Discover Sakaki

When looking for a hotel in Sakaki, it helps to first decide what you would like to focus on during your trip. Options include nature activities at Wahira Park, the ruins of Katsurao Castle, and the Iron Exhibition Hall, a museum specializing in swordmaking. These offer different ways to spend your day: you can decide whether to spend time in the highlands, visit a historic site, or learn about the development of ironworking. These options give your trip planning a sense of direction without requiring you to fit everything into the same day.

Nature at Wahira Park

Wahira Park is located in a highland area at an elevation of about 1,000 meters, around a 20-minute drive from National Route 18. The driving time is an approximate guide for planning purposes. From the park, views extend as far as the Northern Alps. You can hike, gather edible wild plants, and observe nature at different times of year. The highland setting and distant views add a scenic dimension to these activities.

Castle Ruins and Iron Exhibition Hall

The ruins of Katsurao Castle are located on Mount Katsurao, on the border with Chikuma City. In the 16th century, it was the residence of warlord Murakami Yoshikiyo. This historical context places the ruins in a specific period and connects them to a particular figure. If you would like to learn about Sakaki through its history, this offers a different approach from the nature activities at Wahira Park.

Another cultural highlight is Sakaki’s Iron Exhibition Hall, a rare museum in Japan specializing in swordmaking. There, you can learn about the development of ironworking and view numerous swords. While Murakami Yoshikiyo’s former residence provides the historical context at Katsurao Castle, the exhibition hall focuses on ironworking and swords. This distinction can help you choose according to your interests: a historic site on one hand, and a museum specializing in a particular subject on the other. Current exhibitions may change, so check what is currently on offer before planning a visit.

Bicycle Rental in Sakaki

The bicycle rental services at Sakaki Station and the Sakaki Kinrōsha Sōgō Fukushi Center each have five electric-assist bicycles. This gives you two specific locations to choose from when planning. If you are counting on renting a bicycle, check availability again before your trip.

The Wahira Park’s Former Use

The history of Wahira Park also includes the former accommodation facility “Wahira Kogen Yama no Ie” and its campground. In 1982, Sakaki built the highland facility, which could accommodate 100 people. The accommodation and campground served as places for young people and various groups to experience nature. In 1989, Sakaki landscaped the surrounding area of about one hectare as Wahira Park. Its capacity and the groups who used it at the time add another historical dimension to the park: the highlands were also associated with shared experiences of nature.

Discover more destinations: Chikuma, Omi, Komagane, Koumi, Ueda, Saku, Iida, Okaya

For the regional travel overview: Nagano Prefecture.