Summary
A 2-day/1-night solo trip to Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture and the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route in Toyama Prefecture.
Here is the plan for day 1…On day 1, we went sightseeing in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture.
Omachi City is located in the northwestern part of Nagano and is famous as the gateway to the Nagano side of the Alpine Route. It takes about 4.5 hours by bus from Shinjuku without any transfers! 👌
Omachi City is one of the most mountainous areas in Japan and has a strong relationship with mountains. Surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, we spent a day experiencing the history of Omachi City and the warmth of its people✨.
The second day of the tour, Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, is also scheduled to be released, so please take a look at that as well 😊.
*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.
Travel Itinerary
8:00am Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal（新宿高速バスターミナル）
First, we will take an express bus from Shinjuku to Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture! It was early in the morning so I was a little sleepy 💤 lol
I was excited to wake up and see the spectacular nature outside the window while getting some sleep during the trip! ✨
About 4.5 hours by bus. No transfers are required.
View from the car window
Spot Outline
Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, located in Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, is a transportation terminal that integrates a railroad station, an express bus terminal, and a cab boarding area. With many night buses arriving and departing, it is regarded by users as a convenient location. It is also known as a recommended spot to enjoy the night view of Shinjuku from the pedestrian plaza, buy a drink at a café, and enjoy conversation until just before the last train. However, please note that the direct ticket gates close after 24:00.
12:06pm Shinano-Ōmachi Station（信濃大町駅）
We arrived at Shinano-Omachi Station! At first, we decided to have lunch and proceeded to the shopping street. Surrounded by mountains, this Omachi city is a very peaceful town with a population of about 26,000 people. ☺︎
Just walking through the arcade is fun~!
shopping district
Shopping arcade
There were a few closed stores here and there, but the arcades made it easy to walk around!
Spot Outline
Shinano-Omachi Station is located in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture, on the East Japan Railway Oito Line. Surrounded by mountains, the town has a peaceful atmosphere. However, please note that there are no restaurants or convenience stores in front of the station.
12:30pm Ouchi Gohan Hotto（おうちごはんホッと）
Lunch at Ouchi Gohan Hotto where you can enjoy home-style dishes such as Kurobe Dam Curry and set meals 🍽.
This time, I ordered the Kurobe Dam Curry (1,320 yen)! It was a delicious curry with a homey and comforting taste 😋.
The 400g of rice represents a weir, the vegetable part represents the unexplored region of Kurobe, and the handmade hamburger steak represents a sightseeing boat! It’s interesting that the toppings properly represent the dam ✨.
A dessert of grape jelly was included.
Exterior
Interior
Clean and bright interior
Menu
Daily set menus at reasonable prices are also popular.
The water is delicious!
Surrounded by mountains, Shinano-Omachi has very good water. It is a good companion for curry!
Spot Outline
Ouchi Gohan Hotto is a restaurant in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture, where you can enjoy handmade home-style cooking. In particular, the Kurobe Dam Curry features an interesting design, with 400 grams of rice topped with a weir, a vegetable portion representing the unexplored region of Kurobe, and a handmade hamburger steak representing a sightseeing boat. It also comes with a grape jelly dessert, which has a homey taste and a hearty texture.
1:30pm Omachi Alpine Museum（大町山岳博物館）
After lunch, we went to Japan’s first “mountain” themed museum. In the permanent exhibition, there are many documents about mountaineers of the past, and you can learn about the nature and history of the Northern Alps and other mountains.
On the second floor, visitors can see rare mountain animal fossils!
This is a great place to learn about Omachi City, which is closely related to the mountains through exhibits. ☺︎
Admission is 450 yen per adult.
Omachi City character is Omapyon
Omapyon welcomes you💗.
in the building
Inside the building 2
Old mountaineer’s materials
Restoration of a mountain lodge built in the Northern Alps
The hut was built to welcome climbers.
Spot Outline
The Omachi Alpine Museum is a mountain-themed museum located in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture. In the permanent exhibition, there are many documents about mountaineers of the past, and visitors can learn about the nature and history of the Northern Alps and other mountains. In addition, on the second floor, rare and exquisite mountain animal fossils are on display. This is a great place to learn about Omachi City, which is closely related to mountains. There is also a parking lot.
2:00pm Omachi Alpein Museum Small Zoo（大町山岳博物館 付属園）
The small zoo is located next to the Omachi Mountain Museum. It is a facility that raises animals and plants around Omachi and protects wild animals. In the park, about nine species of animals were carefully protected, including grouse, a national special natural treasure, kite, and Japanese serow!
The small zoo has detailed explanations about the ecology of each animal, so it was very easy to understand, and it was interesting to see animals that you don’t normally see ✨.
Rock Ptarmigan House
They are smaller and cuter than I expected! They live at 2,000m elevation, so you can see them here in Omachi City 👀❣️
They change the color of their feathers depending on the season! 😲
It looks like their feathers turn pure white in the winter.
Explanation of animal ecology
Black Kite
Cool~!
Japanese serow
Shy Japanese serow
Spot Outline
The Omachi Mountain Museum Small Zoo, located next to the Omachi Mountain Museum, is a zoo and botanical garden in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture. It is a facility that raises animals and plants and protects wild animals in the Omachi area. About nine species of animals are carefully protected, including grouse, which are designated as national special natural treasures, black kite, and Japanese serows. Inside the park, visitors can learn about the ecology of each animal through detailed explanations, and the park is popular by word of mouth for its interesting animals that are not usually seen.
2:30pm cake & cafe Ryudaya（cake & cafe 立田屋）
Visit this long-established confectionery established in 1980 for sweets. In addition to cakes, there is a wide variety of baked goods and other sweets! Special sweets using seasonal fruits and “Azumino Cheesecake” from Ryudaya are popular.
Ordered by,
Seasonal tart 650 yen
Iced coffee 440 yen
New Yorker Cheesecake Plain 320 yen
It is ☕️
It was very warm and nice 💗.
Exterior
Interior
cake
Azumi Cheesecake
It seems the cake originated from Ryudaya 👀.
Unfortunately, they were sold out this time so I hope to get my revenge someday! 😋
You can also order a set of drinks and eat in!
Spot Outline
Cake&Cafe Ryudaya is a long-established confectionery store established in 1980 in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture. The shop offers a wide variety of cakes, baked goods, and other sweets, and its special sweets using seasonal fruits and “Azumi Cheesecake” from Ryudaya are very popular. It can also be used as a café, where you can enjoy coffee, tea, and other drinks. The store has a warm and cozy atmosphere where you can relax and unwind.
3:30pm Asagura Arts &Ⅽrafts（麻倉 Arts＆Ⅽrafts）
We came to enjoy art at this facility, which is Omachi’s art center, housed in an Edo period linen storehouse. It exhibits and sells mainly works by artists living in the Northern Alps.
In the attic on the second floor, spatial art was on display 💟.
Lots of free thinking and interesting! It was fun~!
Lots of handmade works on display
introspection
2F attic
Spatial Art Exhibit
2F attic
Souvenirs 🍎
I wanted to buy something as a souvenir, so I bought a wooden apple key chain (1,000 yen)! So cute!
Spot Outline
Asagura Arts &Ⅽrafts is an art gallery store located in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture. The store is located in an Edo period hemp warehouse and serves as Omachi’s art center, exhibiting and selling works mainly by artists living in the Northern Alps. 2F attic exhibits spatial art, which some reviewers say is interesting and full of free ideas. It is a favorite spot for visitors to enjoy Omachi’s art.
5:00pm Hotel Route Inn Shinano Omachi Ekimae (natural hot spring) – ホテルルートイン信濃大町駅前（天然温泉）
We stayed at a hotel with a large natural hot spring bath: ♨️
Spot Outline
Hotel Route Inn Shinano Omachi Ekimae is a business hotel located in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture. It is available for overnight stays and is conveniently located in front of the station. According to reviews, the hotel is clean and the staff is friendly. In addition, there are restaurants and convenience stores in the area, making it a convenient location.
5:30pm Omachi Meitengai（大町名店街）
I went to “Omachi Meitengai” which I have been curious about for a long time to have dinner! It’s a collection of retro Showa-era stores, and the atmosphere is too good. ❣️
Spot Outline
Omachi Meitengai, located in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture, is a shopping street with a collection of retro Showa-era stores. At night, the restaurants and eateries bustle with activity, creating a great atmosphere and making it a favorite among the locals. It is a particularly good spot for an evening meal.
5:30pm Hungry Box Yuki（ハングリーボックスユキ）
Dinner was at a retro Western-style restaurant established in 1972.
Ordered by.
Spaghetti with scallions 750 yen
Iced tea 450 yen
is 🍴.
The thick spaghetti noodles are too delicious with the scallion broth! ♡♡
I would have definitely gone there if it were in my neighborhood because of the relaxed atmosphere and the food 😆.
Delicious confirmed soup 🤤.
Exterior
Interior
Calm interior with remnants of the Showa period
Interior
Extensive Western food menu
You can get it at a reasonable price.
Spot Outline
Hungry Box Yuki is a retro Western-style restaurant established in 1972 in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture. Word of mouth has it that the thick spaghetti noodles are delicious and well mixed with the scallion broth, and the iced tea is also popular. The restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere, and if it were in the neighborhood, you would want to go there.
6:30pm Deep-fried Skewers Bar Kazan（串揚げ酒場花山）
This izakaya offers a wide variety of drinks and special kushi-age (deep fried skewers). Since we came to such a nice place, we will have just one drink here and go home 😁Omachi city seems to have many bars, so it was a great town for drink lovers 🍶.
I had a great time meeting the locals and toasting with them…everyone in Omachi is so kind and friendly 🤣.
Interior
Warm and clean interior
counter seat
Menu
Extensive menu of shish-kebabs and a la carte dishes using kome oil
Fried Skewer Menu
Drink Menu
There are many kinds of alcoholic beverages, from local sake to stylish cocktails!
Cocktail Menu
Draft beer (medium) 540 yen
Smoked Cheese (optional)
Kurouemon.
Sake that is rarely drunk even in my hometown! Mellow and very easy to drink!
Hakuba Nishiki.
Local sake from Nagano! It was drier and crispy than the previous one, and delicious too!
Spot Outline
Deep-fried Skewers Bar Kazan is an izakaya located in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture, where you can enjoy our special shish-kebabs and a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. It is a great place for drinkers to mingle with the locals and even toast together. It is one of the most popular drinking spots in Omachi City, and it is also a good place to have just one drink and go home.
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