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Nagano Prefecture

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Nagano is a landlocked prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu, Japan.

Nagano géolocalisation relief
Nagano géolocalisation relief

Being landlocked means there is no ocean nearby. Nagano is quite special because it borders more prefectures than any other place in Japan. It sits next to Niigata, Gunma, Saitama, Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Aichi, Gifu, and Toyama.

Map of Nagano Prefecture Ja
Map of Nagano Prefecture Ja

The city of Saku is home to a very unique spot. It contains the point in all of Japan that is furthest from the sea. This makes Nagano a very central part of the country.

The landscape is defined by huge, high mountain ranges. These mountains are part of the Japanese Alps.

Hakubarenpou
Hakubarenpou

This includes the Hida, Kiso, and Akaishi mountains. Nagano is home to nine of the twelve highest mountains in Japan. Because of these peaks, the weather is mostly alpine. This means the summers are warm and the winters are cold and snowy. The air is often less humid than the coastal areas near the ocean.

History and nature have made this place a famous destination. Many people visit to see the beautiful natural scenery and mountain resorts.

Nozawa Onsen 01
Nozawa Onsen 01

Nagano even hosted the Winter Olympics in 1998. Visitors love to relax in hot springs or visit Lake Kizaki for water games.

Hasuike03bs4272
Hasuike03bs4272

There are also many national parks here. About 21% of the land is part of these protected natural areas. This includes places like the Chūbu-Sangaku and Minami Alps national parks.

Many people live and work in the different cities of Nagano. The capital and largest city is Nagano.

View of Nagano City from Mt. Asahiyama
View of Nagano City from Mt. Asahiyama

Other major cities include Matsumoto, Ueda, and Iida.

Cityscapes of Matsumoto in 2014-8 No,5
Cityscapes of Matsumoto in 2014-8 No,5

The prefecture has a population of about 2,007,682 people. People in Nagano live very long lives. The life expectancy is the highest in all of Japan. On average, women live to about 87 years and men live to about 80 years.

Traveling through Nagano is easy thanks to modern transport. The Hokuriku Shinkansen is a fast railway line. It provides direct services to Tokyo, Toyama, and Kanazawa.

Chikuma River Yashima Bridge Nagano
Chikuma River Yashima Bridge Nagano

There are also many roads and other train lines like the Chūō Main Line. The economy is very diverse and strong. It focuses on things like electronics, food, and tourism. Large companies like Seiko Epson and Citizen Watch even have facilities here.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
Shinano no Kuni.ogg
File:Hasuike03bs4272.jpg
Hasuike03bs4272.jpg
File:Nagano géolocalisation relief.svg
Nagano géolocalisation relief.svg
File:Map of Nagano Prefecture Ja.svg
Map of Nagano Prefecture Ja.svg
File:Hakubarenpou.JPG
Hakubarenpou.JPG
File:View of Nagano City from Mt. Asahiyama.jpg
View of Nagano City from Mt. Asahiyama.jpg
File:Chikuma River Yashima Bridge Nagano.jpg
Chikuma River Yashima Bridge Nagano.jpg
File:Takashima dungeon view (4936834001).jpg
Takashima dungeon view (4936834001).jpg
File:Komagane Nagano and Southern Yatsugatake Volcanic Group.jpg
Komagane Nagano and Southern Yatsugatake...
File:Cityscapes of Matsumoto in 2014-8 No,5.JPG
Cityscapes of Matsumoto in 2014-8 No,5.JPG
File:Nozawa Onsen 01.jpg
Nozawa Onsen 01.jpg
File:Nagano prefecture population pyramid in 2020.svg
Nagano prefecture population pyramid in 2020.svg

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