Nagano being right smack in the center of central Japan is the ideal base to explore Japan’s nature and the likes of Matsumoto. In my latest trip exploring central Honshu of Japan, I made day trips out of Nagano. I would explore the city through nuggets of spare time in between the trips. As that meant I would only be in Nagano after dusk, my area of activity was also mainly around my hotel beside Nagano JR Station.
Making it to Nagano from Singapore
Unfortunately, there was no non stop flight from Singapore to Nagano. As such, my journey started with a flight into Tokyo where I hopped into a Shinkansen (Kagayaki 519). In under 2.5hrs, I went from Haneda to Nagano. Fast, considering a transit flight would add another 3 hours, including transit time.
That being said, I still dropped by Tendon Tenya beside the JR station entrance for a quick bite. Goodness knows if I could still find food by the time I reached Nagano! Tendon Tenya served up a delish bowl of lightly crusted fried food atop a bed of soft Japanese rice, drizzled with umami Japanese tempura sauce. I would say it was hell of a great comfort food after a long flight!
Using my JR East Pass (JR East Nagano / Niigata Area Pass) made the train ride to and from Nagano easy. I had bought it off Klook at JPY 27,000 (USD 185), beating the price hike in Sep 2024. I had booked a reserved seat in the normal car, which had a 2-3 seat configuration. Thankfully, the ride was almost empty, so I could keep my suitcase with me instead of leaving it at the luggage rack at the end of the carriage. Even then, the seat was clean and comfortable, with plenty of legroom for a stretch after being cooped up in a tin can for the past 7 hours.
Trip Overview
Train Number: Kagayaki 519
Depart Time: 2104hrs
Arrival Time: 2223hrs
Duration: 1h 19m
Distance: 3 stops (Ueno, Omiya)
Car 3, 12E
Cost: JPY 8340 / USD 55 (Covered by JR Pass)
Sights around Nagano
By the time I reached Nagano, it was 10pm. (I added dinner to my trip considering I would be arriving in Nagano late). But it was Japan, so it was entirely ok to be walking around the train station at night. The check in was smooth – no queue at that ungodly time – and I was catching up with my sleep in no time.
I spent my first day visiting the Snow Monkey Park some 40km away. However, I was back at Nagano before 6pm. With some time to spare, I detoured to the Zenkōji temple and Nakamise Street. And surprise! Both places were closed even before the clock struck 6!
Zenkōji Temple – Of Lights and Shadows
That said, Zenkoji Temple was still open to the public. We just had to explore the place in the dark and without guides. Most parts of the temple was cordoned off, like the mysterious underground prayer room and corridor everyone said “must go” but had no photos of.
With the scant street lighting illuminating the cavernous main hall of the temple, the charade of Buddha statues – massive and petite – was both mesmerizing and harrowing. Truth be told, I rather enjoyed the experience. It was as close to how the ancient folks experienced the shrine as I could get.
Night Stroll Along Zenkōji Nakamise Street
Zenkōji Nakamise Street connects the main San-Mon Gate of the Main Hall of Zenkoji Temple to the Niomon Gate to the south. Nakamise is loosely translated to “the street of shops within the temple ground”. It was also natural that I had planned to visit the shopping street after touring the temple.
The ironic part about Zenkōji Nakamise Street after dark was that… it was rather busy. I mean, what would you expect to see on a street where all the shops have closed? But there were still people like me who had missed the closing times. And there were folks who were passing by after work. And near the Zenkōji Temple, there were bus loads of tourists who wandered into the initial part of the street after exploring the temple.
Of course, it helped that the street lighting was still on. For an introverted traveller like me, I really enjoyed the peace and quiet of an otherwise busy tourist attraction. I visited during the shoulder season at the end of October. As a result, even though I had intended to pop by the district in the evening so that I could enjoy the landmarks during both day and night, I overlooked that the shops closed early at 6pm. It was a shame that I couldn’t check the likes of そば処 山城屋 (soba noodle shop) and Suyakame Zenkōji (souvenir shop that sells nice ice cream) off my to-do list. Additionally, I packed my remaining days with day trips out of Nagano, so I was unable to return to Zenkōji Nakamise Street to witness its daily hustle and bustle.
Eating around Nagano
That being said, Nagano is still a liveable city. When it comes to food, it had no lack of choices at any time of the day. OK, I exaggerated. Nagano isn’t exactly a city that never sleeps, though their watering holes (izakaya) open till late at night to cater to those hardworking office workers.
Nagano Meijitei – Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl Fully Living Up to Expectations
I dropped by Nagano Meijitei after receiving hard, firm and insistent recommendations. Located in the Nagano JR station, this katsudon (fried breaded pork on rice) was a convenient place for comfort food.
The thick and generous pork cutlet rests atop a bed of shredded cabbage and rice. Yes, it was soooo much healthier than Singapore’s katsudon as they replaced half the carbs with cabbage! The breaded pork was also drenched in thick, sweet and savoury katsu sauce. Amazingly, the thick cutlery was cooked evenly. The soft fried batter was met with equally tender meat, making a heavenly match. Granted, the sauce tends to be overpowering after the first few bites. However, one could even out the flavour with the shredded cabbage or the fragrant Japanese rice. Truth be told, the strong sauce did little justice to the rice!
What I liked about the restaurant was that it also catered to solo diners; they had plenty of counter seats, complete with an overhead shelf for office workers to (literally) throw their work bags and settle for a hearty meal! During both my visits, the place was busy, but not overcrowded. Japanese were also quiet diners, so I could enjoy my meal amidst the low, subdued chatter.
Nagano Meijitei
Japan, 〒380-0823 Nagano, Minamichitose, 1 Chome−２２−6 MIDORI長野店 3F
Floor 2 MIDORI Nagano
https://www.meijitei.com/naganoten.html
+81262191182
Hanamaru Udon MIDORI Nagano – Gratifying Dinner After A Day Out in the Rain
My visit to Hanamaru Udon MIDORI Nagano was sort of a chance encounter. That being a Saturday, I was overwhelmed by the dinner crowd and was fretting over finding a place that I could dine in. After wandering about the MIDORI shopping mall in Nagano train station, I finally passed by Hanamaru Udon.
Although Hanamaru Udon serves udon, I think the stars were the wide (and visually attractive) range of fried food that complements the dish. I joined the queue at the door, where I picked up a bowl and a pair of thongs and started filling it up with anything that fancied my mind. I just returned from a wet and soggy tour to Kamikochi, and I was raring for the comfort food before me, that I resisted hard to sweep every karaage into my plate!
The queue ended at the cashier, where I placed my order for a Yuzu and Kelp Udon from the basic line; there were also choices from other categories like “thick broth” and “specials”. Since my Japanese was only good for “kore kore”, I also forgo ordering a drink (because they didn’t list beverages in the menu at the door, where I had the time to read and make my decision). That said, people who ordered drinks were given empty cups where they could self-serve.
I’m not an udon person, so I was rather satisfied with my basic udon choice. That itself came with pork and mashed radish, which would be great for those with small appetites. The kakiage (fried assorted vegetables) and fried chicken were also meeting the mark. For fried food lovers, coming to Hanamaru Udon is definitely a must!
Hanamaru Udon MIDORI Nagano
1 Chome-22-6 Minamichitose, Nagano, 380-8543, Japan
Floor 1 Nagano Station
https://stores.hanamaruudon.com/hanamaru/spot/detail?code=723
+81262680870
Torimura MIDORI Naganoten – Comfort Food for the Night
The Nagano JR Station housed a shopping mall called MIDORI. While Japanese malls tend to be cookie cutter, it also makes for an easy time to navigate – especially for food hunting during the evening rush hour.
Tucked in the ground level food hall was Torimura MIDORI Naganoten serving up Japanese skewers dipped in umami sauce. A few simple skewers of grilled chicken meat balls, sausage and fried chicken was enough comfort food as I settled down from the day of exploring. I suspected I was partial to the sauce. However, the meat was full and yet tender. I couldn’t really find any fault with these simple skewers!
Torimura MIDORI Naganoten
Minamiishidocho-22-6 Minaminagano, Nagano, 380-0824, Japan
Floor 1 Nagano Station
https://miki-foods.co.jp/
+81262196099
Surprise discovery in Nagano – 台湾足楽 [タイワンソクラク]
The last item on this list was a hidden gem for me. Having suffered from a stiff neck ever since I started the vacation, I was really longing for a relief. Japan wasn’t known for massages, and I knew Shiatsu wasn’t for me. But I was desperate! When I found a reflexologist on the map with kanji name and just right in the train station, I was like, that’s it!
Really, if I hadn’t followed Google Maps, I would have missed the small sign. After climbing up a tight staircase, I was greeted by a familiar sight: glass door with the pricing list printed on it. Oh my, that was so Chinese.
Turns out, it was a massage centre opened by an ex-Taiwanese. My masseur grew up in Nagano, but was eager to find folks who could speak a familiar language. He delivered a strong massage that relieved me of all the aches from my neck down to my lower back. I never expected to find such quality massages in Japan!
台湾足楽 was mainly for foot massage, though they had several beds for full body pressure massage (i.e. no oil). It was a 3-man operation, so we had to be flexible with our timing. I had to make a reservation an hour in advance during the evening peak. And for about SGD60 for 60 minutes of acupressure massage? We can no longer find massage of such standards and pricing in Singapore!
台湾足楽 [タイワンソクラク]
Japan, 〒380-0823 Nagano, Minamichitose, 1 Chome−２２−13 イツワ駅前ビル ２Ｆ
Parting Words
Admittedly, I was in Nagano for the sights and sounds around the city. As a result, my activities in Nagano revolved around my hotel, which was just a 5 minute walk from the JR train station. And guess what? That didn’t stop me from enjoying what the city has to offer!
The Zenkōji Temple and Zenkōji Nakamise Street leading up to it was mesmerizing even after it closed for the day. It sounds counterintuitive, yes, but if you want to experience something different from the usual tourist offering, then I’d say it was well worth it!
Food wise, Meijitei Nagano checked all the boxes I had for a pork cutlet rice bowl. In fact, I had it the next time I was back in Nagano half a year later. And I’m not even a pork lover! Nagano JR Station’s MIDORI mall also offered a wide range of food choices which didn’t disappoint either. Hanamaru Udon and Torimura were some of the places I had tried and found gratifying. Lastly, nothing beats a hearty massage after a day (or two) of exploring the mesmerizing Japanese alps.
If you enjoyed my trip reports, do check out my travelogues getting in touch with the nature of central Japan. Till then, stay wanderlust!
Singapore to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on ANA B787-9 Economy Class (NH842 SIN-HND): Trip review on the early flight out of the lion city to the land of the rising sun.
Hello Nagano: Sights and bites in Nagano in between day trips out of the city
[Review] 1-Day Kamikochi & Matsumoto Castle Tour (from Nagano / Matsumoto): Hiking in the land of the gods – in the rain.
Matsumoto in 10 hours: Visiting Japan’s 1 of 3 remaining original castles, and more.
Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen) in Nagano: No snow, no monkey?
All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, and edited with Google Photos.
