Nagano is synonymous with the 1998 Winter Olympics and as a haven for skiers and snowboarders chasing powder snow, but this landlocked prefecture offers many other unique charms as well.
Stretching from forested mountains in the north to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, Hamamatsu is the largest city in Shizuoka and has a long and storied history as both an industrial center and former home of one of the most famous warlords, Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Selected as one of Japan’s most majestic castles, Odawarajo is a great day trip destination from bases in the Kanto Plain. From Camp Zama or NAF Atsugi, it is only a 40-minute drive away.