Official Travel Guide of Shinanomachi, Nagano

Skiers and boarders staying in Shinano-machi have it pretty good: a quiet, natural setting; delicious food; great views; friendly people. All around are some of Japan’s finest ski areas, with ski runs for every level of skier and boarder to choose from. And, in fact, you don’t even have to leave Shinano-machi to enjoy some outstanding snow and services, because there are two great resorts right here. They frame the area, in fact: Kurohime Kogen Snow Park, on the eastern slopes of the mountain of the same name, on the west side of the town; Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort to the east, just across Lake Nojiri on the north-facing slopes of Mt. Madarao. Both provide a wide range of ski …

If you take a look at an aerial photograph of the area on the northeast side of Mt. Iizuna, with Mt. Kurohime just to the north, you’ll see something interesting in the forest. It’s not hard to do today, with all the online mapping service available with just a swipe of a finger or a click. Much of the forest area at the foot of the mountain appears as big blocks of trees, all made up of one color, with all the trees the same shape. Now go a little further northeast, and there’s a sudden break. It looks like a wall: on one side is big, dark green trees (actually forests of sugi—cryptomeria, sometimes called Japanese cedar). On the …