THE TOGAKUSHI KOGEN HIGHLANDS

1h 55 min from Tokyo to Nagano Station by JR Jo'etsu-Nagano Shinkansen Line, and 1h from Nagano Station to Togakushi-Chusha by bus. 25 min from Nagano to Kurohime Station by JR Shin'etsu Line. The Togakushi-kogen Highlands area is situated in the north of Nagano within Joshinetsu National Park. This volcanic area has an altitude of 1,200 meters and is located at the foot of two volcanoes, Togakushi and Iizuna. In the midst of a wood, with cedar trees that are over 100 years old, there stands Togakushi-jinja Shrine. At the shrine you can see the Kagura, a performance of traditional sacred music and dancing with themes selected from ancient myths, during the grand festival held in fall. Togakushi is also noted for the production of soba noodles.

The Kurohime-kogen Highlands spread to the southeast of Mt. Kurohime-yama, situated near the border of Niigata this mountain is also known as Shinano-Fuji. It is a popular summer resort with larch and birch woods, and skiing in winter. Around the area called a "forest of fairy tales," is the Kurohime Fairy Tale Museum that collects fairy tales from all over the world, as well as the O-ike Pond, Nanatsu-ike Pond, volcanic crater lakes, cosmos fields, and cattle grazing fields.

Lake Nojiri-ko at the eastern foot of Mt. Kurohime-yama gained sudden attention when fossils of a giant mammal called Elephas Naumanni (Naumann's elephant ) were discovered in the lakebed. You can see the fossils and other excavated articles in the Nojiri-ko Museum.