Zenkoji Temple

Zenkoji Temple has long been loved by people, with the saying "visit Zenkoji Temple at least once in your lifetime." It is said that if you touch the key during the "Okaidan Meguri" walk through the darkness below the main hall, you will be able to enter paradise.

Ueda Castle

Ueda Castle was built on flat land in 1583 (Tensho 11) by Masayuki Sanada, a former retainer of the Takeda clan of Kai. It is famous as the site of the Battle of Ueda, in which Sanada Masayuki repelled two attacks by the Tokugawa army.During the Edo period, the Ueda clan's administrative office was located here, and after the Sanada clan was transferred to Matsushiro in Shinano Province, the Sengoku clan moved into the castle and rebuilt the destroyed Ueda Castle to its current appearance.

Mount Obasute（obasute-yama）

One theory about the origin of the name is that the foot of this mountain was widely inhabited by the "Ohasebeuji (Ohatsuse) ," a tribe that worshipped Prince Onagatani (Emperor Buretsu) since before the Nara period. It is believed that the name was corrupted from the name of an ancient Japanese clan, the "Kohasebe clan," to become "Ohatsuse," and that the name remained as the place name Hase in the northern end, before becoming established as "Obaste" in the southwest. This is similar to the term "Ohatsuse pilgrimage" which refers to a visit to Hasedera Temple in Hatsuse-cho, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture.

The mountain is located at an altitude of 1,252 meters, and has long been known as a place where you can see the beauty of the moon reflected on the rice terraces, hence the name "Tagoto no Tsuki." It has been designated as a national place of scenic beauty and selected as an important cultural landscape.

rice terraces of Obasute

[The village of the harvest moon where lights shine on the rice terraces] Famous as one of Japan's three great harvest moon viewing locations
Obasute has approximately 2,000 sheets rice terraces remaining. The sight of the moon reflected on the rice terraces when they are filled with water in the spring is called "Tagoto Moon" and has been famous since ancient times. This place was first mentioned in the Kokin Wakashū poetry anthology, where it is known as the home of the beautiful moon, and has since been a favorite destination of many writers and artists, including Matsuo Basho. In order to preserve the splendor of the landscape and its historical value for future generations, it was the first rice terrace in Japan to be designated as a national place of scenic beauty.

Chishikiji Temple

The main hall, Omido, was founded in 1573. Its structure retains the distinctive features of the Muromachi period and has been designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Additionally, "the Eleven-Headed Kannon Standing Statue enshrined" in the Daimido Hall dates back to the late Heian period and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. There are also large trees with autumn foliage, so you can enjoy fresh greenery and autumn leaves throughout the year. From the end of June to July, hydrangeas bloom in the temple grounds, and the temple is also known as the "Hydrangea Temple."

Nagano Prefectural Shinano Art Museum, Higashiyama Kaiikan

The Higashiyama Kaii Museum was built adjacent to the Nagano Prefectural Shinano Art Museum after Nagano Prefecture received a donation of works and related books from Japanese painter Higashiyama Kaii (1908-1999), and opened in April 1990. The collection currently consists of 960 pieces. We change our exhibits approximately once every two months, allowing visitors to enjoy the world of Higashiyama art, where "landscape is a mirror of the soul."

Kawanakajima Battlefield

The fighting here was the fiercest, and brave generals such as Vice-General Takeda Tenkyu Nobushige and Yamamoto Kansuke were killed in action. The ancient Hachiman Shrine stands quietly in the pine forest of the historic park, and within the grounds are statues of the two heroes, Shingen and Kenshin, engaged in one-on-one combat, a monument marking the site of the 三太刀七太刀之跡の碑 (Mi-tachi Nana-tachi Monument) and mounds where the heads of those killed in battle and those executed are buried.

Hokusai-kan Museum

Obuse is a special town where Hokusai,the Mad Painter stayed for a long time in his later years and where he created the culmination of his 70-year career as an artist. The Hokusai-kan Museum opened in November 1976 with these two festival floats with their ceiling paintings and the original paintings that have been passed down for a long time. To mark the 15th anniversary of its opening, a major expansion was carried out in 1991, and the expansion and renovation have now been completed as part of the 30th anniversary projects.Through this renovation, the museum now offers a wide range of Hokusai's artistic work on display.