Make Oyaki Dumplings & Walk Around Zenkoji Temple in Nagano

While Nagano is famous for its snow monkeys, Matsumoto Castle, and ski resorts in the Japanese Alps, a unique gourmet adventure awaits in its lesser-known capital city. In this tour, your guide will walk you through the retro streets of Nagano City, stopping by local shops to grasp the area's history and culture. Your first stop will be an oyaki maker. A Nagano specialty, oyaki are roasted dumplings made of wheat and buckwheat flour and filled with seasonal vegetables, fruit, or sweet bean paste. You will learn to make oyaki and roast them in a sunken hearth. After enjoying the warm dumplings by the fireplace, hit the streets with your guide again, seeing more of the area around Zenkoji Temple. Itinerary: -Meet your guide in front of Starbucks Coffee MIDORI at Nagano Station. -Walk together to a local oyaki maker where you will make oyaki dumplings on a traditional Japanese sunken hearth. Enjoy two warm, freshly made oyaki by the fireplace with soba (buckwheat) tea. -Explore the area around Zenkoji Temple with your guide, stopping by local shops and seeing how residents live. -Walk back to the starting point and say goodbye to your guide. The tour is approximately 2.5 hours long.