Day Trip Iiyama in Nagano Temple and Sake Brewery from Tokyo

Discover Rural Japan: A Day Trip to Iiyama Just 90 minutes from Tokyo by bullet train, Iiyama is a peaceful town in northern Nagano, surrounded by forests and rice fields. Begin at Sho-nenji Temple, known as the “Temple of Moss and Maple,” where seasonal beauty surrounds its quiet halls. Then visit the Takahashi Mayumi Doll Museum, where handmade dolls depict everyday scenes from countryside life with warmth and charm. In the afternoon, explore Tanakaya Shuzo, a family-run sake brewery using the same wooden building for over 150 years. Learn about traditional brewing and sample their signature sake, Mizuo. For groups of four or more, a shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian lunch) at Daishoji Temple is available with advance reservation, prepared by the head priest with local ingredients. This relaxing tour invites you to experience a slower pace of life, deep cultural roots, and the quiet beauty of rural Japan—an ideal escape from the crowds of the city.