Nagano | Nagano's hidden gem: Atera Valley.

| Nagano's hidden gem: Atera Valley. Visit Narai-juku in the morning to experience the local culture, and then head to Nagano's hidden gem in the afternoon to enjoy the natural scenery. 👣【Atera Valley】Located in Okuwa Village, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture, the river here is crystal clear and has a beautiful emerald color, known as "Atera Blue." The riverbanks are lush with vegetation, and the trail along the river is about 6.3 km long. 📖 The reason for the green color of the stream is similar to Jiuzhaigou. The stream contains a large amount of dissolved mineral ions, which cause the optical phenomenon of "Rayleigh scattering," scattering the "shortwave" blue-violet light in sunlight. ✨ Atera River is a branch of the Kiso River system. The further you go into the mountains from the entrance, the more the water appears blue-green, resembling emeralds! Along the way, there are some famous spots, such as Inukaeri Pool, Kuma Pool, and Ushi Pool, each with its own legend about hunting dogs, cows, and bears (reminds me of the various strange hot springs in Ranma ½ ♨️). ♨️ Speaking of hot springs, Atera also has a hot spring. From the entrance, walk 20 minutes to the right to enjoy the hot spring, which is open for day trips! 🚃 From Nagoya, take the JR Chuo Line towards Matsumoto and get off at Nojiri Station, then walk for 20 minutes. From Matsumoto Station, take the Shinonoi Line and get off at Nojiri Station. ⚠️ If you are staying at Atera Onsen, do not follow the route given by Google Maps. Get off at Nojiri Station and walk for 30 minutes. There is also a bus, but the bus service is infrequent.