Encircled by mountains the city of Nagano is the capital city of Nagano Prefecture and a major jumping off point for hiking and ski trips in the Japan Alps. Nagano City’s most popular attraction is ancient Zenkoji Temple, which was built in the 7th century and is famous for its gigantic Sanmon and Niomon gates.
Zenkoji Temple in Nagano
Within easy reach of Nagano are the popular ski resorts of Hakuba, Shiga Kogen and Nozawa Onsen (also known for its hot springs). Other nearby attractions include the town of Obuse, the former home of famed ukiyo-e painter Katsushika Hokusai, and the snow monkeys of the hot spring town Yudanaka.
In this article we will look at your options for traveling to Nagano from Kanazawa.
Traveling by Shinkansen
The easiest and most comfortable way to travel from Kanazawa to Nagano is on the shinkansen bullet train. A Hakutaka service will get you to Nagano Station in about 1 hour and 26 minutes, and the faster Kagayaki service can make the trip in about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Kagayaki trains are all reserved, while Hakutaka trains have non-reserved ordinary seats in some cars. Ordinary non-reserved fares are around 8,600 yen, and ordinary reserved fares are around 9,200 yen, with exact fares depending on seat type, season, and purchase method. However, these services are fully covered if you have a Japan Rail Pass. Pass holders should reserve seats before boarding Kagayaki trains. For more information see our article on the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
A Hokuriku shinkansen train at Kanazawa Station
Traveling on Local Train Lines
It is possible to travel between Kanazawa Station and Nagano Station on local lines. However, this is a slow, multi-operator journey that can take around 6 hours if connections line up, and it typically involves IR Ishikawa Railway, Ainokaze Toyama Railway, Echigo Tokimeki Railway, and Shinano Railway services. Because several sections are run by non-JR railway companies, this journey is not covered end-to-end by the Japan Rail Pass. It can cost significantly less than the Shinkansen, but fares and transfers are best checked before travel. You can use English online route finders like Jorudan to look up train times and fares for private railways.
A local train at Kanazawa Station
Traveling by Car
Although the easiest way to get to Nagano City is by shinkansen, if you travel by car then you have more opportunities to explore the scenic countryside of Nagano Prefecture. There are plenty of car rental offices near Kanazawa Station, and once you have rented your car all you have to do is put your destination’s address into the car’s GPS satellite navigation system and you are on your way. Driving from Kanazawa to Nagano generally takes about 3-4 hours before breaks and traffic delays, depending on route, and standard expressway tolls for ordinary cars are roughly 5,700-6,100 yen before discounts. For route and toll checks, use the Drive Plaza route and toll search, and see our article for more information on car rental in Kanazawa.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 01-Jun-2026.
