Azumino
The Azumino valley is a fertile plain in central Nagano, famous for its extensive orchards and lush, green rice fields. As a gateway to the Northern Alps and other mountainous areas, Azumino offers a variety of outdoor activities, including cycling, hiking, climbing and rafting. From every spot in the valley, visitors are treated to spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.
Wasabi
This distinctive spice was relatively unknown outside of Japan just a few decades ago. Now, thanks to global interest in Japanese cuisine, it is part of the culinary vocabulary, served in restaurants and found on shop shelves all over the world. Azumino’s Daio Wasabi Farm is responsible for about 10 percent of Japan’s total wasabi production. Each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to learn about the fascinating methods of growing and harvesting wasabi and to sample the many products, from beer to ice cream, in which the plant is used.