Lake Nojiri
野尻湖
A highland lake embraced by Mount Myōkō and Mount Kurohime, famous for excavated Naumann's elephant fossils. In summer it is a retreat for cooling off and water sports.
Lake Nojiri lies at about 650 metres above sea level in Shinanomachi. Biwa Island, home to Uga Shrine, sits in the lake, and from the shore you can see Mount Myōkō and Mount Kurohime. Large numbers of Naumann's elephant and giant deer fossils have been excavated from the lake bed, and the Lake Nojiri Naumann Elephant Museum on the shore displays reconstructed skeletons. In summer you can take a sightseeing boat around the lake (about 45 minutes), or go canoeing or stand-up paddleboarding. Since the Meiji era, the lake has also been a summer retreat for foreign missionaries. Getting there: from Nagano Station, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen and transfer to the Shinetsu Line to Kurohime Station, then take a bus about 10 minutes. By car, it can be combined with the Togakushi Highlands on one route.
Opening hours
All day; sightseeing boats about late April–November
Nearby sights
- Myoko Kogen (Akakura Onsen Ski Area)
- Togakushi Shrine
- Obuse & Hokusai-kan
- Nagano Prefectural Art Museum
- Zenkō-ji
- Gansho-in Temple
- Kagami-ike Pond
- Kawanakajima Battlefield (Hachimanbara Park)