Nagano Hotels

Nagano the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, is located in the northern part of the prefecture near the confluence of the Chikuma and the Sai rivers, on the main Japanese island of Honshû. As of July 1, 2006, the city had an estimated population of 378,059. The total land area is 737.86. Nagano is most famous for Zenkô-ji, a 7th century Buddhist temple which overlooks the city. A million tourists visit Nagano annually, the gateway to a variety of sightseeing spots. Nagano was originally a small town in Kamiminochi District built around the hilltop temple, the largest wooden building in eastern Japan, but the city now encompasses locations that were within Sarashina, Hanishina, and Kamitakai districts as well. The prefecture of Nagano is in a hilly area. Nagano was front-and-centre on the world stage when it hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics, but this mountain-ringed prefectural capital has been around since the Kamakura period. Back then it was a temple town centred around the magnificent Zenkô-ji. The temple is still Nagano's main attraction, drawing more than four million visitors every year. Since its brief flirtation with international fame, Nagano has reverted to its friendly small-town self, though it's just a bit more worldly. It is also an important transport hub. Not surprisingly, the mountains surrounding the city offer superb recreational opportunities: skiing, hiking, soaking in onsen and exploring the region's many mountain shrines.