››Hakuba White Christmas Special

Nagano Cultural Tours

Join one of Evergreen's cultural tours and visit the Zenkoji Temple, the Matsumoto Castle, or the famous monkey onsen. Our tours can be tailored for your group or family, and we can combine our tours with any of our activities.

Togakushi Tour

Although located only 30min from Nagano City, Togakushi Village is a step back in time. This quaint rural village is known for traditional woven crafts, delicious soba noodles, and ancient mountain temples. okusha shrine Togakushi is steeped in myth and considered a sacred place in the original creation stories of Japan. This area has massive 500 year old cedars that line the passage to Okusha Temple. Along the way we will visit a real ninja training ground and museum (season permitting). From here we head to a local soba noodle restaurant where you can make your own noodles from scratch using buckwheat flour. Togakushi area also attracts many hikers and climbers who come to scale the huge jagged peaks and naturalists who come for the exceptional access to unique flora and fauna.

››Book Tour

Matsumoto Tour

About one hour south of Hakuba is the city of Matsumoto. Standing majestically within the city is the impressive Matsumoto Castle which was built at the end of the 16th century. matsumoto castle of nagano japan The six story castle is a designated National Treasure in Japan and remains one of a handful of large scale castles still standing. One can cross the moat, climb the narrow staircases and from the upper citadel imagine what it would be like to defend the castle from armies. From the castle we will venture into the merchant quarter of Matsumoto and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of the streetside shops. After lunch travel to a local wasabi farm and try the various culinary treats made with wasabi, including ice cream! From here we head to the Azumino Winery to sample some interesting Japanese wines and view the production process of wine making in Japan.

››Book Tour

Zenkoji Temple

Nagano City is surrounded by scenic mountains and gained international prestige for hosting the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. Nagano draws visitors from all over Japan and the world who come to visit Zenkoji Temple. zenkoji of nagano japan Built in 642, Zenkoji has a long and fascinating history. There are a number of characteristics that make it a unique destination. For one, within its walls resides one of the first images of the Buddha brought to Japan and if you descend into the inner chamber you can touch the Key to Paradise, thus allowing you entrance to heaven. After exploring the temple grounds and gardens, we will head to Chuo-dori street to see some local shops that line the road into the temple. Try a variety of local cuisine and enjoy a homemade soba noodle lunch. Apart from the human side of things we also have some great opportunities to check out the wildlife in the area, which includes our famous snow-monkeys of Hell Valley! Traveling from Nagano City we head to Jigokudani (Hell Valley) to get up close and personal with the wild monkeys who live in and around a natural hotspring. Bring your camera as the 200 odd monkeys pay visitors no heed as they soak and play in the water.