Is Togakushi Shrine Price Visiting?

Some locations in Japan are visually well-known with out being identifiable. Which is smart within the period of social media and memes, the place pictures are arguably extra necessary than data.

A basic instance of this? A vermillion shrine positioned deep inside a snowy cedar forest, which appears to be empty of vacationers despite a whole lot of reels of it getting tens of millions of views per thirty days on Instagram. Or, as we’d’ve referred to as it in a extra detailed-focus period, Togakushi Shrine in Nagano prefecture.

However is Togakushi Shrine price visiting, and does it stay as much as the hype you are feeling while you see it depicted esoterically? I’ll do my finest to settle this dispute as soon as and for all.

How you can Get to Togakushi Shrine

Touring from Nagano to Togakushi Shrine is simple. Merely exit the west exit of Nagano Station, and go to the Alpico Ticket Workplace. Right here, you’ll want to purchase tickets outright for the Alpico Bus that takes you to Togakushi Chusha, the closest bus cease to the shrine’s well-known Cedar Promenade, a minimum of in winter. Annoyingly, you could purchase the ticket outright, as Alpico Buses don’t take IC playing cards.

From the bus cease, it’s about 30-60 minutes on foot to Togakushi Okusha, by means of whose gate you discover the towering timber. How lengthy this takes you relies upon upon the situation of the path, the variety of different individuals and in addition, your footwear. I’ll say extra about this in a minute, however for now I’ll simply foreshadow that I would’ve made a nasty resolution on this regard.

5 Issues to Know About Visiting Togakushi Shrine

It’s solely actually wonderful in winter

 

Look, I’m as huge of a fan of sugi as every other Japanophile—I went all the best way to Yakushima Island to see them! On the identical time, what makes the timber alongside Cedar Promenade at Togakushi particular are the snow on and beneath them. For those who can’t come right here throughout winter, it may not be price coming in any respect.

However it’s not a straightforward hike within the snow

 

With this being stated, Togakushi Shrine in winter will not be a stroll within the park. Fairly, it’s a 30-60 minute trek from Togakushi Chusha bus cease to the Togakushi Okusha central shrine. Whereas I’m often agnostic about footwear when climbing, this path is continuously icy. You want pair of snow boots, and probably even crampons.

There’s not a complete lot to do close by

 

Though there are some picturesque soba retailers and naturally plenty of forest surroundings, a lot of Togakushi City shuts down throughout the winter months. When you get right here, hike to the shrine and are available again to the bus cease, you’ve seen nearly all the things. Which is why that is so superb as a half-day journey, moderately than a full one.

It’s simple, however not foolproof

 

It would sound apparent, however the bus trip from Nagano Station to Togakushi Chusha bus cease is an inextricable a part of your Togakushi Shrine day journey. Many features of this are usually not apparent, in reality. For instance, the Alpico Bus that makes the journey doesn’t settle for IC playing cards. And the ticket workplace, for its half, is usually inundated.

You are able to do the journey from Tokyo

 

However, in the event you can set up your journey proper, it’s doable to do the journey as a whole-day tour from Tokyo (or, on the opposite finish of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Kanazawa). So long as you time your prepare arrival along with your bus departure (or vice-versa), you’ll be able to go away at 8 or 9 AM and get again by 8 or 9 PM.

Does Togakushi Shrine Reside As much as the Hype?

I wasn’t certain what to make of Togakushi Shrine till I made peace with the opportunity of falling a number of instances (and, greater than that, the disgrace and humiliation that may accompany doing so). Up till that time, I feel I minimized the majesty of what I used to be seeing, in order that I wouldn’t be dissatisfied if it turned clear that I wasn’t going to have the ability to make it to my ultimate vacation spot.

I’ll admit it: As soon as I handed by means of the crimson shrine gate and onto Cedar Promenade, I couldn’t deny that Togakushi Shrine is price it. It was actually like moving into one of many footage or movies I’ve seen on-line, even when it was rather more crowded than I anticipated. I might’ve accomplished with out stated crowds castigating me for my poor footwear alternative, however what are you able to do? Like, the place are they now?

 

Different FAQ About Visiting Togakushi Shrine

Is Togakushi Shrine price visiting?

Togakushi Shrine is price visiting underneath some circumstances. For instance, in the event you already plan to be in Nagano, or are capable of cease there for a minimum of half a a day en route again to Tokyo. Secondly, if you’ll be able to go there in winter, which is actually the one time of 12 months when the place takes on a magical high quality.

How lengthy does it take to hike to Togakushi Shrine?

Mountaineering from Togakushi Chusha (the final accessible bus cease throughout the winter) to Cedar Promenade takes between 30-60 minutes, relying upon how snowy and icy the path is. Nonetheless, the bus itself takes over an hour every manner, so you’ll be able to depend on the complete journey requiring half a day from Nagano Station.

How do I’m going to Togakushi Shrine?

Step one of reaching Togakushi Shrine is attending to Nagano Station. You’ll then exit the west exit, the place you should purchase a ticket for an Alpico Bus certain for Togakushi Chusha. As soon as right here, it’s between 30-60 minutes on foot to achieve the Togakushi Okusha (Internal Shrine) Cedar Promenade.

The Backside Line

Is Togakushi Shrine price visiting? It truthfully relies upon. Whereas I wouldn’t go far out of my manner to take action, it’s an apparent alternative of tour in the event you’ll be in Nagano anyway, whether or not as an in a single day vacation spot, or in your manner between the Hokuriku area and Tokyo. However, it’s necessary to know that the shrine is just actually mystical throughout the center of winter—I wouldn’t advocate a day journey if snow will not be on the bottom. Need customized recommendation on easy methods to put your Japan journey collectively, whether or not or not it finally ends up together with Togakushi-jinja? Fee a customized Japan itinerary right this moment!