Luxury on the Nakasendo with a dash of adventure
In Nagano Prefecture's idyllic Kiso Valley, near the post town of Tsumago on the rugged Nakasendo trail, the new "expedition hotel" Zenagi offers guests the best of the region's food and culture — with an adventurous twist.
After G20 role, Nagano resort town of Karuizawa looks to lead way in green tech and energy
The Nagano Prefecture resort town of Karuizawa has long been associated with green, natural energy. Nestled in the mountains, Karuizawa has long attracted both Japanese and Westerners escaping the capital's heat to recharge their batteries in the verdant outdoors ever since the 19th century. Recently, green ...
Environment and energy ministers from the Group of 20 agreed to the outline of a new international framework in order to tackle the problem of marine plastic waste.
No injuries reported after 5.2 magnitude earthquake jolts Nagano Prefecture
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 struck the north of Nagano Prefecture on Saturday morning, according to the Meteorological Agency. A tsunami warning was not issued. The quake, which occurred at 10:29 a.m. at a depth of around 11 kilometers, registered a lower 5 ...
Village in Nagano comes up with hunk calendar to help 12 bachelors find mates
Women hoping to find Mr. Right in 2018 should check for dates on the Otoko Goyomi (Men's Calendar) published by the village of Otari in Nagano Prefecture. The calendar showcases a dozen local bachelors who are looking for wives. Otari is promoting the charms of ...
Hakuba likely to host World Cup Nordic combined event in 2018
The village of Hakuba in Nagano Prefecture is expected to host a World Cup Nordic combined competition next winter for the first time in 15 seasons, an informed source said Thursday. The event, in which athletes compete in ski jumping and cross-country skiing, will be ...
A body of a man was found buried Sunday on a farm in the village of Nanmoku, Nagano Prefecture, local police said. The body, apparently that of an adult male, had not decayed, the police said, adding the corpse was clad in jeans and a ...
Drug unit busts 22 members of alleged Nagano 'pot communities'
The alleged marijuana smokers chose sparsely populated parts of Nagano to host music events and get high, a special narcotics unit says.
The Nagano village that modernity forgot
There is no hot water in Odairajuku, no gas-powered stoves, no fridges and — most importantly — no internet. The nearest supermarket is an hour away by car, and so is the nearest place to get a signal on your phone. But what this ...
Emperor and Empress visit central Japan forest managed by British-born author C.W. Nicol
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Monday paid a visit to woodland restored by British-born writer and environmentalist C.W. Nicol in Nagano Prefecture. The couple took a stroll in Afan Woodland in the town of Shinano, with the Emperor asking Nicol the names of various ...
Tours provide renewed interest in Japan's oldest hydro power plant
The Miyashiro No. 1 power plant, which houses the country's oldest working hydraulic generator, is attracting public attention after it started offering guided tours last spring. In operation for 111 years, the plant, in Azumino, Nagano Prefecture, has contributed to the nation's industrial progress but ...
Culture and nature vie over ancient hinoki
If you're looking for a fine piece of wood, you'd be hard put to improve on a slab of hinoki (Hinoki cypress, Chamaecyparis obtusa) from the Kiso Valley straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures. The sparsely populated district is home to the only natural hinoki forests ...
