Iiyama / NaganoRest and Relaxation in Rural Japan: Iiyama in Nagano Prefecture

Just a short drive from Iiyama Station, across from the town’s famous Mayumi Takahashi Doll Museum, is Ajikura Tsukiakari. It may look like any other restaurant, but here you are treated more like a family member coming home rather than an ordinary customer. Local mothers actually prepare rice balls and fillings, and many of the menu items are closer to healthy, home-style cooking than standard restaurant fare.

More importantly, the kind-hearted cooks here pride themselves on adhering to the concept of "local production for local consumption." No artificial flavors, additives, or colors are incorporated, and most of the ingredients are procured in Iiyama (direct from the grower!) or other parts of Nagano Prefecture. Look forward to tasting traditional specialties such as sasa-zushi (see photo) and imo-namasu (slices of potato marinated in vinegar).

Mori-no-Ie is a welcoming nature activity center in Nabekura Kogen, a section of highland in Iiyama located at an altitude of 550 meters. Cabins are available for rent year-round here, and Mori-no-Ie also arranges a number of activities at the visitor center such as trekking, canoeing, snowshoe tours, all designed to facilitate getting outdoors and enjoying the natural world.

There are activities for all ranges of age or experience. One easy and educational program accessible to almost anyone is the Beech Forest walking tour. You’ll follow the guide into the forest on well-maintained trails, sometimes lined with soft wood chips or passing over boardwalks, as you learn to spot the subtle traces of insect and animal wildlife.

The best way to cure any travel fatigue is to do what the Japanese do–soak in the hot springs! Iiyama is home to several different excellent hot springs, or onsen in Japanese, one of which is the Togari Onsen area. Here, Shikisaino Yado Kanoe is a small, traditional inn that not only has its own alkaline hot springs, but is also based in a tranquil spot with few other buildings around.

Whether at dinner or breakfast, meals are prepared with healthy, seasonal ingredients, many of which are cultivated in the inn’s garden right outside. If you’re interested, you can even try picking some of those yourself beforehand! Furthermore, look forward to tasting Nagano's famous dishes such as soba (buckwheat noodles) and Shinshu miso (soybean paste), while delicious local Japanese sake is also available.

Located on the first floor of Iiyama Station, Shinetsu Shizenkyo Activity Center is a base for a variety of outdoor activities. Here you can rent a wide variety of bicycles, including road bikes, mountain bikes, cross bikes, and recently e-bikes, as well as any outdoor clothing and accessories you might need. To really get off the beaten track and visit some of Iiyama’s most scenic spots, set out with a local guide on a cycling tour.

Those seeking adventure can join exhilarating mountain bike downhill tours, but even courses around Iiyama’s low-lying parts beyond the train station are a wonderful way to see a variety of spectacular scenery in any season. On the route, you’ll cross the Chikuma River and circle around the foothills as you pass rice paddies, picturesque farmhouses, and old Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, learning about the culture and locals’ way of life.

The Michi-no-Eki (roadside station) “Hana-no-Eki / Chikumagawa” is much more than just a rest area for travelers. Souvenirs are available and you can also enjoy delicious meals with local ingredients at Café Satowa. The facility is located right alongside the Chikuma River, and from the outdoor seating area you’ll be able to appreciate scenic vistas of the riverbed amid the backdrop of distant mountains.

After lunch, stop at the small market next door and you’ll see a lineup of fresh fruits and vegetables produced by Iiyama farmers. While you’re there, you may even spot a farmer bringing in their products and putting them directly on the shelf–evidence of just how fresh the items are!

Iiyama has several old Buddhist temples in the town center, and this area is likened to a “Little Kyoto” when snow piles up around them in the winter. The long history of Buddhist tradition in Iiyama led to the rise of craftsmen specializing in the decorative metal fittings used on the small Buddhist altars placed in Japanese homes.

At Iiyama Station, attend a workshop to learn about the craftsmen’s metalworking techniques and then try your hand at making copper or brass accessories, like bookmarks. Involving just a hammer and a metal engraving tool, this is an experience that nearly anyone can do, regardless of artistic ability, and you’ll be able to take home a souvenir much more meaningful than anything store-bought.