Nagano Prefecture
Nagano Prefecture (長野県, Nagano-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu Region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano. It is located at the center of Japan, surrounded by 8 prefectures: Niigata Prefecture, Toyama Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, Shizuoka Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, and Saitama Prefecture.
The prefecture is home to many national parks that protect and showcase the region’s natural beauty. Hikers, skiers, snowboarders, campers, and onsen enthusiasts flock to this centrally-located outdoor bounty.
Nineteen cities are located in Nagano Prefecture:
In culinary terms, Nagano is best known for its soba (buckwheat noodles), known as Shinano soba (信濃そば) or Shinshū soba (信州そば), with those from Togakushi considered by some the best in Japan. Miso (fermented bean paste), a staple of the Japanese diet is also a famous Nagano product. Among foods characteristic to the region are oyaki, small grilled dough balls filled with vegetables or meat, and on the unusual side, basashi (raw horse meat) and inago (locusts).
Apples are one of the special products of Nagano. The taste of Nagano apples is sweet and juicy. The yield of apples in Nagano is the second largest in Japan.
Destinations:
- Hakuba — Popular winter area with 7 major ski resorts
- Karuizawa — Famous mountain resort and a popular summer getaway
- Kiso Valley — The scenic villages of Magome and Tsumago
- Suwa — Resort town with a large lake and access to the Yatsugatake Mountain Range
- Yamanouchi — Ryokans, Japanese atmosphere, and snowbathing monkeys.
External links
Some content adapted from Wikipedia.org.
