Nagano Prefecture

Ride a boat between the cliffs of a gorge

River boats carry you into gorges, where you sit close to the water and look up at cliffs, rapids and forest that you cannot see from the road. On some rivers, boatmen steer long wooden boats down the rapids by hand with poles and oars. Sailings stop when the water is too high or too low, so check the operator's notice on the day.

Dig your own hot spring in a riverbed

In a few places in Japan, hot spring water seeps up through the gravel of a riverbed. Dig a hole with a shovel, let the hot water fill it, and mix in cold river water until the temperature is right: an outdoor bath of your own making. Swimsuits are worn, and the baths close when the river is high.

Walk behind a curtain of falling water

At a few waterfalls in Japan, a path runs behind the falling water, so you can stand in a hollow of the rock and look out through it like a curtain. In Japanese these are called urami no taki, or falls seen from behind. The rock behind the water is wet and slippery, so wear shoes with good grip, and expect to need a car for most of them.

Cool off in forest air after a lakeside sauna

These saunas stand on lakeshores and among trees, so after the heat you cool down in the lake or simply sit outside in the forest air. Most are rented to one group at a time, so you have the sauna to yourselves, but you need to book a time slot ahead. Several are deep in the countryside, so check how you will get there before booking.

Warm up with hot pot inside a snow hut

A kamakura is a dome-shaped hut built from packed snow, a winter tradition in Japan's snow country. In Iiyama, in northern Nagano and about two hours from Tokyo by shinkansen, you sit inside one with your group around a steaming nabe, a hot pot shared at the table. It runs only in midwinter and must be booked, so plan it for a January or February trip.

Head deep into a gorge carved by a river

Shosenkyo, Kiyotsu, Nezame-no-Toko, Oboke and Oirase are gorges and valleys that rivers have cut through rock over a very long time. Walking paths, a tunnel through the cliff and a sightseeing boat let you go right down inside them. They are spread across Japan, so pick the one on your route, and check access in winter, when some close or are hard to reach in snow.

Sip wine on a winery terrace above the vines

Japan grows its own wine grapes in the cool hills of Yamanashi, Nagano and other regions, and some wineries let you taste by the glass on a terrace facing the vineyard. Sit with a glass in the afternoon light, then walk among the vines or peek into the cellar. Most are far from stations and drinking and driving is strictly banned, so come by train and take a taxi or bus for the last stretch.

Drink fresh beer next to the tanks it came from

All over Japan, small craft breweries pour their beer in taprooms set right beside the brewing tanks, so what you drink was made a few steps away. Order a few small glasses to compare styles, often with food made to go with them. The places in and around Tokyo make an easy evening out, while those farther away fit into a longer trip through the region.

Trace three classic views from a train window

Obasute, Yatake and Karikachi have long been called Japan's three great views from a train window. Today only Obasute can still be seen from a moving train; at the other two, you trace the railway's past at old stations and the remains of old lines. Obasute is the easiest to reach, about half an hour by local train from Nagano, which is under two hours from Tokyo by shinkansen.

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