Daijingu located in Furumachi, Nagawacho, will take place over two days from Tuesday, January 14, 2025, to Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Each year visitors can enjoy elaborately designed floats and other attractions. (The photo shows scenes from last year.) For the Odaya Festival, traffic restrictions will be in effect in parts of the Furumachi district. Visitors arriving by car are asked to use the temporary parking lots. For more details, please see the Nagawacho town office website below. https://www.town.nagawa.nagano.jp/kanko_bunka_sports/kankojoho/matsuri/2199.html...

Nagawacho was formed in 2005 by the merger of Nagato Town and Wada Village. This year marks its 20th anniversary. History remains on the fire hydrants... Next week, on January 14th and 15th, the Furu-machi Toyouke Daijingu annual festival, the Otaya Festival, takes place in Nagawacho. On the 14th at 19:00, fireworks are scheduled. Winter fireworks are quite rare! Hope for good weather 🌞

The road connecting Wada in Nagawacho to Utsukushigahara along Japan National Route 178 (Dec. 20, 2024) It snowed again this morning. More snow has accumulated on the road and it appears to be frozen. Be sure to put on chains!!

Roadside Station Marumero No Eki Nagato The current temperature is 9°C Today is suddenly a warm day. Thankful for the sun 🌞!! Tomorrow the high will be 4°C again... 1st photo: Jizo statue at Nagakubo (intersection of Route 142 and Route 152) 2nd photo: Former Wada Junior High School

A kadomatsu with a bowl-shaped shimenawa😍 This style of New Year’s decoration is commonly used in this region. In the past, people say they used to place offerings inside it! The kadomatsu and shimenawa of JA Shinshu Ueda Yodakubo South Branch. Members of the local senior club are said to decorate it every year.

Nagawacho, photographed on December 20 A tengu suddenly appears along Route 178 heading from Wada in Nagawacho toward Utsukushigahara Highlands. A tengu mask is enshrined at the Sekison Shrine in the mountains beyond. It looks like it snowed again this morning, so it may be covered with a bit more snow now.