Nagano is the start of Japan's alpine region, with snow-covered peaks, rushing rivers, and wild forests home to Japanese macaques, serows, and Asiatic black bears. Its mountain valleys shelter birdlife and hot spring towns where nature and community meet head-to-head. It's a place where ancient temples, seasonal festivals, and some of the country's most unspoiled wilderness coexist with the help of conservation efforts.
Just a train ride from Tokyo, Karuizawa is a cool-climate retreat where forests host deer, monkeys, and countless birds. But it’s the black bears that have defined the region’s conservation push. Community-led projects here focus on coexistence, balancing human growth with protecting the bears’ shrinking habitat. Trails, wetlands, and a wild edge make Karuizawa so much more than a summer getaway from Tokyo locals.
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