⛩️⛄️ Togakushi Shrine – Nagano
A mysterious power spot tucked away in the depths of ancient cedar trees
⛩️ Togakushi Shrine is famous as one of the top power spot in Japan.
Located at the foot of the sacred mountain Togakushi, it is consisting of five shrines, Okusha, Chusha, Hokosha, Kuzuryusha, and Hinomikosha, and is said to have a history of about 2000 years.
The approach to the main shrine, Okusha, is lined with 500 meters of cedar trees over 400 years old, and the solemn atmosphere is overwhelming.
⛄️🥾 As we visited in early January, Okusha was surrounded by beautiful snow scenery. It is closed during the deep winter, so we recommend checking the official website in advance.
It takes about an hour and a half round trip from the entrance to Okusha. The snow is packed down near the entrance, so it is relatively easy to walk, but it is very slippery and the slope is steep at the very back, so be careful. It is safe to go with snow equipment such as snowshoes and poles.
📝It is a very popular spot for foreigners as you can experience the sacred beauty of ancient Japan.
⛩️We also visited Chusha Shrine, the largest of the five shrines, located in the middle area.
In the grounds, there is a sacred tree over 700 years old and three cedar trees over 800 years old. There are stone steps to the main shrine, but it’s not as steep as you might think. There are soba restaurants, Japanese-style inns, bamboo craft shops, coffee shops, souvenir shops in the surrounding area, and there is also a bus from Nagano Station to Chusha Shrine, so it is easily accessible.
🍴Nagano Prefecture is famous for soba noodles, which is made of buckwheat. In the area, Togakushi soba is espacially famous, counted as one of the three great soba in Japan. So, of course we had it for lunch. The handcrafted soba after walking through the snow felt especially delicious, and was a highlight of our day.
📅Visited 6/Jan/2025
📍 Togakushi Shrine – Nagano
(戸隠神社 – 長野)
[Togakushi Shrine]
🚗 About 40 minutes by car from JR Nagano Station
🚌 About 1 hour by bus from JR Nagano Station
Chusha: Get off at Chusha-miyamae / Okusha: Get off at Okusha (does not stop in winter)
Address: 3506 Togakushi Nakasha, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture
Parking: Available
🕐Opening hours: Always open
Closed: No closing days
Admission: Free
💻Official Web Site: https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp
⛄️Snow at Okusha: From early December to the first week of January (this year, Okusha will be closed from January 7th)
🍴[Soba noodles restaurant]
“Soba no Mi”
🥾About 11 minute walk from Chusha Shrine
Address: 3510-25 Togakushi, Nagano City, 381-4101
Official Web Site: https://sobanomi.co.jp
🎧✨Hotaru “Declining Sun”
#Hotaru #Snowwalk #Nagano #TogakushiShrine #Togakushi #長野 #戸隠神社