The mountains of the north Nagano are covered with deep snow during the winter.
The pond freezes, all the shrubs are buried under the snow, and the trees wear beautiful white robes.
The sound of footsteps and breathing of ourselves as we step on the snow in silence, and the footprints of rabbits and foxes that remain on the snow surface.
In winter, when bushes are covered with snow, you can freely walk around the forest, and you can also get to the forest of giant trees,
Kurohime station
You can take a local train leaving Nagano station at 7:44 and will get to Kurohime station at 8:21
Start walking around the Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden. Will start with a lecture on how to wear snowshoes and how to use poles.
A beautiful mirror pond turns into a vast snowfield during the winter. Walk on the frozen pond and enjoy the panoramic view of the Togakushi mountain range. (Depending on the condition of the ice)
For lunch, head to the soba restaurant near the entrance of the shrine.
The 400-year-old cedar avenue covered with snow is fantastic and stunning.
Return to the parking lot and the tour is over! Take the shuttle car back to Kurohime Station.
Kurohime station
You can enjoy to observe lovely wild monkeys bathing in an outdoor hot spring at Snow Monkey Park. Each monkey has different personality and it's quite fun to be able to watch them from very close.
After the monkey park, we are visiting an old Shinto shrine called Togakushi shrine which has been one of the most important place for the mountain worship since ancient era. The shrine and precincts forest are all covered with thick snow during the winter season. However,by snowshoeing, it is the perfect opportunity to discover areas that are inaccessible any other time of the year. Frozen bodies of water and a heavy carpet of snow make otherwise untraversable terrain accessible. I will lead you to these undisturbed areas, so you can explore and appreciate the unspoiled nature around you.
Let's have a cup of coffee on the snow made table and chair :)
Guide fee.
Rental Snow Shoes and Poles.
Lunch ,
rental winter boots ( additional 1000JPY for one person, please let me know in advance)
I can guide you not only in Nagano, but also some other areas such as Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa.(Transportation fee for the guide needed.)
The tour can be canceled due to the weather conditions.
1.Warm clothes and shoes are highly recommended for the walk on the snow. Beanie,gloves and sunglasses are also recommended.
2.The snowshoeing place may change due to the condition of the snow pack
3. If you don't have proper shoes, please let me know in advance. I will prepare the warm boots for the extra cost.
Highly recommend - Kouhei tailored the entire day to our family and was very knowledgeable about the natural ecosystems as well as the historical significance.
Thank you for joining the Nagano Winter Special tour! I am glad that you enjoyed the day! I also enjoyed a lot with you and your family!! Thank you!!
We had the most amazing day with Kouhei. He is was very good at stopping and sharing knowledge of the forest and the wildlife. It was beautiful and peaceful on the tour and then he looked after us with a break and made hot coffee out in the forest. Sharing his knowledge of the Shinto shrines added a lot to the experience and I would recommend to others that they also enjoy this day.
Thank you very much for joining the Togakushi Snowshoe Hiking Tour! I am very grateful that you enjoyed the tour :) It was a beautiful day! I hope you will enjoy the skiing and snowboarding as well, and maybe see you on the hill! Thank you!!! Best Regards, Kouhei Nishida
If you want to go snowshoe hiking at Togakushi, Kouhei is the best guide because he is very knowledgeable about the nature, culture and wildlife of the area. He was also flexible with the itinerary and fitted it to our schedule. Book with him for the best experience. Thank you very much Kouhei!
Thank you so much for joining the Nagano Snowshoe Hiking tour! It was great to meet you two. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour. Have a wonderful trip in Japan! Best Regards, Kouhei Nishida
We booked a 3 day tour with Kouhei around Nagano prefecture. We visited Matsumoto, the Jigokudani monkey park, Obuse Old town, plus a lovely hike to Togakushi Shrine and the Mirror Lake under lovely snow. Kouhei was a fantastic guide, entertaining me, my wife and our 2 daughters (8 and 12) with Japanese history and nature stories. I would definitely recommend him to anyone,
Thank you so much for visiting Nagano. It was really great to be able to spend 3 days with you and your family! I am also very happy to hear that you enjoyed Nagano :) Please say hi to everyone. Thank you!!