Hi! Planning to spend 2 days for nagano, matsumoto, takayam and shiwakarago(village) using car and would love for any feedback and advice since it will be my first time going to nagano and driving in winter!
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Day 1:
* Arrive in nagano station to pick up our rental car (8.30am)
* want to ask if winter tires is enough of do we need snow chains?
* Snow monkey park (lunch there)
* Togakushi Shrine
* Only upper shrine if time does not allow.
* Is it safe to drive to the upper shrine during winter?
* Matsumoto area to have dinner/chill and spend the night there.
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Day 2:
* Takayama
* Old town and explore the area
* Shirakawa village
* Back to nagano to return the car.
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Would also like to have advices on driving in winter as it will be my first time! WOuld also appreciate if there is any reccomendations.
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Thank you so much!
2 comments
Hi!
I’m pretty sure the parking areas near the upper shrine at Togakushi are closed in December. If you plan to park elsewhere and hike there, be prepared to possibly need snow shoes.
If you’ve never driven in snow before, I think doing it in the mountains in a foreign country for the first time is a bad idea. Yes, pretty much most of the places you want to go can have snow. They could get a snow storm the day you want to travel. Driving in snow in Japan can really suck. They work hard to clean the roads fast, but it can still take a while.
You can’t use chains on regular roads. Do you know how to install chains, cause you would need to pull over somewhere and install them yourself.
I also think considering possible weather issues, you are trying to do too much in too short a period of time.
I remember canceling my trip to togakushi last year because of heavy snow (and it was late November). Mostly because we didn’t really have the shoes that would make it manageable for it and not so much about the driving. That said, I do believe you can actually drive there (just expect possible heavy snow). I know they stop the bus that usually go there during the winter months but cars should be allowed to drive there unless it gets so bad they close the roads (which is entirely possible). Do check on it yourself a bit more.