[13 Recommended Places to Stay by Area in Nagano] Great Bases for Exploring the Hot Springs and History of Mountainous Nagano

A hot spring resort hotel in Nagiso Town, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture. Nagiso is a nature-rich town where forests cover Approx. 94% of the total area.
The hotel’s biggest appeal is its hot springs, where you can soak while taking in sweeping mountain views.
It is equipped with open-air baths, large public baths, and private baths. The hot spring water is known for its smooth texture, like a moisturizing lotion.
The restaurant serves buffet-style meals. You can fully enjoy Shinshu specialties such as “sanzoku-yaki,” along with local dishes and creative seasonal menu items made with regional ingredients.

“Forest Dome Kiso Komakogen” is an accommodation facility in Kiso Town, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture.
It is a glamping facility located on the grounds of the adjacent “Kisokomakogen Mori no Hotel.”
Set on a highland at the foot of Mt. Kisokoma, it offers glamping in a natural environment surrounded by nature.
The lodging area features dome-shaped tents made in Poland, and each can accommodate up to 4 guests.

Located near the center of Magome-juku, “Minshuku Magome Chaya” is an international guesthouse that recreates the atmosphere of an Edo-period post town.
There are 13 rooms in total (six 6-tatami rooms, five 8-tatami rooms, and two 10-tatami rooms), all simple yet traditionally designed with tatami flooring.
Another notable feature is the large number of international visitors and long-term foreign guests in addition to Japanese travelers, and one-time, chance encounters often lead to international交流 in the shared lounge, washrooms, kitchen, and laundry area.

A glamping facility in Iijima Town, Kamiina District, Nagano Prefecture.
It stands in a forest at an elevation of Approx. 850 meters, with views of Nagano’s Central Alps and Southern Alps.
Set in a mountain-surrounded location, it offers views of a star-filled sky at night. It is a place to stay where you can enjoy a stay in harmony with nature.
There are four dome-shaped tents on the grounds in total. Guest rooms come in two types: standard and ones with a tent sauna.

A hot spring ryokan perched on a hill in Hirugami Onsen, the largest hot spring resort area in southern Shinshu.
Across its expansive 3,000-tsubo grounds, 17 sukiya-style guest rooms stand in a row, with a tasteful garden spreading out beyond the engawa verandas.
From special rooms with private hot springs to spacious two-room suites, every guest room is thoughtfully designed, each with its own distinct atmosphere and furnishings.
Another major feature of the inn is the Noh stage in front of the lobby, made entirely of Japanese cypress and roofed with cypress bark.

A hot spring inn in the quiet mountain hot spring area of Hirugami Onsen, located at the southern tip of Shinshu.
All guest rooms are on the fourth floor or higher, and every room overlooks the clear waters of the Achi River and the Hirugami Onsen town.
The inn is located in Achi Village, which has been recognized by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment as having “the best starry sky in Japan,” making it an ideal place to enjoy Achi’s night sky.
The bathing facilities include indoor large public baths, open-air baths, and private baths.

A long-established hot spring ryokan on the shore of Lake Suwa in Nagano, with over 100 years of history. Located in the heart of Kamisuwa Onsen, it boasts an excellent location with beautiful lake views.
It began around 1905, when the first owner opened a public bathhouse, and it has a history of contributing to local culture, with many Japanese painters and calligraphers staying here and creating works.
A distinctive feature of the inn is its 100% natural moor hot spring water from a private source that springs from Approx. 100 meters underground.

“Yatsugatake PRIVATEWOODS NADA” is an accommodation facility in Chino City, Nagano Prefecture.
It is a glamping facility set in a virgin forest at an elevation of Approx. 1,100 meters at the foot of Yatsugatake.
There are three cabins on the vast grounds. Each one can be reserved for private use.
The cabins, each with a wood deck that ensures a private space, are Approx. 80 square meters.
The open space is also fully equipped with air conditioning and heating.

A ryokan in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture, featuring free-flowing natural hot spring baths and Japanese-style spaces overlooking a garden.
The soft simple sulfur spring is popular for leaving the skin feeling smooth.
In addition to indoor baths, you can enjoy soaking in open-air baths facing the garden, surrounded by seasonal scenery.
Guest rooms are centered on calm Japanese-style rooms, including some designed to let you relax while viewing the garden.

The central four-story wooden Saigetsuro building, built in 1936, and the grand hall are still used today in nearly their original form.
While the architecture has the solemn craftsmanship unique to shrine and temple carpenters, playful touches can be found throughout, making you feel as if you have traveled back to the early Showa period.
There are 29 guest rooms in total, all traditional Japanese-style rooms.

A long-established hot spring inn founded in 1931, set in a valley Approx. 30 minutes by car from central Matsumoto.
Located at an elevation of 1,050 meters within a quasi-national park, it has welcomed guests for over 90 years in a soothing space surrounded by greenery.
In 2008, it joined Relais & Chateaux, whose membership is limited to properties that pass a rigorous screening process, and it has also received Kushi Macrobiotic certification and Green Key certification.

Located right in front of Kappabashi Bridge, the central landmark of Kamikochi, one of Japan’s leading scenic destinations, and just a 5-minute walk from the bus terminal.
It is conveniently located near spots such as Taisho Pond and Myojin Pond, making it a practical base for exploring Kamikochi.
The hotel offers a range of room types, including rooms with sweeping views of the Hotaka Mountain Range filling the windows and refined rooms that blend Japanese and modern styles.

Opened in 1933 as Japan’s first full-scale mountain resort hotel.
Its red triangular roof and log cabin-style exterior remain unchanged from the time it opened, and beyond the doors awaits a warm wooden interior centered around the hotel’s symbolic fireplace.
The hotel also offers a full range of facilities, including restaurants, for an elegant stay surrounded by magnificent nature.
There are 74 guest rooms in total, with seven room types ranging from mountain-lodge-style rooms that make use of the sloped roofline in the ceiling design to suites with living rooms.