Activities In Hirugami
There are many things to enjoy in the rural setting of Hirugami Hot Springs.
Fresh fruits can be bought at the famous morning market which is held each day, or you can try fruit picking and eat the delicious fruits at farms. With river boat rides, skiing, golfing, and traditional craft making experiences, both short stay visitors and longer stay guests will have an enjoyable stay.
Tour
1Half day bus tours from Hirugami Hot Springs
Southern Nagano Excursion bus tour.
With courses that change monthly, you can enjoy the fun of each season with cherry blossom, temples, and fall foliage.
- Access from our hot spring
- Time required: 3 hours return (Courtesy shuttles from your accommodations available)
- Fee
- Adults 2,000 yen (including tax)
Elementary school students and younger 1,000 yen (including tax) - Season / Time
- All year round
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Reservation
- Required
- Contact
- Hirugami Onsen Tourism Bureau
2Japan starlit night tour
With the aid of a gondola lift, you will reach a garden at an altitude of 1,400 meters from where you can view the countless stars of the night sky, clearly visible without the light pollution of urban areas.
- Access from our hot spring
- 15 min by car
- Fee
- 2,200 yen
- Season
- Spring thru Fall
- Contact
- Hirugami Onsen Tourism Bureau
Shopping, fruits
3Hirugami Hot Springs morning market
A chance to buy delicious seasonal foods while chatting with the delightful local shopkeepers.
- Access from our hot spring
- In the hot spring area’s Asaichi Hiroba (Morning Market Square)
- Season
- All year round
- Contact
- Hirugami Onsen Tourism Bureau
4Fruit picking
Enjoy fruit picking in the small hamlet of Southern Nagano’s Achi Village overlooked by the Southern Japan Alps.
- Access from our hot spring
- 15 to 40 min by car
- Fee
- 1,000 to 2,500 yen
- Season
- Apples: Late Aug thru end Nov
Strawberries: Mid Jan thru mid may
Grapes: Mid Aug thru Sept
Cherries: June
Blueberry: Mid June thru mid Sept - Reservation
- Required
- Contact
- Hirugami Onsen Tourism Bureau
Nature
5Cherry blossom tree bus tour
- Access from our hot spring
- Time required: 3 hours return (Courtesy shuttles from your accommodations available)
- Fee
- Adults 2,000 yen (including tax)
Elementary school students and younger 1,000 yen (including tax) - Season / Time
- Early thru late April
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Reservation
- Required
- Contact
- Hirugami Onsen Tourism Bureau
6Peach blossom grove
From late April until early May, about 5,000 peach blossoms turn this area into a paradise.
- Access from our hot spring
- 15 min by car
- Fee
- Admission free. Paid parking
- Season
- Late April to early May
- Contact
- Hirugami Onsen Tourism Bureau
7Mountains of the Japan Alps
The famous 3,000-meter peaks of the Central and Southern Japan Alps stand before you.
8Gondola lift (Heaven’s Sonohara ski area)
In spring, Asian skunk cabbage bloom while, in summer, you can enjoy the cool air and flowers. The elevation accentuates the magnificent fall foliage during fall season. During winter this is a skier-only resort where you can see Hello Kitty.
- Access from our hot spring
- 15 min by car
- Season
- Four seasons
- Contact
- +81 265-44-2311
Outdoor Activities
9Skiing
Three different ski areas are within a twenty-minute drive. You can ski, snowboard, try sledding, or simply play in the snow.
- Access from our hot spring
- 20 min by car
- Season
- Winter
10Golfing — Araragi Country Club
Hill course. Developed on a plateau at an altitude of 1,200 meters with courses separated by Japanese white birch and larch trees.
- Access from our hot spring
- 20 min by car
- Season
- Spring thru fall
- Contact
- +81 265-44-2311
11Rafting on the Tenryu River
Known for being the famous downriver course in Central Japan. Two courses available to enjoy: a beautiful gorge or rapid river riding.
- Access from our hot spring
- Courtesy shuttles from your accommodations available)
(Morning only)
20 to 30 min by car - Fee
- 2,400 to 2,900 yen
- Season
- All year round
- Reservation
- Required
- Contact
- Hirugami Onsen Tourism Bureau
12Japan Alps mountain climbing and hiking
The mountains of the Japan Alps can be climbed. Among others, you can use Japan’s highest gondola lifts to access one of Japan’s 100 famous mountains, Mt. Kiso Komagatake (2,956 m) from where you can see Mt. Fuji.
- Access from our hot spring
- 1 hour 30 min by car or bus to the trailhead
- Fee
- 800 yen from Komagane station to the trailhead
- Season
- June thru October (As far as top gondola lift is possible all seasons)
Traditional Culture
13Making soba (buckwheat noodles) experience
This class welcomes even those who have no experience at all with soba. A professional will be at your side to carefully offer guidance. You get the chance to eat your soba creation when finished.
- Access from our hot spring
- Within the hot spring area
- Fee
- 3,000 yen (serving up to four people)
- Season
- All year round
- Reservation
- Required
- Contact
- +81 265-43-3930
14Tsumago post town
You will get the sense of an Edo period street in this classic example of an ancient Japanese post town. Hiking sections of old road to Tsumago is extremely popular amongst foreign travelers.
- Access from our hot spring
- 25 min by car
- Fee
- Admission free. Paid parking
- Season
- All year round
- Contact
- +81 264-57-3123
15Magome post town
Differing only in the flagstones spread out along the sloping street, stands with Tsumago as a typical example of an ancient Japanese post town.
- Access from our hot spring
- 25 min Express bus ride and 2 km stroll
- Fee
- Admission free
- Season
- All year round
- Contact
- +81 573-69-2336
16Mizuhiki decorative crafts
The exhibition, sales, and experience of making these wire crafts are an old tradition continued in the Iida area of Nagano Prefecture.
- Access from our hot spring
- 15 min by car
- Fee
- Admission free
- Season
- All year round