Shinshu Ueda

Ueda City, located in eastern Nagano Prefecture, is a charming area with a rich natural environment and a historical background, and it is also the site of Ueda Castle, which served as the setting for the 2016 “Taiga Drama” (long-running historical TV series) “Sanada Maru.”

There are vending machines in the city that are painted with the figures of the three generations of the Sanada Clan (the famous samurai family that ruled this region).

Ueda Castle Ruins

A Place to Feel the Historical Romance of Sengoku Warriors

Ueda Castle is a flatland castle built in 1583 by Masayuki Sanada and is located almost in the center of the Ueda Basin. It is also famous as an impregnable castle known for having repelled the Tokugawa army twice, and a park has been created with the Ueda Castle ruins as its core.

Shinshu Matsutake-yama (Matsutake Mushroom Mountains)

A Luxury Unique to Autumn

One of the reasons I chose Ueda City was my desire to feast on Matsutake mushrooms—highly prized, aromatic fungi—should I ever travel to Nagano in the autumn.
There is a sense of crisis that the chances of being able to eat Matsutake may decrease in the future, as they cannot be artificially cultivated and the harvest volume is declining.

There are several restaurants where you can enjoy Matsutake dishes, but this time I chose a “Matsutake-goya” (a rustic seasonal shack for mushroom dining) called “Matsutake-yama Kaori Sannomaru.” Although I visited in 2024, it was a new shop that had just taken over the business at that time.

As I drove up the winding roads of the Matsutake mountain in Shiodadaira, I found the restaurant.

The interior of the Matsutake-goya seems to be generally like this, with rows of tabletop stoves on long tables. It feels a bit unusual to eat something so expensive in such a simple setting, but there must be significance in eating close to where the Matsutake grow. At this time, about 10 people from three groups of customers were visiting.

This set costs 10,000 yen. Course options range from 6,500 yen to 25,000 yen.

After paying, the owner interviewed me regarding my satisfaction level and how I found out about the shop. He also shared some tourist information with me. The uniform T-shirt is a nice touch, and he kindly agreed to take a photo.

They also sell Matsutake as souvenirs. They also purchase mushrooms directly, and I actually met someone at the entrance who had brought some in to sell.

While I visited by rental car this time, there is also a plan called the “Shinshu Ueda Matsutake-goya Full Enjoyment Plan with Private Chartered Taxi.”
https://nagano.visit-town.com/visittour/matsutake-2024

JA Shinsen-ichi Sanada Farmers’ Market

There is a JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) farmers’ market in the city, and they sometimes sell Matsutake mushrooms in the autumn. When I stopped by, I found Matsutake on display.

Utsukushigahara Highlands

A Breathtaking View if the Weather is Clear

Utsukushigahara Highlands is the widest highland plateau in Japan, spanning Ueda City, Matsumoto City, and Nagawa Town. At its center stands Mt. Ogato (2,034m), one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. Since it is a lava plateau at an altitude of about 2,000 meters with no obstructions around it, you can look out over more than 40 of the 100 Famous Mountains, including Mt. Fuji, the Northern Alps, the Southern Alps, and Mt. Ontake.

The Utsukushigahara Open-Air Museum

This is an open-air sculpture museum that you should definitely visit once you have climbed up to the Utsukushigahara Highlands. Across its 132,000-square-meter grounds, approximately 350 contemporary sculptures by famous domestic and international artists are permanently on display.

Ueda City was a region full of fulfillment where I could enjoy nature, history, and food. Although not introduced here, you can also enjoy hot springs such as Kakeyu Onsen and Bessho Onsen.