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| Nagano Famil |
Wendy Wu Tours’ Samantha Stewart was among a group of international travel agents invited to explore the culinary delights of Nagano, around 250 kilometres north-west of Tokyo.
Accompanied by Helen Wong, the Nagano Tourism Organization’s Australian representative, the group discovered that experiencing Nagano is as much about tasting its local flavours and learning traditional skills as it is about visiting its famous attractions.
The journey featured historic walking routes, traditional Japanese cuisine, regional sake, local specialities and a memorable Shogun Dinner inspired by the feudal lords who travelled along the historic Nakasendo Trail centuries ago.
A Shogun Dinner Fit for a Feudal Lord
One of the highlights was an atmospheric Shogun Dinner inspired by the feudal lords who travelled along the historic Nakasendo Trail centuries ago.
Held at Onyado Tsutaya in the Kiso Valley, the beautifully presented multi-course banquet provided a taste of the refined dining traditions associated with Japan’s feudal era while highlighting the quality and diversity of Nagano’s regional produce.
The experience demonstrated how Nagano can transform dinner into much more than a meal. Here, culinary experiences are closely connected with history, geography and local traditions, creating memorable encounters for visitors seeking authentic Japan.
Helen Wong said the group experienced a collection of culinary products that complemented Nagano’s established attractions, including the Nakasendo Trail, Zenkoji Temple, the Central Alps and the prefecture’s renowned outdoor experiences.
For international visitors, these experiences provide an opportunity to combine sightseeing with a deeper understanding of the places they visit.
Making Soba the Traditional Way
Food was not simply served to the visiting travel agents. They were also invited to get involved.
During a hands-on soba making workshop, the group learned the traditional techniques used to create one of Japan’s best-known noodle dishes.
Under the guidance of experienced local instructors, participants mixed buckwheat flour, kneaded the dough, rolled it out and carefully hand-cut the noodles.
The experience offered an insight into the patience and craftsmanship behind traditional Japanese food, while giving travel professionals a practical experience they can share with future travellers.
For visitors to Nagano, a soba-making class can provide an enjoyable alternative to simply dining in a restaurant, allowing them to participate in a culinary tradition that has been passed down through generations.
A Culinary Journey Through the Kiso Valley
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| Shogan Dinner |
The group sampled a traditional chestnut rice dish before continuing to Onyado Tsutaya for the Shogun Dinner.
The itinerary then introduced the agents to more of Nagano’s distinctive food and drink experiences.
A visit to Yukawa Sake Brewery provided an opportunity to discover the region’s sake-making traditions, while lunch at Meijitei in Komagane featured sauce katsu don, a local speciality that has become synonymous with the area.
Dinner at Hotel Linx Komagane continued the culinary theme with another regional favourite: apple-fed pork.
Together, these experiences illustrated the enormous variety of Nagano cuisine, from buckwheat noodles and rice dishes to pork, sake and carefully prepared multi-course Japanese meals.
Nagano: More Than a Winter Destination
Nagano is internationally recognised for its mountains and ski resorts and gained global attention when it hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics.
For many Australian travellers, the prefecture remains strongly associated with snow holidays and winter sports. Yet the recent culinary familiarisation trip highlighted an important opportunity for Nagano: attracting visitors throughout the year.
The combination of mountains, cultural heritage, outdoor adventure, historic towns, temples and regional cuisine gives Nagano strong appeal beyond the winter season.
Spring brings changing landscapes and fresh produce, summer opens the door to hiking and outdoor adventures, autumn offers spectacular mountain scenery and seasonal food, while winter continues to attract skiers and snow enthusiasts from around the world.
This year-round appeal makes Nagano particularly attractive for travellers who want to experience a different side of Japan.
Why Australian Travellers Are Discovering Nagano
Australia is already an important market for Japan, with Australians ranking second worldwide for overnight stays in Japan based on bed nights, according to figures cited by the Japan Tourism Agency.
More than 128,000 overnight stays by Australians were recorded during the first four months of 2026, with only Taiwan recording a higher figure during the period.
For Australian travellers who have already experienced Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, Nagano offers an opportunity to explore a quieter and more immersive side of Japan.
Helen Wong believes the prefecture has a particularly strong proposition for travellers looking to venture beyond Japan’s major tourism centres.
She described Nagano as a destination where every meal tells a story, ingredients have a local connection and dining experiences become part of the journey.
That connection between food and place is increasingly important for travellers seeking meaningful experiences rather than simply ticking destinations off a sightseeing list.
The Nakasendo Trail Adds a Historic Dimension
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| Nagano Famil |
The ancient route once connected Kyoto and Edo, now Tokyo, and passed through mountain settlements and valleys that retain elements of their historic character.
Travelling through the Kiso Valley allows visitors to experience an evocative part of Japan’s past while enjoying local cuisine and traditional hospitality.
Combining a section of the Nakasendo Trail with regional dining, a soba-making workshop and visits to historic and cultural attractions can create a highly distinctive itinerary for travellers wanting to experience Japan beyond the conventional tourist trail.
Authentic Experiences for the Modern Traveller
The Nagano familiarisation trip highlights an important shift in contemporary Japanese tourism.
Visitors increasingly want to participate rather than simply observe. They want to meet local people, learn traditional skills, taste regional ingredients and understand the stories behind the places they visit.
Nagano is particularly well suited to this style of travel.
A day might begin with a walk through a historic mountain town, continue with a soba-making experience, include a visit to a sake brewery and finish with a traditional multi-course dinner.
The result is a journey in which the destination is experienced through all the senses.
For travel agents, these experiences also provide valuable opportunities to recommend itineraries that extend beyond the familiar Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka circuit.
A Delicious Reason to Explore Nagano
Nagano’s appeal has traditionally been built around its mountains, ski resorts, temples, trails and outdoor adventures. Its culinary traditions now provide another compelling reason to visit.
From the historic Nakasendo Trail and Kiso Valley to Zenkoji Temple and the Central Alps, the prefecture combines cultural heritage and spectacular landscapes with food deeply connected to local communities.
The recent international travel trade visit demonstrated that Nagano can offer much more than a winter escape.
For Australian travellers searching for authentic Japanese experiences, regional cuisine, hands-on activities, historic journeys and spectacular mountain scenery, Nagano presents an enticing alternative to Japan’s better-known destinations.
Perhaps the greatest lesson from the Shogun Dinner is that in Nagano, eating is not simply part of the journey. It is the journey.
For travellers willing to venture beyond Japan’s major cities, Nagano offers a delicious opportunity to discover a side of Japan where history is served alongside the food, traditions remain alive and every meal can become a memorable travel experience.
Nagano Tourism Organization
Website: Go Nagano – Nagano Prefecture Official Tourism Website
Email: kokusai@nagano-tabi.net
Phone: +81 26-234-7205
Address: Nagano Tourism Organization, 131-4 Okadamachi, Nakagosho, Nagano City, Nagano 380-0936, Japan.
Wendy Wu Tours Australia
Website: Wendy Wu Tours Australia
Email: careers@wendywutours.com.au
Phone: 1300 727 998
Address: Level 8, 92 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.
For travel trade resources and media information about Nagano, the Nagano Tourism Organization provides dedicated resources for travel agencies and media.
For more travel inspiration read the daily online "The Holiday and Travel Magazine" https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com/
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