Where to go in the Japan Alps

Kanazawa

Slightly off the beaten track, Kanazawa is a small city close to the coast. It was for a time Japan's fourth largest city, known for rice production, weaving and gold leaf, but was somewhat left behind when industrialisation took over.

Takayama

In the heart of the Hida Mountains lies the beautifully preserved market town of Takayama, a place of narrow streets and shops and teahouses with overhanging roofs and latticed windows.

Nagano

Winter sports are a popular activity in the area around Nagano, a compact provincial city that hosted the Winter Olympics in 1998; an excellent public transport system and assorted Olympic buildings are the legacy of the Games.

Yudanaka Onsen

As many as 200 snow monkeys live in the proximity of Yudanaka Onsen, one of a string of onsen villages in the mountainous north of Nagano Prefecture.

Kamikochi National Park

Mountaineering and hiking are among the activities on offer in Kamikochi National Park, an idyllic spot in the Japan Alps.

Matsumoto

The laidback city of Matsumoto is one of the main gateways to the Japan Alps, lying stunningly in the shadow of seven enormous summits, many above 3000m, and the stunning highlands of Utsukushi-ga-hara-kōgen.