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Contact Us
Chino Tabi Concierge

Web chinotabi.jp/en
E-mail ask8@chinotabi.jp
Tel+81 (0) 266-73-8550

YamauraAdventureschinotabi.jp/enYamaura Adventures - For 10,000 years, one with the Mountains What is Yamaura?
Yamaura Adventures
What is Yamaura ? / About us .............................1....................................................2
About Chino			...........................8
Yamaura Adventures / Spring		Yamaura Adventures / Summer .......................16
Yamaura Adventures / Autumn ......................22
Yamaura Adventures / Winter ........................30
Access Map ....................................................38

Yamaura means “in the mountain’s shadow”.
It describes the unique environment of the rural villages in Chino as they stand rightunder the peaks of the Yatsugatake Mountains, at an elevation of 1,000~1,200m.

About us
We believe that there is more to travel than just sightseeing.
This is why at Chino Tabi we make it our mission to design special journeys where,
instead of hastily passing by a location,
you have the chance to immerse yourself into local life.
Our original activities and tailor-made tours connect you, the travelers, and the locals.
For 10,000 years the locals have lived under the shadow of the Yatsugatake Mountains,in harmony with nature and attuned to all the seasons, even the coldest winters.
Our objective is - to still be “one with the Mountains” 100 years from now -.
Chino Tabi Concierge

1

A sanctuary of relaxation for
centuries, over 6 types of hot
springs flow in this quiet oasis
immersed in nature.

2

thousands of years.

2

Chino View

Access Map

800–1,200m

Wintersite of peaceful hamlets
Town and Astilled
in time, where you can
Rural Village explore ancient shrines andelegant artifacts dating backarea

AutumnA long-extinct volcano, theYatsugatake reaches a heightof almost 3,000m, offering
trekkers great views of Mt.Fuji
and the Alps.

1,200 –1,500 m

SummerA paradise for outdoor lovers,
where you can hike, jog, cycle,
canoe, ski and more at over
1400m.

2,000 –2,899 m

Yamaura Adventures

1,400–1,900m

Tateshina
area

SpringLake Shirakaba・
Kurumayama
area

Yatsugatake
Mountainarea

Stretching out from the peaks of the Yatsugatake at 2,899m all the way down towhere Suwa valley begins at 700m, the Chino area is rich in natural landscapes.
From the stark and awe-inspiring rocky scenery of Mt. Akadake,
to the lush mossy conifer forests of the highland and the nostalgic pastoral villages of the rural area,
the diverse local environment is a sight to behold.

About Chino

Nature - A region perched in the foothills of a massive mountain range -3About Chino
Spring
WinterLike their Jomon ancestors, the locals lead a life in harmony with nature.
In spring, they forage wild vegetables in the satoyama.
In summer, they gather the cool waters of mountain streams into ancient waterways
to grow rice and vegetables. In autumn, they pick mushrooms and nuts
at the base of the mountains and pickle food to preserve until the next green season.
In winter, they make use of the cold mountain breeze to produce unique foodand crafts such as kanten and sharp blades. They are one with the Mountains.

AutumnPeople have inhabited the region for almost 10,000 years.
Numerous elegant artifacts, which date all the way back to the Jomon period(the Japanese stone-age), have been excavated throughout the area.
At Suwa Taisha, one of the oldest sanctuaries in Japan, people even now worshipthe spirit of nature and perpetuate the mysterious and primeval festival of Onbashira,when huge trees felled and dragged down the mountains by manpower alone are
erected around the perimeter of the shrines.

SummerCulture - A life in tune with the land and its seasons -Yamaura Adventures

History - A story that goes back 10,000 years -Access Map

45

Lake Shirakaba and Kurumayama area

Lake Shirakaba

Ski resorts

Highland lake surroundedby birch trees, where you canenjoy aquatic sports
such as canoe and SUP.

Kurumayama

A grassland plateau situated at 1925m,
Kurumayama offers great hiking routes,
a 360°panorama view, and a mountainlift to reach the top with ease.

Chino is no snow country,
but the unparalleled high “clear sky ratio”
and the breathtaking views from the slopes
are sure to attract many a ski fan.

Tateshina area
Onsen

A secret thermal site used by
the samurai of old,
Tateshina has plenty of day-use
hot springs and onsen ryokan.

Yokoya Gorge

Lush gorge where a 6km trail coasts
a river interwoven with waterfalls,
Yokoya Gorge is a must-see
in the autumn foliage season.

Mishaka Pond

A growingly popular photo spot,
this picturesque pond reflects
the surrounding conifer forest
like a mirror.

About Chino

Explore the Highlights

SpringSummerYamaura Adventures

One of Japan’s oldest sanctuaries,
Suwa Taisha is a place of high mysticism
where four gigantic pillars called“onbashira” mark the sacred space ofthe hall of worship.

Rural area ( Yamaura)

A nostalgic rural area where you can still findcentury-old farmhouses and pastoral sceneries
untouched by urbanization, the Yamaura is an excellent
place to do a home-stay experience or even take a walk.

Moss Forest

This conifer forest, where a fluffy
carpet of moss covers everything in sight,
looks like it just came out of
Hayao Miyazaki’s anime world.

Kita-Yatsugatake Ropeway

This Ropeway takes you up
the Yatsugatake Mountains, going from1771m to 2237m in about seven minutes.
From the summit, you can explore
Tsubo-Niwa park, a natural garden of
igneous rocks, or trek to the nearby peaks.

Trekking

The southern side of the Yatsugatakereaches a height of almost 3,000m
and has dozens of challenging trails thatwill not fail to excite even the moreexperienced hiker. Let's trek safely!

Access Map

6

Suwa Taisha

Yatsugatake Mountain area

WinterAmong its various invaluable artifacts,
the museum exhibits two of the oldest
statuettes in the world: the “Jomon Venus”
and the “Masked Goddess.”
Meeting these 5,000-year-old
ladies is surely worth a visit.

Town and Rural village area

AutumnTogari-ishi Jomon
Archaeological Museum

7How is everything going? As promised, I’m updating you on my second journey

featuring some quirky tea houses by an architect named Fujimori Terunobu.

Long story short, we are in Chino now and will be staying for one night. After doing someare here. I couldn’t possibly give up the chance to see them.

YamauraAdventures8

traditional rural village off the beaten track, which sounded very interesting.

SpringBoth my husband and I wanted to get away from the crowd and see a more intimate

Access Map

Also, the tour organizers suggested that we also join in some local experiences in a

Winterresearch, I realized two of the world’s oldest and most graceful prehistoric statuettes

AutumnIt looked too interesting to pass up, and the Chino city area is on the way to Matsumoto.

Summerto travel directly to Matsumoto from Tokyo. Then, I stumbled across an inspiring tour

Yamaura Adventures

I’m going to visit edgy museums and cutting-edge architecture. Initially, I was planning

Springto the land of the rising sun. The theme this time is art and tradition.

About Chino

Chers amis,side of Japan, this detour seemed the perfect occasion to do just that.
CaptionJapanese architect Fujimori Terunobu's tea house "Flying mud boat".

9

Spring1

Heading toward the
Yatsugatake Mountains

4

In spring, the villagers often go into thesatoyama in search of food. As part of ourculinary experience, we followed a local throughthe unplowed fields and woods bordering thevillage to look for seasonal herbs such as
fukinoto, seri, and koshi-abura.

AutumnWe were eveninvited inside
a villager’s
century-old
farmhouse.

Access Map

Sasahara, a hamlet stilled in time

Winterkittens
This kote-e ofrehousewaeth
was onwithdof a househol
.
ts
ca
al
re
many

2

Look athow many
wild veggies
we found!

Summer

The village is not a tourist spot, so we had
a local grandpa show us around to betterenjoy the local charm. We explored hidden
shrines dedicated to the god of the mountain,
traditional houses, and well-kept gardens.
The most unexpected discovery for us was the
popular art of kote-e, relief paintings made of
shikkui plaster. Here, dragons, turtles, deities,
dozens of different subjects decorate thewalls of farmers’ warehouses. They are thisregion’s own rural “street art”.

Foraging forwild vegetables

Yamaura Adventures

Day 1“Kote-e” street art

Spring

Our guide picked us up from Chino Stationand drove us to the rural village area atabout 1,000m of elevation. Terraced rice
fields flooded with water paved the way
toward the Yatsugatake.

3

About Chino

YamauraAdventures

Our destination was Sasahara, a tiny village perched on the foothillsof the Yatsugatake that looked like it came out some old tale.
10

11

5

SpringCooking with the village grannies

nt for milk andThis time we we u can maket yo
strawberry, bu
literally any
agar cakes withnt.
kind of ingredie

Day 2

7

A visit to the Jomon museum

8

Access Map

We spent the night at a sleek ryokan not far from the village.
The interiors were traditional but fresh and comfortable.
We enjoyed using the two large and private thermal baths,
and dinner was pleasing both to the palate and the eye.

Winter12

A quiet evening at a Japanese inn

Our little trip to Chino happened to be exactly inthe middle of the cherry blossom season.
We didn’t expect to see any sakura in full bloom solate in April, so it was a welcome surprise when we
gazed upon a multitude of pink flowers on the way
to the ancient shrine of Suwa Taisha.

Autumn6

Cycling under the cherry
blossoms

Summer

9

Back at the station,
we decided to rent twoelectric bikes so that
we could move aroundwith ease.

Yamaura Adventures

The voluptuous figuresof the Jomon Venus and
Masked Goddess.

Bike rental
at Chino Station

SpringLater on, we visited a cute grannie who introduced us to local
cuisine. We gathered some herbs and made crispy tempura.
Then, we prepared rustic mochi served with a flavorful andthick perilla sauce and some dainty, colorful agar cakes!

After checking out, we headed for a museum of Japaneseprehistoric art to see two of the world’s most antique statuettes.
I was genuinely impressed with the elegance of some artifacts on
display. They are thousands of years old but as stunning as ever.

About Chino

YamauraAdventures

13

10

s es
To the tea hou

Spring

8
1

na

ou
lR

te
20

These past two days were fullof adventures. I am so glad wemade this small detour.

Itinerary

Yumichi road

Access Map

tio

And back again

wy
xp
oE

u
Ch

Na

11

2-5

Marchen road

Winterine
9Lake Tateshina

Autumn

7

ol

10

u
Ch

SuwaIC

14

Venus Line

6

To Matsumoto・Suwa

rsFour huge pilla
ira
sh
ba
on
calledofmark the site
hip.
rs
wo
of
ll
the haSummerLake
Shirakaba

Venus Line

Yamaura Adventuresat
The exhibitionof theceanthe entr
eum
Jinchokan Mus
rise.
rp
su
by
e
took mimeval
It has such a pr
.
it
to
g
feelinThe participants were a French couple in their 40s who cameto Chino to take part in Fujimori Terunobu’s tea house tour.
They were particularly interested in art and design but also
wanted to see a bit of rural Japan.
We suggested some authentic satoyama experiences ina small village, also famous for artistic plaster craft.
And to complement their architecture tour, we added a visit
to the local Jomon prehistoric art museum.

My inner child got excited at
the sight of such fantasticalarchitecture. First, we went into
the flying mud house,a blowfish-like tea house that issuspended in midair.
After that, we climbed up to the
too-high tea house and had acasual tea ceremony at the toolow tea house, the one that looks
like a modern Jomon pit dwelling.

Daimon roadIn the afternoon, we joined a private tour to visit some unique tea housesby the up-and-coming architect Fujimori Terunobu. The program started
at Suwa Taisha, where Nature worship still has a central role in thecommunity’s spiritual life. Every key point inside
the sanctuary was marked bymagnificent centenarian trees,
and ablutions were performed
at a mountain stream.

tour

SpringAn exclusive tour of Suwa Taisha
and Fujimori Terunobu’s
quirky architecture

About this tailor - made!

About Chino

YamauraAdventures

1 JR Chino Station
2-5 Sasahara Village
SuwaMinamiIC 6 Tateshina Ai at Tateshina
To Tokyo・Kofu 7 Togari-ishi Museum
		 of Jomon Archeology
8 JR Chino Station
		(Tourist Information Counter)
9 The Bank of Miyagawa River
10 Suwa Taisha - Upper Shrine- Maemiya
		 Jinchokan Moriya Historical Museum		 and Fujimori’s Architectures

15

How are things? I’m on a family trip with Jane and the kids.

see nature and hike a little.
on the way between Karuizawa and Mt.Fuji.

AutumnWe first found out about Chino when we stumbled upon an article

WinterWhich is why we spent one night in Chino, an off-the-beaten-track mountain area

about a mossy forest in the region that looks a lot like Yakushima.

16

so I started browsing through travel websites to see what else we could do in the area.

SummerTurns out Chino has a lot to offer.

Nature walk at the “Moss Forest” in the northern Yatsugatake

Access Map

Jane, of course, wanted to check it out,

YamauraAdventures

Summer

While doing the classic Tokyo and Kyoto, we also want to enjoy the countryside,

Yamaura Adventures

We rent a car and are now traveling through the country.

SpringThis year we went all out and flew to Japan.

About Chino

Hi there,173Summer

Day 1

1

Driving up the mountain

This is a pictureof moss taken
through a loupe

Afterward, we stopped for lunch ata farmhouse café in the foothillsof the Yatsugatake.
The century-old building had anostalgic beauty and the traditional
local dishes were mouth-watering.

The master is also a farmer,
and all the ingredients were
homegrown.

Access Map

The forest reminded
me of that anime by
Hayao Miyazaki.

Savory lunch at an old
farmhouse

Such a colorfuland dainty meal

Winter4

AutumnThe Moss Forest was indeed a magical piece of wood.
The entire ground was covered in a thick layer of moss,
which also grew on rocks and gnarly roots of trees.

18

Summer

The Moss Forest

With our bellies full, we drove to Lake Shirakaba – a mountain resort at 4600ft.
There, on the lakeshore, was Minshuku Asahigaoka,
where we joined a private soba experience and stayed for the night.
The kids had the time of their life, intently kneading the soba dough and cutting the noodles.
But if possible, Jane and I enjoyed ourselves even more.
I felt so grateful that the master shared his in-depth
knowledge about soba with us.
Oh, and the food wasamazing.

Yamaura Adventures

2

To make the best of our time there, we joined a tour.
The guide showed us lots of small and hidden wonders,which we would have certainly passed by without
noticing if we had been on our own.
But nothing beats the kids’ excitement.
They were each given a loupe to observe the moss,and looked like little explorers, meticulously checking
every centimeter of moss.
Toward the end of the tour, we also had a “mini”
photoshoot in the moss with a bunch of toy figurines.

Fun with soba noodles and stay at a local minshuku

SpringWe left Karuizawa in the morning andheaded to the Moss Forest,on top of the Yatsugatake Mountain Range.

5

About Chino

YamauraAdventures

Exploring the forest with a guide196Morning canoe rideDay 2

We planned this tour for a family from the USA,
who traveled with two small children.
They wanted to enjoy natural landscapes,
do some hands-on activities, and most of all,make sure their kids had fun.
Since they wanted to be active,
we had them stay in Lake Shirakaba,a mountain resort with plenty of outdoor activities
such as canoeing and horse-back riding.

Just a short drive from the lake was Mt. Kurumayama wherea lift takes you to 6,315ft. From the summit.
we had a breath-taking view of the three ranges of the Alps,
Mt.Fuji and the Yatsugatake.

WinterMarchen road

Autumn

1 2

Yumichi road
3

y
pw
Ex
20
uo
te
Ch
ou
lR
na
tio

Itinerary

SuwaMinamiIC

To Tokyo・Kofu

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

The Moss Forest
The Moss Forest Guide Tour
Shihoku-an
Lake Shirakaba
The ultimate soba experience
Minshuku Asahigaoka
Yatsugatake adventures(Canoe School)
8 Kurumayama Mountain Lift
9 Venus Line

Access Map

SuwaICNa

Instead of going straight for the highway,
we set out along the scenic route Venus Line.
I must say I’m happy we did.
Mile after mile, we enjoyed an unobstructed view of
the Alps and the valley beneath.

Lake Tateshina

To Matsumoto・Suwa
ine20

View fromthe top

Scenic drive above the clouds

Venus Line

Venus Line
l
uo
Ch

9

5 6

Lake
Shirakaba

Daimon road9

SummerA carpet of daylilies
Before leaving, we got off at the halfway station
to observe the daylilies (Nikko-kisuge).
The green slopes sprinkled with yellow were so pretty that we spent a
good part of the morning walking up and down the path taking pictures.

4

7
8

Yamaura Adventures

8

The lake wasreally livened up
by all the brightly
colored canoes

tour

SpringAfter breakfast, we walked down to the canoe school.
As it was the first time for both kids, we joined a short lesson.
The kids insisted on riding on their own,
and in less than 2h, they were boldly canoeing through the lake.
They almost outrun us.

About this tailor - madeMountain lift ride to a
360°panoramic view

About Chino

夏Summer

7

YamauraAdventures

21

Autumn

Hi there!
How’s it going? I’m on a trip with Jack and you probably can guess where.
I know, Japan again... but hey, there’s just so much stuff to do.

the activity looked intriguing to me too. It’s in a place called Chino,
something like 30 min from Matsumoto (the city with the castle) and not far from Kiso.
called Yatsugatake and totally immersed in nature.

we looked for more things to do and, somehow, we ended up staying one extra night.

Access Map

Since we had to stay two days for the knife experience anyway,

Winter

The location is stunning, perched on the foothills of this massive mountain range

AutumnYou know how Jack is obsessed with Japanese blades and, to tell you the truth,

Summerin Nagano, so we had to stop by on our way back.

Yamaura Adventures

but Jack found out about a unique experience to make your own Japanese knife

SpringThis time the purpose of the trip was to walk the Nakasendo Road in Kiso,

About Chino

YamauraAdventures

It’s been an adventure!
22

Make your own knife experience at century-old smithy “Sadamasa”

23Autumn

JR Chino Station1

An unforgettable home-stay at a farmer’s house
In the afternoon we moved up the mountain to an idyllic rural area for our farmstay
experience. Our hosts for the day, the Hiruma family - a young couple with two small
kids- picked us up and drove us to their place, a big 100-year-old traditional farmhouse.
We got to try many activities such as harvesting rice and making dry persimmons.
We also prepared dinner together using home-made miso paste and home-grownvegetables we picked ourselves.

Yamaura Adventures

SpringJust got to Chino Station from Kiso.
The smithy is just a 15-min walk awayfrom here.

3

About Chino

YamauraAdventures

See, I did my partat the forge!

SummerDay 1

AutumnThey promised an authentic experience and they delivered.
The smithy itself was memorable,with its soot-caked walls and well-used machinery,
and the smith was so welcoming.
The first day we mainly worked at the forge shaping the metal intoa knife. We got to see the smith at work (such precision and speed!)
and actively took part in the process hammering, cutting and fixing
the knife with our own hands.

inner:
riendly d
Our eco-f ith tofu,
pw
miso sou wa rice andkoo,spickle
.
in
k
p
m
u
p

Access Map

24

Becoming blacksmiths for 2 days

Winter2

call itn theyIn Japa on curtain”m.
“persim I can see whyw
and noStaying with them felt so natural, like visiting a friend
you haven’t seen in a while. I have to confess; I cried alittle when we said goodbye the following morning.
25

Autumn

Day 2

5Cycling on the foothills of
the Yatsugatake
Nothing says autumn
in rural Japan likerice fields after the
harvestI couldn’t resist the prospect of a cycling tour insuch a scenic place. We pedaled through picturesquefarming villages, quiet woods and terraced fields with anunobstructed view of the three ranges of the Alps.

About Chino

YamauraAdventures

We used fourwhetstones different
to sharpen
the blade!

SummerYamaura Adventures

SpringAutumn26

Further up the mountain, around 1500m, there’s anonsen retreat area called Tateshina.
That’s where we spent the last night, in a Japanese inn
tucked away deep in the woods.

Our own Japanese knife!
After breakfast, our host took us to the smithy and we picked up where
we left off. The second day was all about putting a cutting edge to theblade and making it sharp. It was so emotional to see as the core ofsteel slowly surfaced from its iron shell under the smith’s skillful hands.

l f ro me, Pau .
id
u
g
ling
our
Our t atake Cyc e cyclist!
g
t
u
a
s
n
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io
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a pas
Such

Access Map

4

Stay at a traditional onsen ryokan

Winter6

Legend has it that a famous samurai used to bathe in
the smooth milky waters which flow at Tatsunokan toheal his wounds after a fight.
27

9

A couple from Australia in their late 20s wanted tojoin our experience to make a Japanese knife.
They like to be active, so we also suggested some outdoor
activities to enjoy autumn in the yamaura such as a cycling
tour across the countryside and a short hike in the highland toview the autumn foliage.
As we wanted them to taste some local food and experience
the harvest season in rural Japan,
we also threw in a farmstay.

Lake
Shirakaba

Venus Line3

Venus Line9
Lake Tateshina

7

Yumichi road

ol

u
Ch

5

ine

Hiking amid
a whirlwind of colors

y
pw
Ex
20
uo
te
Ch
ou
lR
na
tio

Walking through Yokoya Gorge was likeentering an impressionist painting.
The entire forest was colored with brushstrokes of vibrant reds, yellows and greens.

2 4
1 10

Na

28

Day 3

SuwaIC

10

Back to Chino Station

A local bus took us to the station, our laststop for this trip. It’s been an adventure!

Itinerary

SuwaMinamiIC

To Tokyo・Kofu

1
2
		
3
		
4
		
5
		
6
		
7
8
9
10

JR Chino Station[Make your own knife]
experience at Sadamasa[Rural Village Stay]at Nakassawa Village[Make your own knife]
experience at Sadamasa
Yatsugatake Cycling
at Sasahara Village
Shibu no Yu Tatsunokan
at Oku Tateshina
Mishaka Pond
Yokoya Gorge
Lake Tateshina
JR Chino Station

Access Map

8Winter

To Matsumoto・Suwa

Marchen road

6

8

AutumnDaimon roadOtaki
A pic of n fromkefalls ta vation
er
s
b
the o
t
o
p
s

Yamaura Adventures

There’s no way we could leave without checking out
the autumn foliage, so on our last day we planned a hike tothe nearby Lake Tateshina passing through Yokoya Gorge.
The first spot on the way was Mishaka Pond,a water mirror which reflects the surrounding landscape.

tour

SummerA photogenic pond

About this tailor - madeSpring

7

AutumnAfter two hours and eight km we reached our goal, Lake Tateshina.
For lunch we had a hearty helping of soba noodles (the local specialty)
while enjoying the view of the lakeshore lined up with momiji.

About Chino

YamauraAdventures

Lunch with lake view29Winter

Hello. You good?
It’s too bad you couldn’t join us this year. You missed out on quite a lot of fun.
Don’t worry, though. As I’m a good friend, I’m gonna give you

we all agreed to change the plan for the last three days.

AutumnSomeone pitched the idea of visiting a sake brewery,

Winterbut, as the girls insisted on doing something outside the ski resorts,

and as you can imagine, the consensus was unanimous.
The company organizing it offered other intriguing winter activities
in the vicinity and we picked a few.

Sake tour at renowned brewery “Masumi”

Access Map

We found an exciting tour in an area called Suwa, on the way back to Tokyo.

30

SummerAt first, we intended to stay there the whole time,

Yamaura Adventures

As you know, this year we went snowboarding in Hakuba.

Springa detailed account of the whole trip.

About Chino

YamauraAdventures31

1

WinterTrain ride to Chino

Day 1

In the afternoon, we put on light crampons and hiked
through a glacial gorge in search of icefalls.
The landscape was otherworldly, with long cascades ofglimmering ice coating the steep rock walls.

After breakfast, we got to KitaYatsugatake Ropeway, the starting
point of our snow hike.

We had frozen tofu stew,
okara salad and soy milk
agar cake.

Cozy pension
up in the mountain
The first night, we stayed in a
pension -a family-run western-stylelodging where they serve delicious homemade meals.
The girls loved the cute retro interiors and I really enjoyed
the fragrant bread and savory bacon served at breakfast.

Access Map

5WinterVisit to a frozen tofu producer

The contrast of the
red ropeway against
the snowy mountain wasso eye-catching
it demanded a picture.

AutumnPeggy took somegreat pics.

You’re probably wondering what’s frozen tofu- I know I was.
As the name suggests, it’s a preserved food made bylaying slices of tofu outside to freeze.
We visited a family-run shop, where we observed the master at work andeven tried tofu making with our own hands. Being able to talk to the
producer was a matchless experience.
32

SummerDay 2

Our guide met us at the station and took us to our first activity.
As we got closer to the rural area, we were met by a spectacular
view of the snow-capped Yatsugatake Mountains.

3

Ropeway ride to the
top of the mountain

Yamaura Adventures

Toward the Yatsugatake Mountains

6

SpringFrom Hakuba, we changed trains at
Nagano station and arrived in Chinoin about 2 hours and a half.

2

In search of icefalls
About Chino

YamauraAdventures

4

33

7

8

WinterShake off the cold at a local onsen bath
About Chino

YamauraAdventures

After our little adventure in the frosty mountain environment,
we craved the warmth of hot springs.
Luckily for us, the bus bound for the station passed through Tateshina,
a famous onsen destination. We soaked in a large bath with a great viewof the Alps.

Snowshoe hike througha winter mountain

SummerYamaura Adventures

We also helped the
locals do minor
repairs to the rink.

Spring

I always thought hiking a winter mountain
was out of my reach, so I was pretty excited forthis tour. The trail was easy to walk and thescenery once we got to the peak was breath-taking.
Our guide, Roddy, taught us how to read the snow and showed us
some fascinating natural phenomena such as frozen trees,riming and sastrugi.

AutumnWinter

We were blessed with great weather
and could see all the way from theSothern to the Northern Alps.
34

Access Map

9

Fun night at a schoolyard ice skate rink

You might have realized by now, but this area is seriously cold!
Which gave the locals the idea of flooding their schoolyards
in winter to make handmade skate rinks.
At night, we visited one and tried skating.
The locals taught us patiently and, by the end, we were fairly good at it.

These are geta skates.
Here, people used
to wear them when skating!
35

10

A few drinks before bed

About this tailor - madetour

We made this plan for a group of friends in their 30s fromSingapore. They were looking for something to do after
their ski trip to Hakuba.
We proposed some adventurous activities to enjoy a few
highlights of the winter season, such as a snowshoe hikeon top of the Yatsugatake Mountains, a visit to a frozen
tofu producer and a schoolyard ski rink.

There are nine sake breweries in the region,
most of which have been in business for more than three centuries.
The one we visited, Masumi, is among the oldest.

SummerDay 3

4

Yumichi road

Itinerary

SuwaMinamiIC

To Tokyo・Kofu

1 JR Chino Station
2 Marchen road3 Frozen Tofu Experience
4 Yokoya Gorge
5 Pension Poem
6.7 Kita-Yatsugatake Ropeway
8 Kosai no Yu
9 Schoolyard Ice Rink
10 Izakaya
11.12 Masumi Sake Brewery Tour

Access Map

A little tipsy from the tasting,
we boarded the train to Tokyo.

y
pw
Ex
20
uo
te
Ch
ou
lR
na
tio

And back to Tokyo

9

Na

13

10
1

Winter3

Marchen road

ine

36

Lake Tateshina

l
uo
Ch

SuwaICThe guide took us to the heart of the brewery, where all the action takes place.
We got to observe every stage of production from the rice steaming to the sake filtering.
We were lucky enough to see the moment they poured the yeast into the starter.
It was very theatrical.
The visit ended with a tasting. We had fragrant and dry sake,a fruit-flavored liqueur and sweet amazake.

6 7

8Venus LineTo Matsumoto・Suwa“Masumi” sake brewery tour

Daimon road

2

11 12

Venus Line

5

AutumnLake
Shirakaba

12

Yamaura Adventures

They had an
excellent selectionof local sake labels.

Suwa area,
one of Japan’s top sake destinations

SpringAs the road to the hotel was lined with several small izakaya,
we decided to stop by a couple for a few drinks and a light meal.

11

About Chino

WinterYamauraAdventures

37

Shiojiri
Kita IC

Matsumoto IC

Enlargedview

Mugikusa
Pass

Shiojiri IC

Shiojiri St.

Okaya IC

Yachiho
Kogen IC

NaganoShimosuwa St.

Koushoku
JCT

Chino St.

Suwa IC
Suwa Minami IC

Kofu Chuo Line Nerima IC

TsumagoTakaidoIC

Mt.Fuji

Haneda Airport

ShinYokohama

KomakiJCT

Maibara Nagoya

Tokyo

AutumnSuita JCT

uo

Li

ne

Narita Airport

Chino

SummerCh

MaibaraJCT
Kyoto

TakasakiMatsu
Yachihomoto
kogen
Fujioka
Shiojiri
IC
JCT
Suwa
IC

Kobuchizawa IC

Karuizawa

Yamaura Adventures

Shinshu
MatsumotoAirportNarai

Saku
komoroJCT

SpringKamisuwa
St.

Shizuoka

Winter

Osaka

Chubu
International
AirportKansaiInternational
AirportFrom Nagano
From Kiso

By car
Azusa or Super Azusa Ltd Express

JR Shinjuku St.

Wide View Shinano Ltd Express

JR Nagano St.

（1H）

Matsumoto St.

JR Chuo Line

Narai St.

From Kyoto/Osaka Shin-osaka St.

From Tokyo（2H）

Copyright: Chino Tourism Organization（1H）

Nagoya St.

（30min）

Shiojiri St.

（30min）

Shinkansen

Azusa or Super Azusa Ltd Express

Wide View Shinano Ltd Express（1H50min）

Shiojiri St.

JR Chuo Line

Chino
St.

（30min）

JR Chuo Line
（30min）※ The information in this brochure refers to the present date of February 2020.

Chuo Expwy

Takaido IC

From Kyoto/Osaka

Suita IC

From Karuizawa

Karuizawa

172 km（2H）
Meishin Expwy
204km（2H）
Route 1818km（30min）

NagoyaKomoroChuo Expwy

Suwa
IC

187km（2H）
Route 142
58km（1H30min）

Chino

Access Map

By train
From Tokyo

About Chino

ACCESS MAP

Matsumoto St.