Cultural Walking Tour Around Zenkoji & Local Food in Nagano

Nagano Prefecture is a top destination for a few good reasons. It's home to historical architecture dating back to the 7th century and an exciting winter sports culture. This tour, however, invites guests to experience Nagano’s local culture outside of the ski resorts. You’ll visit must-go places around the city center and eat local Nagano food, and thanks to your savvy guide, you will develop a greater appreciation for city life outside of Tokyo. The tour starts with a visit to a traditional oyaki maker, where you'll enjoy a piping hot oyaki dumpling fresh from the irori, a ground-level Japanese hearth. Oyaki are a comforting food from Nagano Prefecture believed to originated sometime in the Jomon Period (14,000–300 BC). The savory (and sometimes sweet) snack is often described as a “Japanese stuffed dumpling.” The dough is made with water and wheat flour, or a blend of wheat and buckwheat flour. The savory and sweet ingredients in the dough give this snack its characteristic taste! From there, you will continue along Zenkoji Omotesando shopping street, enjoying the sights and scents of Nagano culture on the way to the temple. Try sake and local foods while you explore the streets. Nagano's regional miso soup is one of its specialties. Relax with matcha and traditional sweets at a traditional tea house. The tour concludes at Nagano Station, where you can continue exploring at your own pace. Itinerary: -Meet your guide in front of Starbucks Coffee MIDORI at Nagano Station. -Enjoy Nagano’s specialty stuffed dumplings, called oyaki, freshly made at the sunken hearth. -Walk along the High Street to Zenkoji Temple. You can buy souvenirs and contemplate the old temples nearby. -Taste sake with snacks and warm up with miso soup. -Walk along the backstreets, where you can get a taste of everyday life in Nagano city. -Arrive at a Japanese-style tea room, where you will enjoy matcha tea and Japanese sweets. -Walk back to Nagano Station to conclude the tour.