Togakushi: A Serene Walk Through Sacred Forests & Soba Traditions
Description
Discover the sacred forests and ancient shrines of Togakushi on this guided walking tour from Nagano. Follow hidden mountain paths lined with towering cedars, visit important Shinto sites like Chusha and Okusha, and hear the legends of Japanese mythology from your local English-speaking guide. Along the way, take in stunning alpine scenery and enjoy a traditional lunch of handmade Togakushi soba noodles, a regional specialty. Depending on the season and conditions, the route may also include quiet forest trails, scenic ponds, or optional cultural stops.
Tour Options
Itinerary
In front of Beck’s Coffee inside Nagano Station (just outside the Shinkansen ticket gates)
Get on the vehicle with you guide and heading to Togakushi.
Arrival at Kagamiike Pond. It is a spectacular spot of fresh greens and forest where the mountains of Togakushi are reflected on the surface of the water like Kagami (mirror in Japanese) ＊＊Please note: This spot is not accessible during the winter months due to snow, but its beauty in other seasons makes it a must-visit.＊＊
We will visit hidden gem and view a beautiful red Shinto gates in line called Tenmei Inari Shrine. After this we will be heading to the entrance of Okusha area. ＊＊Please note: This spot is not accessible during the winter months due to snow, but its beauty in other seasons makes it a must-visit.＊＊
Arrival at Okusha area. You will see 400 years old massive cedar trees linking to the path to Oku Sha. This journey into the heart of the forest is about 2km long and through the red Zuishinmon Gate, past cedar trees, up to the Main Hall which sits spectacularly on the mountainside of Mt. Togakushi. ＊＊Please note: The Okusha shrine is not accessible during winter due to snow, but visitors can still enjoy the breathtaking cedar-lined path and the serene winter scenery along the way.＊＊
Arrival at Okusha Shrine, where is the innermost of the five Togakushi shrines. The shrine enshrines the god of strength, who moved the rock so that Amaterasu could come out of hiding. Okusha Shrine is considered the most important of the five Togakushi shrines. After this, we will be go back to the entrance of Okusha area. ＊＊PLease note: The Okusha shrine is not accessible during winter due to snow, but visitors can still enjoy the breathtaking cedar-lined path and the serene winter scenery along the way.
Arrival at Kuzuryusha Shrine, which is The former enshrines a nine-headed dragon, which governs water. Farmers make prayers for rain here. In addition, it is also worshipped as a god of matchmaking. ＊＊Please note:The Kuzuryusha shrine is not accessible during winter due to snow, but visitors can still enjoy the breathtaking cedar-lined path and the serene winter scenery along the way.＊＊
Optional visit to the Togakure Ninpo Museum (admission not included).
Visit Chusha Shrine (Middle Shrine) Savor a delicious bowl of Togakushi soba noodles, one of Japan’s most famous soba dishes, at a local restaurant. Explore the central shrine of Togakushi, dedicated to Tajikarao-no-Mikoto, the god who brought light back to the world. Admire the cedar-lined approach and traditional architecture.
Visit Hokosha. The Lower Shrine, dedicated to Ame-no-Uwaharu, a deity associated with learning and agriculture. ＊＊PLease note:The Hokosha shrine may not accessible during winter due to snow, but visitors can still enjoy the breathtaking cedar-lined path and the serene winter scenery along the way.
Zenkoji Temple Option: Visit this historic Buddhist site with a convenient pickup back to Nagano Station.
Get on the vehicle with you guide and heading back to Nagano station. Please note: The duration of this tour depends on the walking pace of the group, so please have extra time for your next schedule after this tour.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please do not eat or drink coffee inside the vehicle to keep it clean for everyone. Bottled water and small pets in carriers are okay.
- In case of late arrival, the tour cannot be extended.
- Please wear suitable cloths & shoes for walking. Togakushi sits at an altitude of around 1,100m above sea level. If it rains, it will be cold even in summer time.
- No strollers
- o8Experience is a locally based tour company offering private and small-group experiences across Nagano and surrounding regions. From food and culture to nature and history, we create meaningful journeys tailored to curious travelers. Visit o8Experience to discover more.
Reviews(7)
It’s an amazing and truly unique experience! The surrounding nature is so beautiful and calming. Our guide was super helpful and knowledgeable, telling us about both Japanese history and his own experiences. The area is one of the few left with strong Shinto beliefs and we really enjoyed learning and participating in local traditions. We also appreciated the time span of 4-6 hours. It suited us very well and gave us time to rest and go sightseeing in Nagano later in the day. Lastly we’d like to recommend going to the optional Ninja Museum. Entry fee was affordable (1000 yen). Do however make sure you have some time to solve the maze! It’s great fun but we did in fact not make it out and had to get help from staff, lol!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re really happy to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful nature, local traditions, and the peaceful atmosphere of the area. It was a pleasure sharing both the history and personal stories with you, and we’re glad the 4–6 hour tour length worked well for your day in Nagano. And yes — the Ninja Museum maze can be surprisingly tricky! We’re glad you had fun with it, even if the staff had to come to the rescue. Thank you again for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back to Nagano someday!
My guided tour of the Togakushi shrines and surrounding forest and natural botanical areas was one of the highlights of my trip to Japan. Masayo OKABE was a phenomenal guide. She speaks excellent English and knows so much about Japanese culture and history in addition to the natural sciences and botany.I took the bus up from Nagano to meet her at the start of our hike near the shrine. We proceeded through a promenade of 300 year-old huge cedar trees. She made the culture of shrines in general alive for me so that I will be able to apply what I learned to all the other sites I will encounter in Japan. I had thought of doing this on my own using an all trails map, but was afraid of being attacked by bears so I hired a guide and I’m so glad I did because I got so much more out of the experience due to Masa’s knowledge. My tour lasted around five or so hours. The cost was ¥18,000. When I return to Japan, I will definitely seek her out again to explore the Alps above Nagano.
Highly recommend this activity. We enjoyed it immensely even under extreme weather conditions, it rained heavily throughout so part of the trail to the shrine was slippy and quite a climb but all was OK. The trees and colours are just right atm so if it's a dry sunny day it would be spectacular. Masa, our guide was charming and helped make the day pleasant even in rain, he told us all the stories. He took us to a lovely authentic restaurant with great food, much better than expected as some tours that part of the day is disappointing. It's a windy drive but we went as a small group in a comfortable vehicle. Thankyou Masa for a great day!
Thank you so much for joining us — and for powering through the weather with such good energy! Togakushi can definitely feel like an adventure on a rainy day (the cedar forest trail can get steep and a little slippery), so we’re really glad to hear you still enjoyed the walk, the stories, and the autumn colors. On a clear day that approach to the shrine is breathtaking, but there’s also something special about the mist in the trees, right? We’re also happy you liked the local lunch stop. We always try to avoid “tour food” and take our guests somewhere we’d actually bring friends. I’ll make sure Masa sees this — he’ll be so happy to hear your kind words. Thank you again for spending the day with us, and we hope the rest of your time in Nagano is sunny and relaxed! ☀️🍁 – o8Experience
Our guide Masa was very knowledgeable about the local area, and knew the best restaurant for an authentic soba experience, which was amazing! Although it was a little rainy in the morning, the tour was amazing. The shrines and the forest were very beautiful! Highly recommend you take this tour with Masa, if you can!
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the tour despite the morning rain — Togakushi truly holds a special kind of beauty in all weather. Masa will be very happy to know his soba recommendation hit the spot! The combination of serene forest paths and sacred shrines makes this area one of our favorite hidden gems, and we're so glad you got to experience it. We really appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Nagano! – o8Experience Team
The tour was very nice and the guide as well! I had a wonderful day and would totally recommend this :)
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're really happy to hear you had a wonderful day and enjoyed the tour and your guide. Your recommendation means a lot to us 😊 We hope to welcome you back again for another o8Experience!
Stunningly beautiful location. The guide was fantastic, he has family connection to the area and can ground you in a sense of place and history. His knowledge about the shrines and Shintoism was wonderful. The lunch at a local restaurant was super tasty too. Highly recommend the walk and the guide. Only suggestion is if you go in early spring the walk can be quite icy, so shoes with good traction is a must.
Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful feedback. We’re really glad to hear you enjoyed the walk, the delicious local lunch, and especially the guide’s personal connection to the area. His deep roots and understanding of Shintoism and the local shrines truly add something special to the experience, and it's wonderful to know that came through. Appreciate the tip about footwear in early spring as well—great advice for fellow travelers. Thanks again for joining us, and we’d love to welcome you back anytime. – o8Experience
It was a wonderful, informative personal tour for only two of us. Masa, our guide, was outstanding, accommodated our pace, interests, and food. Masa suggested leaving earlier than scheduled to avoid crowds, which worked out well. Kagami Iki Pond was absolutely beautiful, with autumn leaves and mountains reflected on the water's surface. We visited four of the main shrines, plus an additional hidden one, and learned about Shinto and how to properly bow and clap at shrines. The hike to Okushi was the longest and the most challenging, but the path is well maintained and accessible for anyone in modest shape. Lunch was authentic soba at a restaurant over 100 years old. At the end of the tour, Masa dropped us off at the Zenko-ji Temple because we mentioned we wanted to try the Beni-Beni pie. Masa was born and raised in the Togakushi area and, therefore, very knowledgeable, providing a unique perspective. His English was very good as he completed graduate school and worked in London prior to moving back to Nagano. Masa also took many pictures of us at the different sites, that he sent to us the next day as part of the package. Overall, we highly recommend this tour company to anyone interested in sightseeing in the Nagano area.
Thank you so much for your detailed review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful and personalized experience with Masa as your guide. It’s great that his local knowledge, attention to your pace, and thoughtful suggestions made the tour even more special. Visiting Kagami Ike Pond with the autumn leaves and mountains reflected in the water must have been breathtaking, and the added visit to a hidden shrine sounds like such a unique touch! We're glad you enjoyed the authentic soba lunch and that Masa’s insights on Shinto enriched your experience. It’s also wonderful to hear that Masa took care of all the little details, from avoiding crowds to taking photos for you and dropping you off at Zenko-ji Temple for the Beni-Beni pie. Thank you for recommending us, and we’re so happy that Masa’s knowledge and personal touch made your time in Nagano truly memorable!
