Nagano Prefecture sits at the heart of the Japanese Alps, and while the Shinkansen makes it easy to reach, a rental car makes it easier to explore beyond the rail network. Alpine valleys, volcanic highlands, and mirror-still lakes are scattered across the mountains, most of them far from the nearest train station. In this article, we introduce 5 of the best drive spots in Nagano, plus a private guided tour option for anyone who’d rather sit back and enjoy the scenery.
Kamikochi – Japan’s Alpine Sanctuary
Kamikochi is a valley basin roughly 1,500 meters up in the Northern Japan Alps, and it’s often described as the most beautiful place most tourists never see. The Kappabashi Bridge, framed by the jagged Hotaka mountain range, is the classic photo spot, while Taisho Pond’s reflection of the peaks is unforgettable on a calm morning. Note that Kamikochi has a year-round private car restriction to protect the environment—drivers park at Sawando or Hirayu and continue by shuttle bus or taxi for the final stretch.
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Lake Shirakaba (Shirakabako) – Highland Resort Drive
At an elevation of 1,416 meters, Lake Shirakaba is a highland resort area with a 4km lakeside walking path, hot springs, and family-friendly attractions nearby. The drive up from the Suwa-Minami Interchange winds through birch forests that turn brilliant gold in autumn, and the lake itself is calm enough for canoeing and SUP in summer. It’s an easy half-day stop if you’re touring the Yatsugatake area.
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Kirigamine Highlands – Panoramic Plateau Views
Kirigamine is a grassy volcanic plateau connecting Suwa and the Yatsugatake mountains, with wide-open panoramas that feel completely different from Nagano’s forested valleys. The drive along the ridge road offers 360-degree mountain views, and in summer the fields fill with wildflowers. It’s a favorite motorcycle and sports-car route among locals for its sweeping curves and light traffic.
Partway along the plateau, Korobokkuru Hütte is a small mountain café that’s been a Kirigamine landmark for decades, run by a mountaineering-focused owner and popular for its coffee and simple curry served with a view straight out over the grasslands. It’s an easy stop to break up the drive, and a good reference point if you’re planning a short walk out onto the plateau on foot before continuing on.
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Lake Suwa – Hot Springs by the Water
Lake Suwa, ringed by the Kami-Suwa hot spring district, is a relaxed contrast to Nagano’s mountain drives. The area’s landmark bathhouse is Katakura-kan, a nationally registered cultural property built in 1928, famous for its marble “Senninburo” (thousand-person bath) lined with river pebbles underfoot—a striking stop for a soak after a day of driving. For something free, Suwa City Lakeside Park has a public footbath right on the water, and a geyser center nearby puts on a small eruption several times a day. Seasonal ice-fishing huts appear on the lake in winter, and in summer the Suwako Fireworks Festival draws roughly half a million visitors for one of Japan’s largest displays. The lakeside road makes for an easy, flat drive after a day in the mountains.
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Togakushi – Cedar Avenue & Mountain Shrine
North of Nagano City, the drive to Togakushi Shrine climbs through dense forest before opening onto a famous avenue of centuries-old cedar trees leading to the shrine’s Okusha (inner shrine). The area is also known for its soba noodles, made with local mountain water, and for Togakushi’s mythological ties to Japan’s oldest legends. Snow tires are recommended in winter, as this route sits high enough to hold snow well into spring.
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Want a Guided Drive Instead?
If mountain driving or winter roads aren’t your thing, a private guided tour covers many of Nagano’s highlights without the need to navigate yourself. A popular option is the Nagano–Tokyo Snow Monkey Private Day Tour with Hotel Pick-up/Drop-off, a 10–12 hour door-to-door trip in a Toyota Prado with an English-speaking driver, picking up from either Tokyo or Nagano accommodation. The route covers Jigokudani Monkey Park, Zenko-ji Temple, Togakushi Shrine’s inner sanctuary, the former castle town of Matsushiro, and the art town of Obuse (home to the Hokusai Museum), with an optional stop at Shibu Onsen or Yudanaka Onsen if time allows.
Summary
From the alpine sanctuary of Kamikochi to the cedar-lined approach to Togakushi Shrine, Nagano rewards drivers willing to leave the main highways. Lake Shirakaba and Kirigamine offer highland scenery within easy reach of each other, while Lake Suwa provides a relaxed, low-altitude finish to a mountain-heavy itinerary. Autumn (mid-October to early November) is the best season for foliage, though each spot has its own charm year-round—just remember that winter roads above 1,000m often require snow tires.
If you’re planning a longer Alps road trip, our guide to road trips from Tokyo covers nearby Karuizawa, which pairs well with a Nagano itinerary.
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