Nagano Prefecture

Nagano is the prefecture's capital and largest city, with other major cities including Matsumoto, Ueda, and Iida. The prefecture is known for its impressive highland areas of the Japanese Alps, including most of the Hida Mountains, Kiso Mountains, and Akaishi Mountains, which extend into neighbouring prefectures; it contains nine of the twelve highest mountains in Japan. Its mountain ranges, natural scenery, and history have gained the prefecture international recognition as a winter sports tourist destination, and it received further attention as the host of the 1998 Winter Olympics. It is served by the Hokuriku Shinkansen railway line with direct services to Tokyo, Toyama, and Kanazawa.

• Name — Nagano Prefecture • Settlement Type — Prefecture • Translit Lang1 — Japanese • Translit Lang1 Type — Japanese • Translit Lang1 Info — 長野県 • Translit Lang1 Type1 — Rōmaji • Translit Lang1 Info1 — Nagano-ken • Blank Emblem Size — 80px • Blank Emblem Type — Symbol • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Japan • Subdivision Type1 — Region • Subdivision Name1 — Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu) • Subdivision Type2 — Island • Subdivision Name2 — Honshu • Seat Type — Capital • Seat — Nagano • Parts Type — Subdivisions • Parts Style — para • P1 — Districts: 14 • P2 — Municipalities: 77 • Leader Title — Governor • Leader Name — Shuichi Abe • Area Total Km2 — 13561.56 • Area Water Percent — 0.2 • Area Rank — 4th • Population Total — 2007682 • Population As Of — July 1, 2023 • Population Rank — 16th • Population Density Km2 — auto • Demographics Type2 — GDP • Demographics2 Title1 — Total • Demographics2 Info1 — JP¥ 8,918 billion US$ 65.9 billion (2022) • Iso Code — JP-20 • Website — http: www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/ • Anthem — Shinano no Kuni • Illustration — Hasuike Resort on the Shiga Plateau in Yamanouchi

Nagano Prefecture is landlocked and borders more prefectures than any other in Japan: Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the northeast, Saitama Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the southeast, Shizuoka Prefecture and Aichi Prefecture to the south, and Gifu Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture to the west. It contains the point furthest from the sea in all of Japan, located in the city of Saku. Its mountains have made it relatively isolated, and many visitors come for its mountain resorts and hot springs. Nine of the twelve highest mountains in Japan can be found in Nagano and one of its lakes, Lake Kizaki, is a beach resort popular for its water attractions and games. The climate is predominantly alpine with warm summers, cold snowy winters, and less intense humidity than the lower coastal areas. As of 2014 April, 21% of the total land area of the prefecture are natural parks, namely the Chichibu Tama Kai, Chūbu-Sangaku, Jōshin'etsu-kōgen, and Minami Alps national parks; Myōgi-Arafune-Saku Kōgen, Tenryū-Okumikawa, and Yatsugatake-Chūshin Kōgen quasi-national parks; and Chūō Alps, Enrei Ōjō, Hijiriyama Kōgen, Mibugawa Suikei, Ontake, and Tenryū Koshibu Suikei prefectural natural parks.

Nineteen cities are located in Nagano Prefecture: • Name — Area (km 2) — Population — Map • Rōmaji — Kanji • Azumino — 安曇野市 — 331.78 — 97,800 — • Chikuma — 千曲市 — 119.79 — 58,124 — • Chino — 茅野市 — 266.59 — 55,673 — • Iida — 飯田市 — 658.66 — 101,536 — • Iiyama — 飯山市 — 202.43 — 20,118 — • Ina — 伊那市 — 667.93 — 68,177 — • Komagane — 駒ヶ根市 — 165.86 — 32,210 — • Komoro — 小諸市 — 98.55 — 42,489 — • Matsumoto — 松本市 — 978.47 — 235,972 — • Nagano (capital) — 長野市 — 834.81 — 365,296 — • Nakano — 中野市 — 112.18 — 42,664 — • Okaya — 岡谷市 — 85.10 — 48,616 — • Ōmachi — 大町市 — 565.15 — 27,559 — • Saku — 佐久市 — 423.51 — 97,454 — • Shiojiri — 塩尻市 — 289.98 — 67,240 — • Suwa — 諏訪市 — 109.17 — 48,972 — • Suzaka — 須坂市 — 149.67 — 50,828 — • Tōmi — 東御市 — 112.37 — 29,440 — • Ueda — 上田市 — 552.04 — 157,480 —

These are the towns and villages in each district: • Name — Area (km 2) — Population — District — Map • Rōmaji — Kanji • Achi — 阿智村 — 214.43 — 6,379 — Shimoina District — • Agematsu — 上松町 — 168.42 — 4,451 — Kiso District — • Anan — 阿南町 — 123.07 — 4,616 — Shimoina District — • Aoki — 青木村 — 57.10 — 4,360 — Chiisagata District — • Asahi — 朝日村 — 70.62 — 4,569 — Higashichikuma District — • Chikuhoku — 筑北村 — 99.47 — 4,688 — Higashichikuma District — • Fujimi — 富士見町 — 144.76 — 14,485 — Suwa District — • Hakuba — 白馬村 — 189.36 — 9,007 — Kitaazumi District — • Hara — 原村 — 43.26 — 7,661 — Suwa District — • Hiraya — 平谷村 — 77.37 — 414 — Shimoina District — • Iijima — 飯島町 — 86.96 — 9,446 — Kamiina District — • Iizuna — 飯綱町 — 75.00 — 11,115 — Kamiminochi District — • Ikeda — 池田町 — 40.16 — 9,382 — Kitaazumi District — • Ikusaka — 生坂村 — 39.05 — 1,743 — Higashichikuma District — • Karuizawa — 軽井沢町 — 156.03 — 21,834 — Kitasaku District — • Kawakami — 川上村 — 209.61 — 4,009 — Minamisaku District — • Kijimadaira — 木島平村 — 99.32 — 4,468 — Shimotakai District — • Kiso — 木曽町 — 476.03 — 11,045 — Kiso District — • Kiso — 木祖村 — 140.50 — 2,877 — Kiso District — • Kitaaiki — 北相木村 — 56.32 — 755 — Minamisaku District — • Koumi — 小海町 — 114.20 — 4,676 — Minamisaku District — • Matsukawa — 松川町 — 72.79 — 13,043 — Shimoina District — • Matsukawa — 松川村 — 47.07 — 9,689 — Kitaazumi District — • Minamiaiki — 南相木村 — 66.05 — 1,057 — Minamisaku District — • Minamimaki — 南牧村 — 133.09 — 2,924 — Minamisaku District — • Minamiminowa — 南箕輪村 — 40.99 — 15,463 — Kamiina District — • Minowa — 箕輪町 — 85.91 — 25,051 — Kamiina District — • Miyada — 宮田村 — 54.50 — 9,051 — Kamiina District — • Miyota — 御代田町 — 58.76 — 15,562 — Kitasaku District — • Nagawa — 長和町 — 183.86 — 6,088 — Chiisagata District — • Nagiso — 南木曽町 — 215.93 — 4,111 — Kiso District — • Nakagawa — 中川村 — 77.05 — 4,910 — Kamiina District — • Neba — 根羽村 — 89.97 — 890 — Shimoina District — • Nozawaonsen — 野沢温泉村 — 57.96 — 3,653 — Shimotakai District — • Obuse — 小布施町 — 19.12 — 10,999 — Kamitakai District — • Ogawa — 小川村 — 58.11 — 2,585 — Kamiminochi District — • Ōkuwa — 大桑村 — 234.47 — 3,693 — Kiso District — • Omi — 麻績村 — 34.38 — 2,738 — Higashichikuma District — • Ōshika — 大鹿村 — 248.28 — 977 — Shimoina District — • Ōtaki — 王滝村 — 310.82 — 753 — Kiso District — • Otari — 小谷村 — 267.91 — 2,914 — Kitaazumi District — • Sakae — 栄村 — 271.66 — 1,828 — Shimominochi District — • Sakaki — 坂城町 — 53.64 — 15,025 — Hanishina District — • Sakuho — 佐久穂町 — 188.15 — 11,076 — Minamisaku District — • Shimojō — 下條村 — 38.12 — 3,545 — Shimoina District — • Shimosuwa — 下諏訪町 — 66.87 — 20,055 — Suwa District — • Shinano — 信濃町 — 149.30 — 8,339 — Kamiminochi District — • Takagi — 喬木村 — 66.61 — 6,117 — Shimoina District — • Takamori — 高森町 — 45.36 — 13,067 — Shimoina District — • Takayama — 高山村 — 98.56 — 7,101 — Kamitakai District — • Tateshina — 立科町 — 66.87 — 7,147 — Kitasaku District — • Tatsuno — 辰野町 — 169.20 — 18,951 — Kamiina District — • Tenryū — 天龍村 — 109.44 — 1,275 — Shimoina District — • Toyooka — 豊丘村 — 76.79 — 6,704 — Shimoina District — • Urugi — 売木村 — 43.43 — 552 — Shimoina District — • Yamagata — 山形村 — 24.98 — 8,726 — Higashichikuma District — • Yamanouchi — 山ノ内町 — 265.90 — 12,403 — Shimotakai District — • Yasuoka — 泰阜村 — 64.59 — 1,622 — Shimoina District —

• Illustration — Nagano Prefecture population pyramid in 2020 The life expectancy in Nagano Prefecture is the highest nationwide, with an average life expectancy of 87.18 years for women and 80.88 years for men.

• Central Japan Railway Company • Chūō Main Line (west line) • Iida Line • East Japan Railway Company • Chūō Main Line (east line) • Hokuriku Shinkansen • Koumi Line • Ōito Line (from Matsumoto to Minami-Otari) • Shin'etsu Main Line • Shinonoi Line • Matsumoto Electric Railway • Kamikōchi Line • Nagano Electric Railway • Nagano Line • Shinano Railway • Shinano Railway Line • Ueda Dentetsu • Bessho Line • West Japan Railway Company • Ōito Line (from Minami-Otari to Itoigawa)

• Chubu-jukan Expressway • Chubu-odan Expressway • Chuo Expressway • Joshinetsu Expressway • Nagano Expressway • Sanen-nanshin Expressway

• Route 18 • Route 19 (Nagano-Matsumoto-Shioriri-Nagiso-Nakatsugawa-Tajimi-Nagoya) • Route 20 (Matsumoto-Suwa-Kofu-Otsuki-Hachioji-Nihonbashi of Tokyo) • Route 117 • Route 141 • Route 142 • Route 143 (Matsumoto-Azumino-Ueda) • Route 144 • Route 147 (Matsumoto-Omachi) • Route 148 (Omachi-Itoigawa) • Route 151 (Iida-Shinshiro-Toyohashi) • Route 152 • Route 153 (Nagoya-Toyota-Iida-Shioriri) • Route 158 (Fukui-Gujo-Takayama-Matsumoto) • Route 254 • Route 256 (Gifu-Gujo-Gero-Nakatsugawa-Nagiso-Iida) • Route 403 • Route 406 (Omachi-Hakuba-Nagano-Susaka-Tsumagoi-Takasaki) • Route 418 (Ono-Seki-Ena-Iida)

The prefecture is home to Matsumoto Airport, its only main airport, though it provides only limited domestic routes. However, other airports in nearby prefectures such as Chubu Centrair International Airport in Aichi, Shizuoka Airport in Shizuoka, Toyama Airport in Toyama, and Haneda Airport and Narita Airport in Tokyo are also used by travellers from the prefecture.

• Shinshu University (National) • Nagano College of Nursing (Prefectural) • The University of Nagano (Prefectural) • Nagano University [Municipal (Ueda City)] • Suwa Tokyo University of Science [Municipal (Chino City)]

• Matsumoto University (Private) • Matsumoto Dental University (Private) • Saku University (Private) • Seisen Jogakuin College (Private)

Nagano Prefecture has a large and diversified economy, with a strong focus on electronics, information technology, precision machinery, agriculture and food products, and tourism, with a total GDP of about trillion (2017). Several large Japanese companies have production facilities in Nagano Prefecture, such as Citizen Watch, MinebeaMitsumi, Seiko Epson, and Vaio.

• Five Mountains of Northern Shinshu • Kamikōchi • Lake Kizaki • Lake Suwa • Mount Kirigamine • Suwa-taisha, one of the oldest shrines in Japan • Matsumoto Castle, one of Japan's national treasures • One of the world's highest geysers (4050 meters) in Suwa • Zenkō-ji temple

• Illustration — Sunpro Alwin in Matsumoto. There are two local J.League clubs: AC Nagano Parceiro and Matsumoto Yamaga FC.

• Gentian • Japanese serow • Ptarmigan • Siberian Silver Birch • Shinano no Kuni (prefecture song)

• Changhua County, Taiwan, since 2008 • Colorado, United States • Hebei, China

• Yuto Adachi, member of South Korean boy band Pentagon • Glim Spanky, rock band • Yasuyuki Kazama, drift driver • Tadamichi Kuribayashi, Imperial Japanese Army general • Jun'ya "ZUN" Ota, video game developer and creator of the Touhou Project shoot 'em up video game series • Yasuo Tanaka, independent politician and former governor of Nagano • Keiichi Tsuchiya, racing driver • Bumpei Usui, artist • Takashi Yamazaki, filmmaker • Tatsumi Yoda, former chairman of Avex