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NAGANO , capital of Nagano-ken, is a modern, compact city some 200km northwest of Tokyo. Surrounded by fruit orchards and mountains, Nagano came to world attention as the location of the 1998 Winter Olympics, but it's been a focal point for the Japanese for far longer. Every year, around eight million pilgrims come here to pay homage at the temple of Zenko-ji , home of the legendary first image of Buddha to arrive in Japan in the sixth century. The temple aside, there's not really that much to see in the city itself, although it's worth making full use of the shops and facilities before venturing into the Alps. If you're travelling to the mountains from Tokyo, it's well worth considering a stop at Karuizawa , 90km from Nagano, where the lava flows from the nearby volcano Asama-yama have created a permanent record of a devastating eighteenth-century eruption. Northwest of Nagano lies the scenic mountain area of Togakushi , a haven for hikers and skiers and home to the atmospheric shrine of Togakushi Okusha, and to the Togakushi Minzoku-kan, a folklore museum with an entertaining section on the Ninja warriors who used to train in this area. To the northeast, the country town of Obuse features some attractive old buildings and temples, alongside its highlight, the Hokusai-kan museum, displaying several masterpieces by the great ukiyo-e artist, Hokusai . In winter, Nagano turns into one of Japan's top skiing destinations, with resorts in nearby Hakuba and Shiga Kogen. This is also the best time to wallow in the hot springs in villages such as Nozawa Onsen and Yudanaka Onsen , near where Nihonzaru (Japanese long-tailed monkeys) also bathe in their own outdoor pool.
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