HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Discover Nagano’s Tenryu Riverlands
Enjoy tea picking and rafting on the Tenryu River in summer, and the Shimotsuki Festival and local sake tasting in winter
Minami Shinshu Tourism Bureau
Embark on a two-day adventure where nature and culture harmonize beautifully in the heart of the Tenryu River basin. Flowing down from Japan’s Southern Alps, the Tenryu River traverses over 200 kilometers through the heart of the mountainous region. This river shapes the region’s identity and bestows blessings upon the riverside lands.
Your summer journey begins with exhilarating rafting on the river. After an adventure-filled day, enjoy a barbecue dinner under the starry sky. You will also experience traditional riverboat travel and tea picking at the scenic terraced rice fields of Nakaisamurai in Nagano Prefecture.
Your winter journey involves participating in the traditional Shimotsuki Festival deep in the Japanese mountains. This festival, known as the Shimotsuki Matsuri, celebrates the long-held belief that the region is inhabited by a large number of spirits—a belief you will see manifest that night as residents commune with those spirits, including their ancestors, through dance and raucous celebration.
On the second day, you will enjoy a guided tour of the modern brewery, followed by a guided sake tasting. Since sake is brewed in the winter, this is the ideal time to visit, observe the brewing process, and sample the finest seasonal sake.
Whether in summer or in winter, the overall experience and the photographs you capture are certain to be among the most treasured of your time in Japan.
How to get there
From Tokyo Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Toyohashi Station (about 1 hour and 20 minutes). From there, take the JR Iida Line to Tenryukyo Station (about 2 hours and 30 minutes).
From Shin-Osaka Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Nagoya Station (about 50 minutes), then take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Toyohashi Station (about 25 minutes). From there, take the JR Iida Line to Tenryukyo Station (about 2 hours and 30 minutes).
Meet your guide at Tenryukyo Station.
Iida-shi, Nagano-ken
