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Japan Tourism / Take a Relaxing Trip to Shinshu’s Hot Spring Region Aboard Retro Train

Photo by Ryoko Yomiuri Publication
A train that was previously used as the Romancecar limited express on the Odakyu Line is used as the Kitashinano Wine Valley Train on designated Saturdays and national holidays. Tickets cost ¥7,500.

By Ryu Tanizaki / Special to Ryoko Yomiuri Publication

12:21 JST, February 18, 2026

To enjoy a relaxing day in early spring, it may be a good idea to take the Nagano Electric Railway’s sightseeing train, the Kitashinano Wine Valley Train, to visit Shinshu’s hot spring resorts, which offer beautiful mountain scenery in this season.

© Zenkoji
The approach to Zenkoji temple

Getting off at Nagano Station after traveling on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line for about 90 minutes from Tokyo, I found a stone monument inscribed with “18 cho from here to Zenkoji temple approach” standing beside the Shinkansen ticket gate. This refers to the 18th vow, the most important of the 48 vows made by Amida Nyorai, the principal deity at the temple. Nagano Station was built 18 cho, or about 1.8 kilometers, exactly south of Zenkoji.

Photo by Ryoko Yomiuri Publication
Passengers can sit in a box seat with a table on the Kitashinano Wine Valley Train.

With some time left before the departure of the next train, I visited Zenkoji temple, strolling along its approach, which was bustling with people. Highlights include its main hall, which is designated a national treasure, as well as the mountain gate and the sutra repository, which were built during the Edo period.

Early afternoon, I took the Nagano Electric Railway’s limited express Yukemuri Nonbiri-go to the Yudanaka Onsen hot spring. On Saturdays, national holidays and certain other days, one of the middle cars of the four-car train operates as the Kitashinano Wine Valley Train, allowing passengers to enjoy all-you-can-drink wine that has been carefully selected from wineries in the northern Shinano region.

Photo by Ryoko Yomiuri Publication
Passengers can enjoy all-you-can-drink wine from the selection of red, white and rose wine.

The train is the 10000-series HiSE, which served as the Romancecar limited express on the Odakyu Line until 2005, adding a Showa-era retro feel. Even solo travelers can book a four-person box seat, and since you will not be seated with others, you can relax without any hesitation.

The Nagano Electric Railway is a local line that stretches 33.1 kilometers between Nagano and Yudanaka stations.

Photo by Ryoko Yomiuri Publication
Kaede no Yu, a hot spring facility, stands next to Yudanaka Station. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and closed on the first Tuesday of the month. When it falls on a national holiday, the facility is closed the next day. Admission is ¥500.

“We want customers to enjoy premium wine and meals while gazing at the tranquil scenery of Shinshu aboard Japan’s slowest limited express train,” said a company official. The train offers views of snow-capped mountains, such as Mt. Iizuna and Mt. Myoko in northern Shinano. It makes brief stops at scenic spots, such as Chikuma River.

The Yudanaka Onsen is a short distance from Yudanaka Station, the last stop of the line. Several facilities, including Kaede no Yu, located right next to the station, offer bathing options for day trippers. Tourists are also recommended to visit nearby hot spring towns that retain their traditional charm, such as Shibu Onsen and Kakuma Onsen.

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Japan Tourism is presented in collaboration with Ryoko Yomiuri Publication, which publishes Ryoko Yomiuri, a monthly travel magazine. If you are interested in stories click here. .