I climbed Yatsugatake's main peak, MtAkadake (2,899 m), via Kenkai Ridge while also inspecting the trail. It was my first time on Kenkai Ridge at this season. From around Daitengu, the path turned snowy and shaded sections were icy and very slippery. I put on chain spikes for the descent. The weather was perfect, but strong west winds made the summit cold. It already felt like winter up there, and the mountain hut is closed at this time of year. Hikers should take care. Climbing Kenkai Ridge in the deep winter is extremely dangerous; there have been recent fatal accidents. If you plan to climb, do so in the snow-free season.

November 17th A breathtaking view from the summit of Mount Nagamine this morning A morgenrot draping the Northern Alps A sea of clouds covering the Azumino Plain For this view, visit Azumino at dawn The tourism association organizes the "Stay in Azumino: Mount Nagamine Spectacular View Tour" For details, visit the official website

Snow-capped mountains in the Hakuba area of the Northern Alps From Azumino, view Mt Jiigatake, Mt Kashimayarigatake, Goryu-dake, and the Hakuba Sanzan…

The Northern Alps' 3,000-meter peaks visible from Azumino Below flows the Hotaka River, fed by the Northern Alps This is the view from Azumino Ohashi Bridge!!

November 16th This weekend brings clear, calm skies to Azumino after a long while From Ohisama Road you can see the beautiful MtJonen

The rural landscape of MtAriakeyama and Azumino From the village it looks like the shape of Mount Fuji. It is called Mount Shinano Fuji I expect its summit will soon be capped with snow and look more like Mount Fuji.

November 15th Good morning A Morgenrot morning in Azumino The rising sun hit the Northern Alps, turning them red This weekend looks set to bring clear, pleasant weather in Azumino

Autumn leaves have descended on Azumino no Sato. Vivid colors now spread across Azumino. Everyone’s beloved Mt Jonen has even begun to don a dusting of snow!!

Country roads in Azumino The Northern Alps lie ahead… Take a leisurely walk through Azumino in autumn and discover its beautiful scenery!

It was partly cloudy in Azumino today, but yesterday was clear. Jikkasegi Canal flowing through Azumino. A duck rested its wings. The distant mountains of Hakuba stretched into view.

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