Nagano

Overview

Nagano is a first-level administrative division of Japan in the Chubu region. Its area is about 13,562 km2 and its population about 0.0 million (2024), with its capital at Nagano.

History

Part of old Shinano Province held by the Sanada and Ogasawara clans in the Sengoku era; many domains including Matsumoto, Ueda, Iiyama and Komoro existed in the Edo period, and the prefecture formed in 1876.

Geography and industry

Host of the 1998 Winter Olympics. Zenko-ji, Matsumoto Castle, Kamikochi, Karuizawa, Shiga Highlands and Togakushi are famous; soba production and precision machinery are distinctive.

Transport

Hokuriku Shinkansen (formerly Nagano Shinkansen) stops at Karuizawa, Sakudaira, Ueda, Nagano and Iiyama; Nagano is about 80 minutes from Tokyo.