Activities & Tours
Myoko Kogen Ski Tours and Activities
Myoko Kogen offers lots of opportunities for backcountry skiing. Above the ski resorts, ascents to the mountain peaks offer some fabulous skiing and snowboarding.
Myoko Backcountry offers a range of day tours in English for different fitness levels. They also offer snowshoe tours and walking ski tours for those with limited skiing ability.
The Yodel Ski School also offers snowshoe tours through the forest.
Myoko Kogen Onsens
The Myoko Valley has an abundance of rejuvenating onsens, thanks to the Mt Myoko volcano, the source of the thermal spring waters. Soaking in one of the onsens is a fabulous après ski activity to soothe fatigues muscles. It also provides some cultural insight into a popular Japanese past-time. See our
Japanese onsen page for tips on onsen etiquette.
The various villages of Myoko don’t have “onsen” in their name for nothing. Many of the hotels have their own onsens, some with rotenburo (open air), and Akakura Onsen has two outdoor onsens, one of which is free. The quietest of the onsens is probably Tsubame Onsen (you’ll need your own wheels) where the cloudy milky characteristics of the water are accompanied by the stench of sulphur!
To complement the relaxation of the onsens, have a Thai massage in Akakura Onsen. These massages are inexpensive and really good to get the muscles back in fighting form.
Sightseeing Activities near Nagano
One of the benefits of the ski resorts near Nagano is that they offer easy access to culturally interesting sightseeing trips; fantastic for non-skiers in the group or if you want a rest day from the slopes. Your accommodation can help with booking a tour, or head to one of the Myoko Tourist Offices. There is one near the Myokokogen train station and one in Akakura Onsen on the main street. Typically tours combine a couple of the attractions.
It seems like a rite of passage into a Japan ski holiday to visit the
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, home to hundreds of monkeys that use the hot waters of the onsens to keep warm from the harsh winter. The snow monkeys are very amusing to observe. They have human-like faces and some of their antics seem human-like, especially after you’ve seen the behaviour of some Japanese men in an onsen! The snow monkey park is near
Shiga Kogen, so if you’re also visiting Shiga Kogen on your holiday you’ll find it easier to visit the park from there.
The
Zenkoji Temple in Nagano is over 1,400 years old. This multi-denominational temple houses the first image of Buddha brought to Japan in the 7th century. The main temple has a huge hinoki thatched roof and is popular with tourists because it looks classically Japanese. The little cobblestone streets surrounding the temple have lanterns and tiered roof stalls that sell cute yet kitsch touristy souvenirs.
Matsumoto Castle is a national treasure, and the five storey donjon is one of the oldest castles in Japan. The castle also has a museum next door.
Dai-o Wasabi Farm is a popular addition to a sightseeing tour of the area. The fields of wasabi are perfectly manicured, but the highlight of the tour is to sample lots of wasabi, an icon of Japanese food. Taste all sorts of wasabi food stuffs and give your sinuses a complete buzz with wasabi snacks, wasabi ice-cream, wasabi sausages and wasabi beer!