Zenkoji, Matsumoto Castle, Karuizawa and Kamikochi: walking Nagano’s highlands and ancient temples

About Nagano

Nagano is a mountainous landlocked prefecture with Nagano City as its capital. Home to the Japan Alps, it is famed for mountaineering, skiing and summer retreats.

Main walking areas in Nagano

Here are some of the prefecture’s most popular places to walk, where public smoking spots and facilities with smoking rooms tend to be available nearby.

• Nagano City (Zenkoji, Chuo-dori)
• Matsumoto (Matsumoto Castle, Nawate Street)
• Karuizawa (Old Karuizawa Ginza)
• Kamikochi (along the Azusa River)

Nagano trivia

Zenkoji is said to have been founded in the Asuka period; its principal image, the Ikko Sanzon Amida Nyorai, is a famously hidden Buddha.

Tips for finding smoking areas in Nagano

• Use designated smoking spots in areas with no-smoking-on-the-street ordinances
• Stations, large commercial complexes and tourist information centres are good starting points
• Heated-tobacco-only rooms are growing — switch the tobacco-type filter to match your device
• Use a portable ashtray or the ashtray in the smoking area — good etiquette helps keep these spots open for everyone

Find efficiently with Mottosuitai

Allow location access on the Mottosuitai map to see smoking areas within 2 km of you. To browse by region, visit /search/?prefecture=nagano for the Nagano list.