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May 30, 2017
1 min

Tokamachi Stone Sculptures

There are many good reasons to visit Tokamachi – great soba, interesting museums, its long textile heritage, and fun festivals. No matter what reason you have for being there, you should check out the stone carvings that have been dotted all over the town. With the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale on its doorstep, it is fitting that Tokamachi has such a dedication to all things artistic. We had a fun day with a bunch of children wandering around the main streets of Tokamachi hunt

Mar 24, 2017
1 min

Meguro-tei

Meguro-tei is an impressive residence dating back to 1797, that is located right beside the more modern Suhara Ski Area. It is believed that the Meguro family came from a long line of samurai but after being on the losing side of battle they retired to this area to farm, and by 1610 the head of the family was a village leader in the area. The members of the family maintained a similar role throughout the years and even ended up having members being elected to the House of Rep

Mar 24, 2017
2 min

The Hayatsu Gallery, Koide

The artist Tsuyoshi Hayatsu was born in Muikamachi in 1938. For the past 40 years he has been painting traditional houses in Snow Country, and across the whole of Japan. These traditional buildings, often with thatched roofs have been disappearing from the countryside but still live on thanks to the hundreds of canvases Mr. Hayatsu has painted. Since 1987 he has been displaying his works in the Hayatsu Gallery in Koide. The main room has a series of rotating images selected b

Dec 4, 2016
5 min

Jomon / Snow Country Tour

What does a five thousand year old intricately decorated pot have to do with life today? Surprisingly, a great deal. This, and many other things, we learned this weekend on the Jomon Era & Snow Country Culture Tour. The tour started in Niigata City where Japan’s longest river, the Shinano, flows into the Sea of Japan. It then followed the course of this river all the way through the prefecture to the very border of Nagano where the Shinano become the Chikuma River. Along the

Oct 6, 2016
1 min

River Fish in Urasa

On the banks of the river close to Urasa Station is a little restaurant that specialises in fish from the waters just beyond the terrace – Urasa Yana. They have an interesting way of catching the fish which involves a ramp across a section of the river. Unsuspecting fish that end up taking this branch invariably swim up onto the ramp and are headed for the table. One of the most popular fish is the ayu, or sweetfish, which you often see skewered whole slowly cooking over char

Sep 12, 2016
3 min

Luxury Snow Country Tour

As well as the main Snow Country Tourist Information Office, each of the seven areas of the Snow Country Tourism Zone have their own Tourist Association (contacts for each of there here). All of these are working hard to ensure that visitors get to the see the best of the region. We’ve been lucky enough to get a sneak preview of a 5-star tour that they are trying to put together to highlight the unique way of life in the Snow Country Region. It is in the planning stage at the

Sep 7, 2016
1 min

Fall in Snow Country

August has ended and as we move into September it feels like summer is drawing to a close. People’s thoughts turn to the approaching winter, but before the deep snow comes we have fall, which is one of the best times to be in Snow Country. The rice is turning yellow in the fields in the bottom of the valley and it is almost time for harvesting. There will be festivals all over the region once the harvest is finished to give thanks for the new rice. The valley turning from dee

Aug 15, 2016
2 min

Fall Colors in Snow Country

One of the best things about Japan is the marked difference between each season. That difference means that the scenery is constantly changing and every few months you are treated to a new look to the same view. Winter has the beauty of the snow covered mountains, spring sees green gradually make a reappearance, and summer is verdant and lush. Many people choose fall/autumn as their favorite though as the changing of the colors is sensational in this region. It is a great tim

Jul 6, 2016
1 min

Fruit Picking in Snow Country

Summer is here and the farmers of Snow Country are hard at work in their fields and orchards. One of the joys of this season is all the fresh produce that is available. There are small farmers’ stalls dotted around the byways of the region selling recently harvested fruit and vegetables to passers-by. If you feel like the very freshest of fruit then there are several places you can go to pick it right off the tree or bush. Japanese fruit is highly regarded across the world a

Jun 24, 2016
3 min

Naeba-Sanroku Geopark 2

More info from the Naeba-Sanroku Geopark Guide Map, carrying on from the Naeba-Sanroku Geopark 1 post. Human History of Naeba-Sanroku People began living in Naeba-Sanroku about 30 thousand years ago during the Paleolithic Age, as evidenced by stone tools unearthed at several sites in the area. During the prehistoric Jomon Period (c.12,000-c.300BCE), people lived in harmony with the deciduous forests of the Shinano Basin for about 10 thousand years. The hallmark of this cultur

Jun 24, 2016
3 min

Naeba-Sanroku Geopark 1

The following information is taken from the Naeba-Sanroku Geopark Guide Map. It is an awesome resource in English that takes you around all the fascinating points (and there are masses of them) in this geopark located in the Tsunan/Sakae Village area. There is so much here to do, see, and learn, so if you love the outdoors, this should definitely be on your list. Naeba-Sanroku Geopark A rich history of volcanoes, rivers, snow, and the plants, animals, and people that have cal

Jun 1, 2016
1 min

“Najomon” Jomon Period Museum

Najomon is a marvelous museum facility in Tsunan town just off Route 117. It has masses of information about the Naeba-sanroku Geopark area, agriculture, and Jomon history. It is all about learning, and also offers some different workshops that allow you to experience some local skills and traditions, such as making sweets, weaving, and being artistic making sculptures with nuts and twigs. The museum itself has displays of earthenware discovered in the region, as well as many

May 27, 2016
1 min

Ryuugakubo Pond

Ryugakubo is a stunningly beautiful little lake up on the plateau just outside of Tsunan. It is filled with spring water, and so much of it flows into the pond each day that it is incredibly clear. It was selected as one of the top 100 remarkable waters of Japan by the Ministry of Environment, and visiting there it is easy to see why. From the car park you approach the lake through a path along the woods. There is some spring water gushing from a dragon’s head along the way.

May 18, 2016
1 min

Kiyotsu Gorge

Kiyotsu Gorge just outside Tokamachi is one of the three top gorges in Japan. (The others are Kurobe Gorge in Toyama, and Osugi Gorge in Mie.) It is a really impressive sight, and a lovely little side trip if you find yourself on R353 between Tokamachi and Ishiuchi. There used to be a walking path along the side of the gorge but falling rocks were a danger so in 1996 a tunnel along the side was completed. The tunnel is 750 meters long and leads to 4 viewing areas. Along the w

May 12, 2016
2 min

Uonuma-no-Sato

Uonuma-no-Sato is home to one of the sake production facilities of the famous Hakkai-san brand. The company have developed the area around the brewery and turned it into a fantastic place to spend the day. Around the main brewery building are small restaurants, shops, cafes, gardens and a cold storage facility that uses nothing but the winter snow to keep everything cool. It is very much a taste of all things Snow Country. There are soba and udon restaurants that use local an

May 9, 2016
1 min

Outdoor Adventures in Minakami

The arrival of spring also signals the reopening of Minakami as one of Japan’s best outdoor adventure playgrounds. Once famed as a hot spring resort at the far end of Kanto, in recent years it has become known as a must-visit location for thrill seekers. Once the snow has melted the lakes, rivers and mountains are home to a whole host of companies that offer fun activities. Photo from iloveoutdoors.jp The list of activities is impressive. Rafting, canoeing, mountain biking, b

Mar 18, 2016
2 min

Tsunan Snow Festival & Sky Lanterns

The Tsunan Snow Festival takes place in March each year and we were lucky enough to go along on March 12th 2016. It is so popular that there is a whole series of different parking areas and shuttle buses to get you to the New Greenpia Tsunan festival location. During the day there is freestyle competition and then some big name musicians providing live music on the stage. Refreshments are provided at a large selection of food stalls. The highlight for many though is the Sky L

Feb 22, 2016
2 min

Tokamachi Snow Festival

The Tokamachi Snow Festival is one of the highlights of the winter event calendar in Snow Country. It is a whole weekend of snow-related fun in late February each year. A mild winter with a bit of rain before the event for the 2016 edition did nothing to damp the high spirits of the organizers or participants. There are different areas to the Snow Festival all over the town. It is a good idea to head to Tokamachi Station first to pick up one of the guide maps to make sure you

Jan 14, 2016
2 min

Snow Country Region Event Calendar – February

February is mid-winter in Snow Country, and also happens to be when some of the most interesting festivals take place. Here is a run-down of some of the ones happening around the region in what is normally the snowiest month of the year. (Taken from the Snow Country Freak site.) The Minami Uonuma City Snow Festival takes place in Muikamachi on 6th & 7th February。It is the 66th one this year and there is always lots going on. The Koide International Snow Ball Fight on February

Jan 13, 2016
3 min

Chinkoro Market Day Tour

The Snow Country Region Information Center arrange a program of special tours to allow visitors to see the best of the region and get to places they may not be able to get to on their own. They are great value, and entertaining days out. The Chinkoro Market Day Tour met at the Information Center at 9am. It was then straight down to the station to catch the 0917 Snow Rabbit train – an express service under the hill with no stops before Tokamachi. First call on the tour was the