Obuse (Chestnut Pathway)

"Kuri no Komichi" in Obuse town is a back alley paved with thinning materials from chestnut trees. The chestnut thinning material is soft, so even if you walk for a long time, you won't get tired easily, and you can feel the softness of the wood on your feet. It is especially beautiful during the autumn foliage season and is perfect for a fall stroll. The course is about 2km long, and along the way, you can enjoy sweets and souvenirs made with chestnuts. Why not enjoy the richness of Obuse's chestnuts while experiencing the beauty of autumn in Obuse?

Ko-bu-se town is famous for being a chestnut-producing area. The season for new chestnuts is from mid-September to around October. There are also spots where you can experience chestnut picking. After picking chestnuts, you can enjoy Ko-bu-se's famous chestnut cuisine. Popular nationwide, the Mont Blanc and the fluffy and sweet chestnut steamed cake, as well as chestnut rice, are recommended. Please enjoy the delicious chestnut cuisine of Ko-bu-se and the experience of chestnut picking.

Obuse-do Honten is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop located in Obuse Town, Nagano Prefecture. The shop offers a wide variety of delicious Japanese sweets made with fresh chestnuts harvested in Obuse Town. Among them, the limited-time Mont Blanc called "Kuri no Tenshin Suzaku" (Chestnut Dim Sum Suzaku) attracts many people from all over the country every year. It is a Mont Blanc made from a paste of freshly steamed and strained new chestnuts. No sugar is used, so you can enjoy the sweetness and umami of the chestnuts themselves.

In the center of Obuse, there are two workshops where you can experience culture: Glass Gallery & Studio GLASS STUDIO Licco and Yakimono Go no Kobo. Glass Gallery & Studio GLASS STUDIO Licco has glasses that are easy to incorporate into everyday life, such as refreshing light-colored works and works with calm colors. You can also make your own sandblasted glass work, which is one-of-a-kind in the world. At Yakimono Go no Kobo, pottery classes are held four times a week, as well as hand-dyeing classes where you can draw pictures on cloth. You can enjoy drawing pictures freely and make pottery to give as a gift to your friends. At the gallery cafe "Choudo Yoi" next to the workshop, you can take a break during your stroll.

The town of Obuse is a place where you can experience the atmosphere of Japanese culture, including the "Kuri no Kobito" (Chestnut Goblins). To fully immerse yourself in this atmosphere, the local shop "Futaba-ya" offers rental and dressing services for kimonos. By wearing a kimono and taking a stroll, you may discover a new side of yourself that you never noticed before. If you're visiting Obuse, why not try this unique experience?

There are multiple hot spring inns and day-use hot spring facilities in Obuse town, where you can feel the beauty of nature and soak in the hot springs to relieve your fatigue after a day of sightseeing. The hot springs have bactericidal effects due to sulfur, peripheral vasodilating effects, and blood sugar lowering effects, making them effective against chronic skin diseases, hypertension, and diabetes. In addition, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the majestic mountains of northern Shinshu from the open-air baths. Some hot springs even offer the opportunity to watch the sunset over the mountains. Be sure to experience the breathtaking scenery created by the nature of northern Shinshu while soaking in the hot springs at the end of your day.