Trail to the summit of Mount Nagamine The satoyama hills of Azumino are at the height of their autumn colors now!! Just behind Eboshimine, which sits between Mount Kojo and Mount Nagamine

October 25, 2025 Nagano City Kinasa Okususobana Nature Garden I wandered through the park to enjoy the autumn leaves. The forest stretched as far as I could see, dyed in fall colors. Several ponds and wetlands dot the area. On this day I was especially drawn to Yoshiike, a breeding site for the black salamander and the forest green tree frog. Leaves sank into the pond while reflections added depth to the scene.

Northern Alps, MtJonen and the Great Ginkgo The bright yellow ginkgo leaves stood out against Azumino’s clear blue sky!! You can see it as you drive up to the Central Entrance Parking of National Alps Azumino Park, Horigane-Hotaka Area.

November 9th The Bell Ringing Hill Assembly Hall in Azumino is a historic building that served as the setting for the NHK radio drama "The Bell Ringing Hill." The autumn leaves were just at their peak!

Kiso is now at peak autumn color, and the scenery is truly beautiful. The mountains and roadside trees have turned vivid reds and yellows, creating landscapes that look like paintings. Be sure to experience this seasonal natural beauty while it lasts.

On October 25, 202, Okusuzuhana Nature Garden in Kinasa, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture A valley stretched from the far end of the park toward Myoko and Kurohime. The entire forest was painted in autumn colors and it was breathtaking. I enjoyed the beautiful fall foliage again this year. This place is a hidden gem!

Panoramic view from the summit of Mount Nagamine The chilly Azumino valley lies under a sea of clouds, with the Northern Alps towering beyond You can only see a scene like this on an Azumino morning!

Azumino Full Moon This is the Harvest Moon setting behind the Northern Alps On cold mornings a sea of clouds spreads below, and the view of the Northern Alps from Mount Nagamine is spectacular!!

Shiojiri-juku Location: Shiojiri City, Shiojirimachi The old Nakasendo route that crossed Misawa Pass, Ono-juku and Ushikubi Pass from Shimosuwa-shuku was abolished in 1613 (Keichō 18). From 1614 (Keichō 19) the Nakasendo was rerouted via Shiojiri Pass and the new Shiojiri-juku was established. The town layout work was overseen by Ogasawara Hidemasa, lord of Matsumoto Domain. He laid out the new Shiojiri-juku in an east–west plan southwest of the old post town. The honjin was one of the largest on the Nakasendo, and the post town also featured a noticeboard area and a Matsumoto Domain checkpoint. Plots in the post town were typically three to four ken wide. By 1843 (Tenpō 14) the town had 166 households, including 75 inns — the largest number among the 26 post towns of Shinshu, due to its position at a road junction below Shiojiri Pass. Major fires in 1828 (Bunsei 11) and 1882 (Meiji 15) destroyed much of the town, but the Ono family house, a National Important Cultural Property, still evokes the town’s former appearance.

It was a gentle and warm Azumino, but suddenly it rained ... If you look up at the sky, you will see a double rainbow

Autumn leaves in rural woodlands and the JR Shinonoi Line The village of Azumino is beginning to change color little by little

Autumn leaves in the Northern Alps seen from near the second Car parking lot at the Sangu Trailhead I wonder if it's a butterfly spear that towers in the back ... The Autumn leaves on the mountainside was Best time to visit!

Autumn leaves Mayumi Pond This pond is Located in in the middle of the forest road Karasugawa Line to the three-pronged trailhead The name of the pond is said to be a remnant of Mt. Jonnen, which was once called "Mt. Mayumi" Elevation is 1,170m, and it feels like the Autumn leaves have come down to the village!

The Hotaka River and the Takase River flow into the Rhino River that streams through Azumino This point is the confluence of the three rivers Many rivers stream out of the Northern Alps become a single river here

[Torii Pass - toriitoge-] Overview A roughly 6 km mountain trail linking Narai inn on the Kiso Kaido with Yabuhara inn. In the Edo period it was famous as one of the Nakasendo’s toughest stretches, a place that made straw-sandalled travelers limp with pain. Today it is a popular, atmospheric trekking route. Hikers from Japan and abroad walk this pass in large numbers. From the summit you can look west to Mitakesan and east to Kiso Komagatake. Along the old road you will find numerous haiku and waka monuments and stone Buddhas, including those honoring Matsuo Bashō. The pass saw battles between the Kiso clan and the Takeda clan in the Sengoku era, and in the late Edo period Princess Kazunomiya passed through here on her marriage procession. Free loan of hinoki conical hats and bear bells! This service lets walkers experience the look of Edo-period travelers, especially those walking between Yabuhara and Narai on the Nakasendo. The traditional original hinoki (cypress) hats, hand-painted with kanji, make perfect travel companions and evoke the spirit of Edo travelers. They’re great for the experience and for photo opportunities. What is a hinoki hat? A hinoki hat is one of Kiso region’s traditional crafts. It remains popular with locals and visitors as a practical fashion item and as a sunshade that traces its roots to the Edo period. How to try them You can try them at the tourist information centers listed below. We refund the full deposit when you return the items. ⚠ The deposit will not be refunded if the item is lost or damaged. (Items may be wet without issue.) Loan locations: ① Narai-juku Tourist Information Center ② Yabuhara-juku Nigiwai Hiroba Enkan ③ Kiso Village Tourist Information Center Addresses: ① 497-3 Narai, Shiojiri City ② 1019-1 Yabuhara, Kiso village ③ Lot 196, Yabuhara, Kiso village TEL: ① 0264-34-3160 ② 0264-36-3020 ③ 0264-36-2543 Opening hours: ① 9:00–17:00 ② 8:30–17:00 ③ 9:00–17:00 Closed: ① During the New Year holidays ② Every Tuesday ③ Every Monday Refundable deposit: 2,000 yen per item Payment method: Cash only

【Two major local gourmets representing Shiojiri: Bandit yaki and Shinshu Soba noodles】 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 【Bandit Grill -Sanzokuyaki-】 Actually, it originated in Shiojiri!　Bandit grilling is a hot topic on social media with its exciting appearance The bandit grill, which is a exciting fried whole chicken thigh, is actually Roux by the bandits at a restaurant in Shiojiri City. The first owner and his wife worked hard to perfect the cooking method. In a scene from the movie "Seven Samurai" at the time, the appearance of bandits hunting a chicken, the location of a mountain pass nearby, and what! It is said that both husband and wife had the appearance of bandits, so they named the restaurant "Bandits" and named the dish "Bandit Yaki". -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 【Soba noodles】 If you like Soba noodles, I want to know! The birthplace of "Soba Kiri", Shiojiri, Motoyama inn In the past, "Soba noodles" were in the form of dango, which is similar to what we now call "Soba noodles". The elongated noodles that we think of when we hear the word "Soba" are called "Soba noodles" and seem to have been distinguished from the dango-shaped ones. The birthplace of "Soba Kiri" is the current Motoyama inn in Shiojiri City. It is said that the Soba kiri, which was born in Honyama inn, which was also a place where many travelers visit as a Post Town of Nakasendo, spread throughout the country through Highway. Shiojiri City was originally a place suitable for the Cultivation of high-quality Soba with a large daily and annual range of temperatures, and it seems that Soba has been Cultivation for a long time, but the oldest literature on Soba cutting in Motoyama inn can be found in the description of Unsuzu in the haibun selection "Genre Bunsen" compiled by Morikawa Kyoroku in the 2nd year of Hoei (1705). It is written that "Soba Kiri and Tsukipa, originally from Shinano Province and Motoyama Inn, will be enjoyed throughout the country."

Gohbara-juku (Gohbara-juku) Location: Gohbara, Hirooka, Shiojiri City Gohbara-juku was the first post town on the Zenkoji Kaido after it branched from the Nakasendo at Seba-juku. It was established in Keicho 19 (1614) when Hidemasa Ogasawara, lord of Matsumoto Castle, developed the Zenkoji Kaido (the Hokuriku side route) to connect Nakasendo’s Seba-juku with the Hokkokukaido. Rather than an existing settlement becoming the post town, Gohbara’s original village lay on the east bank of the Narai River in the Ueno land division. When the post station was laid out, the settlement was moved around Genna 5 (circa 1619) to its present site together with the Kataishi hamlet, which had been on the west bank, to create the new post town. Highlights of Gohbara-juku Houses were laid out with wide frontages of five to six ken, featuring main gabled roofs with the short side facing the street and sparrow deterrents on the ridges. Each house has a forecourt with planted trees, creating an attractive streetscape, and shop names are displayed at every residence. Sōetsu Yanagi, called the father of the mingei (folk craft) movement, praised Gohbara-juku in his essays, saying the entire post town was “a single splendid work of art.” On the north side of the post town stands Gofuku-ji, which served as a resting place for Emperor Meiji during his imperial tour in Meiji 13 (1880). Read more about the Nakasendo and the five post towns in the city here↓

Motoyama-juku (Motoyama-juku) Location: Shiojiri City, Soga Honzan Motoyama prospered as the gateway to Kiso Road and the exit from the Matsumoto Plain. Two-story houses with latticework fronts line the streets, preserving a strong sense of the past. The town is also introduced as the birthplace of sobakiri (cut buckwheat noodles). In Keicho 19 (1614), Shiojiri, Seba, and Motoyama were designated as new post towns on the Nakasendo. Unlike Shiojiri and Seba, which were formed by relocating people from neighboring villages, Motoyama developed from a medieval settlement. It was the 32nd station counting from Edo, situated 30 cho from Seba Post Town and 2 ri from Niegawa Inn (Niegawa-juku). The post town divided into Kamimachi to the south and Shimomachi to the north, with the honjin, wakimotonjin, and dispatch office at its center. South of the town stood Hachiman Shrine, Choukyuuji, and Joukouji; to the north was Suwa Shrine, and across the Narai River lay Ikeo Shrine, though some temples were later abandoned. Because Motoyama bordered the Owari Domain in Kiso, a checkpoint was located south of the town to inspect women and timber. In Tenpo 14 (1843) the town had 117 households and 34 inns. Compared with Seba Post Town’s three-ken frontage, many houses in Motoyama had four- to five-ken facades. The town suffered several great fires, but surviving buildings date from the late Edo to Meiji periods. Facing the street, they feature hirairi degekata construction and second-floor rooms with senbon-koshi lattices, retaining much of the post town atmosphere. Notably, three residences built around the Meiji era—the Akiyama Family (Wakamatsuya), the Tanaka Family (Ikeda family), and the Kobayashi Family (Kawaguchi Family)—are registered tangible cultural properties of Japan. The honjin, Kobayashi residence, hosted Princess Kazunomiya, daughter of Emperor Ninkō, when she married Tokugawa Iemochi in Bunkyū 1 (1861), and it later accommodated the Meiji Emperor during his tour in Meiji 13. Each house still carries its traditional shop name, offering a glimpse into the past. The town’s specialty is soba. A note by Unrin in Hōei 3 (1706) in the miscellany Fūzoku Bunsen records Motoyama as the birthplace of sobakiri. Historic sites include the Motoyama Castle Ruins on a small hill behind the town, said to have been guarded by the Motoyama Minbu branch of the Kiso clan; Ike no Gongen (Ikeo Shrine), known for votive plaques for rain rituals, sericulture, and eye disease cures, whose shrine grove is a Shiojiri City natural monument; and the Shitamachi Stone Figure Group, featuring Dosojin, Koshin stone monuments, and inscribed tablets. For articles on the Nakasendo and the city’s five post towns, click here↓

October 25, 2025Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture Okusohana Nature Garden Beech Forest The Autumn leaves of the Okusohana Nature Garden, where huge beech trees grow in clusters, It was a different world! Autumn leaves and yellow leaves! A walk in the yellow forest looking for a bright red color made me spend a luxurious time. It is a good memory of the ♪ trip

October 23 Azumino with its beautiful Northern Alps and Rural Scenery Today's autumn sunshine allowed me to see the mountains of Hakuba in the distance! Rice ears have already been harvested, but delicious Rice will be planted again next year

October 23 Azumino where you can feel the Traditional charm of autumn Today, the sun is warm and the walk while looking at the Northern Alps is the best! Please note that it is cold in the morning and evening.

【Nakasendo and 5 Post Towns in Shiojiri City】 There are 69 Shukuba on the Nakasendo Road between Edo Japan Bridge and Kyoto Sanjo Ohashi Bridge. Although there are more hills in the Shiojiri City area than on the Tokaido, there was no long stay in the river, so we were able to pass as planned. There were five shukuba on the Nakasendo road in the Shiojiri city area: Shiojiri Inn, Washima Inn, Motoyama Inn, Niekawa Juku, and Narai Juku. (1) Shiojiri Inn -Shiojirijuku- (30th from Edo Japan Bridge) Shiojiri inn was set up in Sakai in the Matsumoto and Suwa territories to change Rice shells and contraband items, and the honjin and wakihonjin used for attendance shifts were established, and the number of hatagoya was the second largest in Nakasendo and the largest in Shinano at the end of the Bakumatsu shogunate. (2) Washima inn -Barajuku- (31st from Edo Japan Bridge) It is a Shukuba that corresponds to the follow-up of the Nakasendo Road and Zenkoji Temple Highway. The inn was equipped with one of only three Kanme Kaisho on Nakasendo. Most of the faces of the Shukuba were destroyed by the great fire in the early Showa period, but the stone lantern of the night light remains in the place where it hits. (3) Motoyama inn -Motoyamajuku- (32nd from Edo Japan Bridge) Motoyama inn is said to be the birthplace of Soba cutting. It flourished as the entrance to Kisoji Road and the exit of Matsumotodaira. Honjin became a Accommodation when the Imperial Princess Wagu married Tokugawa Ieshige and during the Meiji Emperor's visit in 1880 (Meiji 13). (4) Niekawa Juku -Niekawajuku- (33rd from Edo Japan Bridge) Niekawa Juku is the entrance to Kisoji 11 Inn. As a transportation hub on the Nakasendo Highway, the Kakegawa Checkpoint was located, and it developed in the Accommodation industry and remote area commerce. (5) Narai juku -Naraijuku- (34th from Edo Japan Bridge) The Shukuba was called "Narai Senken" and was crowded. Richly preserved of the faces of that time, it is now visited by many people as a popular Sightseeing spot.

Cosmos blooming in fallow fields Autumn leaves are progressing in the Northern Alps, and Azumino is getting cold in the mornings and evenings

[Mt. Kiritou] Mt. Kiritou rises to 1,305 meters and is a popular destination for day hikes. It sits near the middle of the Central Divide that runs east to west across Nagano Prefecture. From the summit you can take in wide views of Matsumoto, Ina, and the Suwa area, as well as the Northern and Southern Alps, MtOntake, Yatsugatake, and even MtMyoko on the far horizon. From late April into May, delicate reddish-purple okinagusa flowers greet hikers. [Hiking Routes] Mt. Kiritou has three main hiking routes, each with its own appeal. Choose the route that suits you and give Mt. Kiritou a try! 1. Shimotonishijo Course 2. Ono Course (commonly called the Kattori Course) 3. Central Divide Course Note: In winter, crampons and other cold‑weather mountaineering gear are essential. 1. Shimotonishijo Course Access by car: about 15 minutes from Shiojiri IC on the Nagano Expressway Access by train: nearest station JR Midoriko Station Parking: about 40 spaces Toilets: one men’s and one women’s toilet at Yamanokami Nature Garden Related: Yamanokami Nature Garden, okinagusa This route starts at Shimonishijo to the north of Mt. Kiritou. From the Yamanokami Nature Garden parking area it takes about 1 hour 45 minutes. From the parking area you walk along forest paths through the Nature Garden and past Tamarazu no Ike toward the trailhead, warming up your legs before the climb. 2. Ono Course (commonly called the Kattori Course) Access by car: about 20 minutes from Shiojiri IC on the Nagano Expressway Access by train: nearest station JR Ono Station Parking: about 10 spaces Toilets: temporary toilets available (closed in winter) Related: Mt. Kiritou winter sample itinerary This route starts from Ono to the south of Mt. Kiritou. The trail passes historic spots such as the Kattori Castle Ruins and a stone monument to Ontake Daigongen. It takes about 1 hour 10 minutes from the parking area, and it is the steepest of the three courses. 3. Central Divide Course Access by car: about 15 minutes from Shiojiri IC on the Nagano Expressway Access by train: nearest station JR Midoriko Station Parking: about 10 spaces Toilets: none Related: Oshibayama, nirinso (two‑leaf anemone) The trailhead lies slightly toward Shiojiri from the watershed park at Utou Pass. The route climbs via Oshibayama to Mt. Kiritou and takes about 2.5 hours. The scenery and terrain change rapidly on the way to the summit, offering a varied mountain trail. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Requests for a safe and enjoyable climb of Mt. Kiritou Please protect plants for nature conservation. Take your trash home to help protect the environment. The Mt. Kiritou area experiences frequent lightning, so monitor the weather carefully. Do not enter any prohibited areas. Never start a wildfire. Be aware of dangerous wildlife such as bears, hornets, and poison‑sumac species.

Clear air and gentle breeze pleasant autumn sunshine Morning walk in Azumino Shinano Fuji can be seen in the background

October 18 Today is a sunny autumn day in Azumino Ohisama Road, a single road that stretches toward Mt. Jonnen

2025.10.04 Kamisuwa Highway Machiariki Drinking Aruki 2025 On this day, there was 🍶 a big Events in the city of Suwa, "Kamisuwa Highway Town Aruki Swallowing Aruki". From Kamisuwa Station, within a 1km walk along National Route 20, Suwa's Famous Sake Brewery Gozo is lined up, and for the Events on this day, we made it a pedestrian paradise to the traffic light in Suwa 2-chome ~ Motomachi. The members of Suwa's Gozo served the Famous Sake 🍶 that they served with confidence. This year, two stickers, a Japanese cypress and a sticker for participants on the left chest, were used as passports, making it an Events where you can enjoy Famous Sake with the Aroma of Japanese Cypress. The tickets were limited to 3,000 tickets, and this year they were so popular that they were sold out on September 14, half a month earlier than last year!! This time, the gluttonous Kasai couldn't go to the scene. The staff of the same association provided us with photos! This year, there was also a Snacks stalls by Local restaurants and a stalls by local people in the neighborhood!! It was raining on the day of the event, but at 11:00 a.m., the ticket exchange site was crowded, and the Downtown began to bustle toward the start of the pedestrian paradise at 12:00, and at 1:00 p.m., the start time, there was a line in front of Gozo for the brand they were looking for!! At the opening, after greetings from the mayor of Suwa City City and the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Standard "Wood Usage" in Suwa was cut into the mouth. After that, the woodcutters walked along the Along the road and responded to requests until 🎶 around 17:00 at the end. From 14:00, Local dancers enlivened the venue. There was also a big line of stalls, yakitori, eel, karaage, bandityaki, chicken wings, game dishes, skewers, candy apples, grilled Soba noodles, etc. Snack stalls were also very successful! Sake delicious liquor and delicious Local food. I was able to meet the smiles of many people! Thank you very much. Next year, all the staff will continue to outbound so that the customers who come to the event will be satisfied and fun, so that the local people will understand and cooperate, and so that the city of Suwa can be revitalized. https://nomiaruki.com// https://nomiaruki.com/machiaruki-nomiaruki/...

The ridgeline of the Northern Alps seen from Azumino Sky Road • Panorama Ginza Traverse We will walk along the ridgeline from Mt. Tsubakuro to Mt. Otogatake while looking at Mt. Yarigatake! !!

Most of the rice fields in Azumino have been harvested There are still a few places left! It is a landscape that makes you feel autumn Be a delicious new Rice!!

Azumino White Carpet This Morning The white flowers of Soba were blooming beautifully I'm looking forward to the day when I can enjoy the new Soba noodles! !!