Nagano Archives - Myoko House & Myoko Apartments

There are a few things to consider when travelling to Myoko. One is deciding if a car is of benefit to you. If the answer is “yes” there are a few more important things to consider when it comes to car rental in Myoko.

If the amazing snow is number one on the list of reasons to visit Myoko during winter, then the number of resorts you’ll have access to is a close second. At Myoko House, we provide free morning transfers daily to Akakan, Akakura Onsen, Ikenotaira and Suginohara. From there, it’s either a simple walk or a short bus ride home. Beyond that, there’s a selection of ski resorts you can visit easily by bus, such as Lotte Arai, Madarao, Tangram, Seki Onsen and others (As Myoko Apartments is a fully self-contained accommodation, we recommend guests have their own transport).

While the above is enough for some, others prefer the ease of a car, which also opens up other possibilities as easy day trips; Togakushi, Kurohime, Nozawa Onsen, Togari Onsen, Shiga Kogen, Kijimadaira, etc.

A car provides greater freedom and with so much choice, it’s quite a good option for many. But if you decide having a car is the right option, there are a few important things to consider first when it comes to car rental in Myoko Kogen and the surrounding area.

Please see the bottom of this page for detailed transfer/parking inclusions at both Myoko House and Myoko Apartments as they vary according to the property.

Car Rental in Myoko

Picking up a car at Nagano Station or Joetsumyoko Station is typically the best way to go (although there is a local Myoko Kogen option opening in time for the 2024/25 season). From Nagano or Joetsumyoko, it’s a drive of between 30 and 60 minutes to Myoko House and Myoko Apartments, depending upon snow conditions. Check out our Getting Here page for exact details.

There are a few important things to consider when driving to Myoko;

As mentioned above, it’s a good idea to rent from Nagano. They’ll already know the conditions in which you’re about to drive. If you rent in Tokyo or another city that sees only a little snow, you might get stung with steep extras for winter tyres, etc., or perhaps they won’t be included at all which is dangerous.
Always, “yes” to the question of winter tyres and/or 4WD.
you will need an international driver’s license
Japan has a 0.00 BAC policy on its roads
we have squeegees, scrapers and shovels at Myoko House and Myoko Apartments to clear your windscreen and dig you out after a dump.

Please see below for transfer/parking inclusions at both Myoko House and Myoko Apartments as they vary according to the property.

If you have any other questions whatsoever about travelling to Myoko please don’t hesitate to get in touch and ask us. We’re always here to answer any questions, any time of the day, week, month or year!

Transfer/Parking Details for Myoko House (see Myoko Apartments below)

For those who won’t be driving, we provide free pick-up and drop-off to/from Myoko Kogen Station at the beginning and end of your stay (strictly no earlier than 3 pm on the day of check-in and no later than 10:30 am on the day of check out), and free transfers to one of the four main resorts each morning (Akakura Kanko, Akakura Onsen, Ikenotaira, Suginohara), if required. There is a bus stop 350 metres up the street for access to other resorts. Getting home from the resorts of an afternoon typically involves either a bus or an easy walk of less than 1km. We will provide other transfer requests when possible, such as dinner transfers.

All guests please note; on days of particularly heavy snow, the train from Nagano may run only as far as Kurohime Station. We are unable to do pick-ups or drop-offs from/to Kurohime. When this is the case, a taxi to or from Kurohime will probably be your best option. We can help you organise this.

Parking Details for Myoko Apartments

Myoko Apartments guests have free parking directly in front of the property. We strongly advise that guests hire a car from Nagano rather than Tokyo as this will ensure no hidden costs relating to not having winter tyres included and that your insurance covers snow conditions.

Transfers are not included. If you need help hiring a car or have any other enquiries, please feel free to ask. The closest bus stop is 350 metres from Myoko Apartments.

Akakura Kanko – 800m, Akakura Onsen – 1.5km, Ikenotaira – 2.3km, Suginohara – 5.8km, Kurohime – 9km, Tangram – 12.7km, Madarao – 17.5km, Lotte Arai – 22.5km, 27.1km, Nozawa Onsen – 43.2km.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions.
Email us at hello@myokohouse.com or call Nathan on +81 7044030103 or Akiko on +81 8081567346.

A visit to Myoko holds of things to do. In the winter months, mostly ski or ride! During the Green Season, hiking, biking, etc. However, day trips from Myoko can really break things up quite well.

Day Trips from Myoko

Likewise, visiting during the quieter, warmer months means it’s a bit easier to hit the road (less stress of driving on the snowy roads, fewer people around, etc.).

Increasingly, guests are seeing Myoko as a break between the mad tourism of the bigger areas. Hiking, biking, yoga and just generally hanging out with the family beneath the green mountains keep smiles on faces. Turning to winter and I don’t think we need to do much reinforcement of awesomeness there! We all know the magic of Myoko’s powder!

What about Myoko House as a base to explore some other fantastic areas of this increasingly popular country? Where the Niigata and Nagano Prefectures (and slightly beyond) are concerned, Myoko makes the perfect spot.

Check out a few easily accessible day trips from Myoko House.

Nagano

It makes sense to begin with our closest city. Nagano is just up the road, really. Only about 30km away, the city which hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics is home to something truly special within Japan; Zenkoji.

Zenkoji Temple remains one of the most important to Japanese culture. It is truly unique in that it holds the first-ever Buddhist statue brought to Japan. This particular statue is kept well hidden, however, a replica is shown to the public every six years. The next opportunity will be in 2021.

The famous temple is also unique for a different reason. Founded during the 7th Century, Zenkoji resulted in the establishment of Nagano city around it. It would be far more typical for a temple to be erected within an existing substantial population.

Zenkoji holds plenty for both the Buddhist devotee and the casual observer alike. From ornate statues and a dark, underground passage where visitors search for the “key to paradise”, to the restaurants and stalls which surround it selling local specialties, souvenirs and some truly delicious meals. You’d be doing yourself a disservice to visit this part of town without visiting Fujiya Gohonjin for lunch.

Beyond Zenkoji and its surrounding market streets, there’s one other place to check out in Nagano; Round 1. This is especially handy if you have kids with some extra energy to burn. Here you’ll find games, karaoke, table tennis, baseball batting and pitching practice, 52 bowling lanes, the list goes on…

Matsumoto

Mention of Matsumoto makes most people think of one thing; Matsumoto Castle. With good reason. It’s beautiful. For a minimal fee, visitors will usually be offered the opportunity to go up inside the castle and check it out thoroughly. Adults and kids alike will be fascinated to see all the defence mechanisms employed within the wooden interior of this authentic castle. The viewing area on the sixth floor of the main keep also offers some pretty cool views of the city and the surrounding landscape.

If all that isn’t enough, you can get your photo taken with these folks who really seem like they know how to get into the spirit of things. Particularly the bloke with the sword!

Togakushi Shrine

The drive itself to Togakushi is worth the effort on its own. Togakushi Shrine is under 30km from Akakura, the road winding through forest and farmland with fresh vege stalls and cafes along the way. There’s a lower, a middle and an upper shrine within the forest. Of particular note is the path to the upper shrine which is lined by over 300 huge cryptomeria trees.

If the natural beauty and specialty soba restaurants aren’t enough for you when visiting Togakushi, it’s got more… The Togakure Ninpo Museum is devoted to the local ninja school and there’s also the Kids Ninja Village! Of course, in winter, the ski resort is worth checking out too.

Tokamachi

Technically, you don’t actually need to go to (the centre of) Tokamachi to reach the attractions concerned in this post. On your way towards Tokamchi (through Iiyama), there are turn-offs to both Kiyotsu Gorge and Bijin Bayashi Forest.

Located in the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, Niigata Prefecture, Kiyotsu is a volcanic gorge with some unique rock formations which appear quite similar to the more famous walls of Takachiho Gorge in Kyushu. Along the 750m tunnel built to view the gorge are four viewing points. So it’s really no stretch physically, especially considering the walk is all but dead flat.

Like most places which see more Japanese tourists than foreign, Kiyotsu Gorge is busiest on a Sunday. Perhaps you’ll want to pick a weekday. It’s a particularly popular spot for viewing autumn colours but the inviting waters also make it an awesome place to cool off in summer.

Bijin Bayashi (“Beautiful Woman Forest”) gets its name due to the fact the 90-year-old beech trees which fill it are said to resemble beautiful women. Whether you see that resemblance or not, the beauty of the forest is undeniable. Many local tourists bring their cameras back to visit during the different seasons and see the four distinct personalities of the forest.

Kanazawa

Kanazawa is the furthest from Myoko on this list. However, those with a JR rail pass will have no trouble getting to the city quite quickly. We’ve seen guests turn Kanazawa into a day trip over the winter season just past and all came back with smiles. Those who would prefer to drive may like to turn it into an overnight, with the road trip taking about 2.5 hours each way.

The city has been enjoying an increase in tourism in recent years, owing to both the Shinkansen line (the same which runs through Nagano and Joestumyoko) and the comparisons to Kyoto. Many things people love about Kyoto they will find on a smaller scale in the much quieter city of Kanazawa.

Like Kyoto, Kanazawa too escaped damage during the air raids of WWII. Earlier, during the Edo Period, the city’s Maeda clan were second only to the Tokugawa in terms of feudal power. As such, the city enjoys more than its share of cultural attractions. Many call the gardens of Kenrokuen the most beautiful in all of Japan, while much of the old town remains in very good condition. There’s also Kanazawa Castle, the old Chaya entertainment districts, strong samurai culture and some amazing places to eat!

Kanazawa is truly an important cultural centre continuing to provide an alternative to places like Kyoto in the face of increasing tourism numbers. As tourism recovers in the wake of COVID-19 and with the rescheduled Olympics, Kanazawa will be one of the leaders in attracting people back to Japan.

Of course, there are others…

It almost seems rude to write a post about day trips from Myoko and not mention three of our favourites; Kusatsu Onsen, (Hida) Takayama and Nozawa Onsen. But I think we’ll give them the attention they deserve and save them for their own special future post!

We’re looking forward to when COVID-19 is but a bad but important memory and lesson. We hope to see people return, not only to Myoko but to Japan in general. Feel free to hit us up with any questions related to Myoko and accommodation or advice for travel beyond to all parts of Japan. We’ve each worked in tourism for many years and hold both formal travel qualifications and a passion for exploration.

(We also didn’t mention the Snow Monkeys!)

Tag: Nagano

Car Rental in Myoko Kogen & Surrounds