Good morning. This is Azumino, greeting a wonderfully refreshing morning. The Northern Alps are clearly visible.

Azumino’s summer tradition returns this year with the Azumino Fireworks Festival It will take place on Thursday, August 14th🎇 Look out for a special star mine celebrating the 20th anniversary of Azumino city’s incorporation❗️ Last night’s test launch lit up Azumino’s night sky♪ Please look forward to it😁

A view from the summit of Mt. Chogatake in the Northern Alps 😆 This lookout offers spectacular panoramas of the Hotaka range, including Mt. Yari This morning the clouds were high and the ridgelines should have been visible, but when I arrived the clouds had rolled in… what a shame 😢 The summit was being battered by strong winds, but it still felt amazing I could also see the Azumino valley below

An observation deck sits atop Mt. Nagamine. Climb this deck and enjoy 360-degree views, including the Northern Alps 😄. Please note it will be closed for repainting from June 23 to July 18, so it won’t be available during that time… 😢 If you hike during the day, take care to avoid heatstroke.

A cozy free relaxation spot in Azumino 😃 Hachimen Daio Ashiyu (Footbath)♨️ This footbath is inspired by Azumino’s folk tale, the Hachimen Daio legend The water is a mildly alkaline simple hot spring known for its skin-beautifying effects Feel free to enjoy the hot springs of Hotaka Onsen Village 😊

Azumino is enjoying fine weather this morning ☀️ Mt. Tsubakuro and Mt. Ariake were clearly visible too It looks like Koshin will be hot again today… Please watch out for heatstroke 🥵

The crystal-clear water flowing from the wasabi fields of Azumino Fed abundantly by groundwater from the Northern Alps, this water is pure and transparent. When you touch it, it feels cool and refreshing — very pleasant 😁

📍Katori Shrine and Mt. Ariake in Azumino Katori Shrine stands quietly amid the rice fields of Azumino, with the graceful ridgeline of the Northern Alps stretching behind it. The mountain, shaped like Mt. Fuji, is Mt. Ariake, also called Shinano Fuji. Today, temperatures in Azumino rose nearly to a scorching summer level as the area soaked up strong sunlight. 📍Katori Shrine and Mt. Ariake in Azumino Katori Shrine sits in the heart of the countryside, with the beautiful ridgeline of the Northern Alps unfolding behind it. The mountain with a Fuji-like silhouette is Mt. Ariake, known as "Shinano Fuji." Today in Azumino the temperature climbed close to a heatwave level, and the landscape was bathed in summer sunlight.

Shinshu salmon raised using groundwater from the Northern Alps There are trout farms scattered throughout Azumino We were blessed with fine weather today, and it looks set to become a hot day…

Isemiya Shrine standing amid rice fields I could see the Northern Alps toward Hakuba, but clouds rose around Mount Ariake It already feels like early summer in Azumino

Chogatake as seen from Azumino A snow pattern has appeared just below its summit Unlike the Jonenbo pattern on Mt. Jonen, the snow pattern on Chogatake is a positive type (the remaining snow appears white) True to the mountain’s name, a white butterfly seems to emerge See if you can spot it

The rose garden adjacent to Azumino City Museum (formerly Toyoshina Modern Art Museum) next to Azumino City Hall is now at peak bloom. You can enjoy about 250 varieties and more than 500 repeat-blooming roses! Rose Week 2025: Saturday, May 24 – Sunday, June 1 Although the museum is closed, the museum garden will hold a plant sale on Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25, from 9:00 a.m. to around 3:00 p.m., timed with the roses’ bloom. A pottery market by the Hotaka Pottery Center will also take place on the same days. Azumino City Museum (Under renovation / scheduled to reopen on August 30, 2025) 399-8205 5609-3 Toyoshina, Azumino, Nagano Phone: 0263-73-5638 Fax: 0263-73-6320

The old JNR Shinonoi Line track bed in fresh greenery Lush zelkova trees along the abandoned line and a brick tunnel dating from the Meiji era This is an excellent route for hiking

A water‑welcoming ritual took place on the Saigawa River flowing through Azumino. At the confluence of the Saigawa, Takasegawa, and Hotakagawa rivers, a Shinto ceremony was held to pray for a bountiful harvest for the year, the prevention of water disasters, and the development of tourism. We give thanks for the blessings of water that flow down from the Northern Alps.

Mount Jōnen as seen from Azumino under a stretch of clear weather If you look closely, you can spot the snow pattern called “Jōnenbō” on the mountain’s slope Can you make out the figure of a monk wearing a kasaya robe and carrying a sake flask? People long ago used this snow pattern as a seasonal cue for tasks such as sowing seeds and planting rice seedlings, weaving it into their daily lives Azumino is now just entering the rice-planting season

National Government Park Alps Azumino Horigane-Hotaka area is reaching peak bloom for tulips and rapeseed flowers! A tulip field of 117 varieties totaling 320,000 bulbs and a five-million-strong carpet of yellow in the satoyama terraced-rice-field zone stretch as far as the eye can see. For details, visit the official website of National Government Park Alps Azumino https://www.azumino-koen.jp/horigane_hotaka/...

This morning, Azumino chilled down to 3 degrees. Under a high-pressure system, the blue sky spread above a breathtaking scene. The white peaks of the Northern Alps reflected in a mirror-like sheet of water. Azumino is now entering its most beautiful season.

We would like to inform you about bus services on Prefectural Road Yarigatake-Yamura Line (commonly called Nakabusa Line), which leads to the Nakabusa Trailhead. Due to a shoulder collapse that occurred on Monday, April 14, 2025, bus operations to Nakabusa Onsen will change; please be aware of this change. Beyond the Miyagi Gate, the Nakabusa Line is closed to all vehicles except those with permits. The collapsed section is closed to vehicle traffic, so passage will be on foot; please walk with great care. Details about regular bus operations are posted on the Azumino City Tourism Association’s official website; please check there for more information. https://azumino-e-tabi.net/archives/2474... Please check the latest information.

Ricefield tilling has begun here and there across Azumino, and the rice-planting season has arrived. Next, after the fields are flooded and leveled, the seedlings will be planted. During this rice-planting period you can see Azumino’s miraculous spectacle, the “water mirror”.

The cherry blossom front is approaching Azumino these days The blossoms are starting to open little by little Here are five cherry spots in Azumino you should definitely see when you visit 1. Cherry trees on Mt. Mitsushiro🌸 Cherry trees line the mountain trail all the way to the summit, and the site is also nicknamed the "Ascending Dragon." From the top you can enjoy views of the Northern Alps 2. Hyakuraku Cherry at the Yukio Tabuchi Memorial Museum🌸 This red weeping Edohigan cherry is named from mountain photographer and insect researcher Yukio Tabuchi’s phrase "One mountain, a hundred joys." It blooms early in Azumino 3. Riversides near the Early Spring Song Monument🌸 The area around the Early Spring Song monument on the right bank of the Hotaka River offers a scenic panorama of wasabi fields, the Hotaka River, the Northern Alps, and cherry trees—an unforgettable hometown view in spring 4. Weeping cherry of Iwahara🌸 The great weeping cherry of Iwahara stands quietly beyond the Horikane Entrance parking area of the national Alps Azumino Park 5. Cherry trees at Jitensha Hiroba (Bicycle Plaza)🌸 The park along the Jukkasegi irrigation channel features cherry trees, moss phlox, the irrigation channel, and the Northern Alps in the background—a beautiful four-part harmony Why not hop on a bicycle and enjoy a cherry blossom tour of Azumino!

The "Azumino Share Cycle" has started! You can easily rent a bike at stations set up at 17 major sightseeing spots and around stations across the city, and go for a leisurely ride around Azumino. Enjoy Azumino’s rich nature and beautiful scenery by bicycle. https://azumino-e-tabi.net/cycling...

Would you like to share the appeal of Azumino through outdoor activities set in this landscape? Azumino City trains all-around outdoor guides to meet visitors’ needs as it seeks to become a mecca for outdoor sports. Learn the fundamental skills and knowledge of an outdoor guide and make your mark as an Azumino Outdoor Guide. For details, please visit the official Azumino City Tourism Association website. https://azumino-e-tabi.net/outdoorguide...

Kurokawa, a tributary in the upper reaches of the Nakabusa River flowing through Azumino It flows down from Mt. Ariake Melting snow gathers to form a clear stream.

＊＊＊Handmade Miso Experience 2025＊＊＊ ～Mixing Koji and Salt, Crushing Beans, and Preparation～ We offer a Shinshu-style, country miso-making experience using 100% locally produced soybeans grown in Azumino. The taste of miso you make yourself is exceptional! Why not take this opportunity to enjoy a handmade miso experience? Around late autumn, 3 kg will be delivered by courier. The work will take about 2 hours. 【Date】 February 22, 2025 (Saturday), limited to one day 【Time】 13:00 Meet at Village Azumino (scheduled to end around 16:00) *The end time may vary depending on the progress of the work. 【Fee】 4,500 yen (same for adults and children, per person/tax included) (Includes experience fee, insurance, 3kg of miso & delivery fee) *Includes a free day-trip bathing privilege (limited to the day of the experience) 【Target】 Anyone (children of elementary school age and younger must be accompanied by a guardian) 【Capacity】 10 people, reservations accepted from 1 person *Reservations will be closed as soon as the capacity is reached. 【What to bring】 Clothes that can get dirty and are suitable for work, kitchen gloves, sneakers, apron, bandana or other item to cover hair 【Reservation】 Advance reservation required, online payment 【Other】 ■Additional miso orders can be placed for 700 yen (tax included) per 1kg. Please apply on-site on the day. ■The experience will be a joint activity with customers who have applied for the "Miso Making Experience Included Accommodation Plan" at the experience location, Village Azumino. ■The free day-trip bathing privilege is limited to the day of the experience. Please speak to a staff member when bathing. Click here to make a reservation ↓ https://reserve.489ban.net/client/azumino-e-tabi/0/detail/688415...

A special morning moment, a special morning gradient, the colors of Azumino

Azumino, with its inland climate, does not see as much snowfall as the Sea of Japan side. Protected by the Northern Alps, it is said to be less affected by typhoons and snow clouds. In winter, the Northern Alps create a beautiful skyline where blue skies meet snow, a scenery unique to the season.

A view from Enzansou The first sunrise of the year with Mt. Fuji and the alpenglow on Mt. Tsubakuro Wishing everyone a wonderful year ahead

Spectacular winter views you can only see in winter The Limited Express Azusa that ran from Tokyo and the Northern Alps Heading north from Hotaka Station toward the snowy country A panoramic view of the Hakuba mountains seen from Azumino!

Azumino chilled to minus 6 degrees The sun quietly hits the Northern Alps The snowy ridgelines turn red This is the view from Azumino Ohisama Road

About a 3-minute walk from JR Oito Line Hotaka Station Snow has begun to fall at Hotaka Shrine, bringing a true winter feeling Come visit for New Year’s Eve shrine visits or Hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year) Visit Hotaka Shrine’s official website here https://www.hotakajinja.com// Visit Hotaka Shrine’s Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hotakajinja/...