Swacokayak experience

This is a traditional shrine whose construction date is unknown. It houses two Gods known as Takeminakata no Kami and Yasakatome no Kami and 25,000 companies in Japan are associated with the shrine. It has been long known and revered as a war shrine, and where Sakanoue no Tamuramaro prayed for victory during the conquering of Ezo district. There are four halls which are separated by Lake Suwa, with the upper area of Honmiya and Maemiya on one side, and Akimiya and Harumiya on the other.

This is a plateau situated in central Nagano, with an altitude of 2,000 meters. Beyond the Venus line highway renowned for its views, this hidden area awaits. Here visitors can see a 360 degree panoramic view of the northern and southern alps, Sengen mountain, and Mount Fuji. The area is an ideal photo spot for its otherworldly starscapes above and cloud scapes below.

This is a castle build by Ogasawara clan in 1504. It is famous as one of Japan's only 12 castle towers and is one of 5 which has been designated as a national treasure by the Japanese government. The castle was taken into ownership by Ishikawa Kagumasa in 1590, and it is said that he painted the castle jet black to express loyalty to the castle lord, and became famously known as the "Crow castle".

This is the 34th town inn which is located on the Nakasendo road, which links Tokyo (Edo at the time) and Kyoto, built during the Sengoku era(1467-1600). Situated just past the Torii gate in a perilous spot, the inn town became known as the "Narai of 1000 hotels" by many travelers. During the Edo period(1603-1868), the woodwork industry became prolific in the area with wooden crafts and lacquering, and is popular as a souvenir spot today.

This is Japan's second tallest mountain at 3,193 meters high in the southern part of Yamanashi prefecture. The mountain is known as mount Shirane, (white topped mountain) due to the snow at the mountain caps. There is also a 600 meter rock wall known as "Kita-mine buttress". Towards the upper area of the mountain, there are splendid views of Mount Fuji with a sea of clouds below, for which this mountain is very popular.　※北岳より夜明けの富士山を望む © TAKAO_Tsushimaクリエイティブコモンズライセンス（表示4.0 国際）https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This is a hidden away hot spring in the vicinity of Kamikochi in the west part of Nagano prefecture. It has always been well known as a place of healing, and it is said that one will not catch a cold if one enters the milky white water for three days. It is a secluded hot spring town with a quiet atmosphere, with several inns and places to eat around the local area.

This is a scenic spot with an altitude of 1500 m in the southern part of the Hida Mountain Range. It has many sightseeing spots such as Azusa RiverKappa BridgeMyojin PondTakesawa WetlandsTashiro Pond. As there are only a few such plains spread out in Japan to this extent, many tourists flock to this area to see the rare scenery. The area is also the habitat of the Japanese monkey, Char Fish, and Genji firefly.

This is an Onsen located on the river bed of Chikuma River. It opened during the Meiji era(1858-1912), and was known as a place of devotion towards the Zenkoji Temple, as well as a place of healing for wounded and sick soldiers during the war. A total of 150 geisha registered to this onsen, and also has the unique characteristic of being an onsen constructed on a base of a shooting range.

This is the largest glacier valley in Japan at the southern part of the Hida mountain range. There is a stunning view between Mount Okuhogatake and Mount Maehogatake due to their height difference of about 1,000 meters. The area has become popular for autumn leaf viewing in recent years, and the trees, known for their "three stage" autumn leaves offer an interesting contrast to the surrounding rocky area.

Located at the southern part of the Hida mountain range, this is Japan's 5th tallest mountain at 3,180 meters. As the name suggests, the mountain has an unusual shape resembling a spear that is being cast to heaven. This has earned it the nickname of "Japan's matterhorn". The sunrise and sunset views with the sea of clouds below captures the hearts of many climbers.

This is a hot spring deep in Oku Hida. It is situated in the northern alps, and was admired by Shingen Takeda during the Sengoku era(1467-1600), as an onsen with the third most plentiful amount of spring water. The onsen is unique in that there is a free communal bath area with many different types of baths.

This is a shrine that was built by Takeda Shrine Association in 1919, where the warrior Takeda Shingen is deified as a shrine God. It is settled on the grounds of where the lodging house known as "Tutujigasaki Yakata", built by Takeda Nobutora. After the Russo-Japanese war in 1904, peopled wished for warriors and soldiers to be enshrined in the temple, which is why Takeda Shingen, a great warrior during the Sengoku era(1467-1600), was enshrined here, and is revered as the "Victorious God" even today.

This is a waterfall situated in Karuizawa. As water spouts up through the rocks, this waterfall looks attractive in all types of weather. The name derives from the fact that the water flowing down looks like white and silken threads.

This is an Onsen in Yamanashi prefecture. From the bathing area, you can see the Kofu basin below, and Mount Fuji is visible on a clear day. The onsen became well known as a place that opened early in the morning and ideal for viewing the sunrise. The name comes from the fact that there are no special advertisements or services provided, but is a place simply to have fun.

This is a non-sectarian temple that was built in 644 AD. The temple was built to revere the oldest Buddha known as Ikko Sanzon Amida Nyorai, and numerous priests and monks visited this temple, including Shinran and Ippen. It was the scene of the battle between the warriors Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin, but its restoration was ordered by Tokugawa Ieyasu, and is known even today as a famous place where all should visit at least once in their lifetime.

This is the 42nd town inn which is located on the Nakasendo road, which links Tokyo (Edo at the time) and Kyoto, built during the Sengoku era(1467-1600). It has appeared in Ukiyo-e art and Utagawa Hiroshige, and is one of Japan's few traditional villages whose buildings are preserved today. Along with Magome-Juku it is one of the flagship tourist destinations of Kiso road.

This is a silk factory that opened in 1872, and is registered as a World Heritage Site. When the country opened its borders during the Edo era(1603-1858), it was used as one of the places of production of silk which was exported to countries, supporting the Japanese economy. The place was opened with the efforts of Okuma Shigenobu, Ito Hirobumi and Shibusawa Eiichi, with operations ceasing 116 years later in 1987. The reeling yarns and storage areas used when in operation are still present and available to view by visitors.

An Onsen located on Kusatsu Shirane Volcano at an altitude of 1,800m, the highest in Japan. There are several areas where hot water spouts up, almost like a geyser, creating an almost hellish looking landscape with a smell of sulphur. The area is also popular in winter for skiing.

This is an Alpine route of the Tateyama Kurobe mountain range. As snow has to be cleared aside in the heavy mountain zone of Toyama in around March, visitors can see the spectacular snow walls in April and May, with a height of 15-20m.

This is a crater lake at altitude 2,405 meters formed by the volcanic activity of Tateyama volcano, in Murodo-daira. In Tateyama faith, the name has the meaning of "God's kitchen" and the pond's water ownership was bequeathed to Tateyama. For those practicing religion in this area, it became known as holy water.