Five recommended sightseeing spots in the Nasu Kogen area
Located on the border of Tochigi and Fukushima prefectures, Nasu Kogen is a popular resort area with good Direction from the Tokyo metropolitan area. Not only is it famous as a summer resort, but it is also full of seasonal attractions such as fresh greenery in spring, autumn leaves in fall, and hot springs and skiing in winter. Among them, we introduce sightseeing spots in the Nasu Kogen area that can be enjoyed by everyone. In addition to the standard spots where you can fully enjoy nature and contact with animals, be sure to check out art spots that can be enjoyed even on rainy days.
1Nasu Stained Glass Museum
Antique stained glass windows from the 1800s and 1900s on display
This museum exhibits antique stained glass made mainly in England from the 1800s to 1900s. The exterior of the museum is based on the motif of "manor houses," traditional buildings in the Cotswolds region of England, and looks like an English provincial town. What is surprising is that the building was designed to match the stained glass windows purchased by the owner. It looks like a medieval European church, and the walls of the high-ceilinged building are inlaid with stained glass on a grand scale, as if they were originally here. 6 to 7 times a day from 10:00 to closing time, antique music boxes and pipe organs are played, and visitors can listen to their sounds and enjoy the world of colors. Visitors can enjoy the world of colors while listening to the sound of the music.
Feel "light, scent, beauty, sound, and wind" using all five senses
There are three chapels in the museum, and you can take your time to appreciate the stained glass windows as you follow the route. The concept of the museum is to enjoy the museum through the five senses: light, smell, beauty, sound, and wind. Lose yourself in the sounds of antique music boxes and pipe organs, and you will feel as if you were transported back to medieval Europe. There is also a café and store on the premises. You can purchase stained glass lamps and other items. Experience classes are also available, where you can make your own stained glass windows.
- Nasu Stained Glass Museum
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1790, Takaku Hei, Nasu-cho, Nasu-gun, Tochigi MAP
Approximately 20 minutes by car from JR Kuroiso/Nasu Shiobara Station
Take a bus from JR Kuroiso/Nasu Shiobara Station, get off at Morikozaka and walk about 20 minutes.
9:30-16:30
Open daily (with occasional closures)
Adults 1,600 yen, Junior and senior high school students 1,000 yen, Elementary school students 500 yen, Preschool children free
0287-76-7111
Free of charge
2N's YARD
Contemporary art space featuring works and collection of contemporary artist Yoshitomo Nara
This contemporary art space exhibits the works and collection of contemporary artist Yoshitomo Nara, who moved to Nasu in the 2000s and set up his own studio there. The sophisticated building nestled in the forest looks like a secret base. As you pass through the entrance, you are greeted by a wall of record jackets. Beyond that, the exhibit continues on to a collection of photographic works, and then to his own world-renowned body of work. This is a space where one should reserve enough time to quietly enjoy the art.
Museum store and café are also available
Yoshitomo Nara's works are in the collections of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and other leading museums in various cities around the world. Fans come from all over Japan to learn about the roots, transition, and latest trends of Yoshitomo Nara's work. The museum also has a café where visitors can enjoy lunch or afternoon tea. You may also want to check out the T-shirts, mugs, postcards, and other items at the museum store.
- N's YARD
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- 28-3 Aoki, Nasu Shiobara, Tochigi MAP
- Approximately 20 minutes by car from JR Nasu Shiobara Station
- Take a bus from JR Nasu Shiobara Station, get off at "Aoki Villa Mae" and walk for 7 minutes.
- 10:00-17:00 (last admission 16:30)
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays (closed in winter from late December to early March; see website for details)
- Adults and university students: 1,500 yen, high school students: 1,000 yen, elementary and junior high school students: 500 yen, preschool children: free
- 0287-73-5711
- Free of charge
3Nasu Safari Park
A hands-on safari park where the whole family can interact with wild animals
If you come to Nasu Kogen with your family, you cannot miss the Nasu Safari Park. About 700 wild animals of about 70 species, including white lions, tigers, giraffes, hippopotamuses, and rhinoceroses, are mainly free-ranging, and you can see them in their natural habitat at surprisingly close range. The park is generally enjoyed by guided safari buses with Staff/staff members or by renting a car specially designed for safaris. If you wish, you can also enter the park by your own car. The park also has a "Safari Walk" area where you can enjoy walking and a "Fureai Hiroba" where you can interact with cute small animals.
Try feeding the lions in the powerful "Wild Ride"!
A must-see experience at Nasu Safari Park is the "Wild Ride. It is an Activity Bus covered with wire netting not only on the sides but also on the top, allowing visitors to observe animals in the wild with an almost unobstructed view. Only on the Wild Ride, you can feed the lions. The sight of the lions with their mouths wide open is a must-see. The "Elephant Ride Safari," in which visitors enjoy a safari on an elephant, is also very popular. The "Night Safari," which allows visitors to enjoy the safari zone at night, is also available on limited days each month.
- Nasu Safari Park
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- 3523 Takaku Otsu, Nasu-cho, Nasu-gun, Tochigi MAP
- 17 minutes by car from JR Kuroiso Station
- Take a bus from JR Kuroiso Station, get off at "Nasu Safari Park Iriguchi" and walk 5 minutes.
- 9:00-17:00, Night Safari 18:00-21:00 (varies according to season)
- Open irregularly (check the website)
- Adults 2,800 yen, children 1,900 yen (additional fees vary depending on the rides you enter)
- 0287-78-0838
- Free of charge (350 cars)
Make reservations in advance for wild rides.
4Nasu Kogen Rindoko Family Farm
The largest number of alpacas in Japan! Touch cute alpacas!
This is a leisure spot with ranch and attraction properties on a vast 30 square meter site centering on Lake Rindo.
Of particular note is the alpaca area, where 177 alpacas moved in from the Nasu Alpaca Farm, with which it formed a business partnership in 2023, making it the Property with the largest number of alpacas in Japan. In addition to the experience of feeding and walking the alpacas, "Aru Park," where visitors can enjoy net athletics on top of the alpacas' heads, is also popular.
Visitors can also enjoy feeding rabbits and sheep, horseback riding, milking dairy cows, and many other animal experiences.
Enjoy Activities in the Nature of Nasu Highlands
In addition to petting the animals at the ranch, attractions are also popular.
The popular "Zip Line KAKKU" allows visitors to glide over the lake, while the "Adventure Maze TO-RI-DE" and the "Dinosaur Adventure" take visitors on an exploration of a forest inhabited by dinosaurs.
After a day of fun, take a break and enjoy the rich Jersey soft-serve ice cream that only a ranch can provide.
Dogs are also welcome, and the ranch is equipped with a dog run. This is recommended for those who want to enjoy sightseeing with their pets.
- Nasu Kogen Rindoko Family Farm
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- 414-2 Takaku C 414-2, Nasu-cho, Nasu-gun, Tochigi MAP
- 23 minutes drive from JR Nasu Shiobara Station / 10 minutes drive from the Nasu Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway
- 9:30 - 17:00 (varies depending on the season and day of the week; check the website)
- Closed during winter (check website)
- Admission: Adults 1,600 yen, children (3 years old to elementary school students) 800 yen, seniors (65 years old and older) 1,100 yen
Enjoy Pass Set (admission + unlimited rides ticket) / Adults 4,900 yen, elementary school students 4,100 yen, children 3 years old to preschoolers 3,800 yen (with 1,000 Rindouko currency), seniors 4,400 yen - 0287-76-3111
- Free on weekdays
1,000 yen on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, and special periods such as GW and summer vacation (free within 45 minutes) - Wheelchairs and baby carriages available for rent (for a fee), coin lockers available
5Nasu Ropeway
Take a 4-minute scenic aerial walk to the ninth station of Chausu-dake (Mt. Chausu)
For those who have come all the way to Nasu Kogen and want to enjoy the great outdoors, the Nasu Ropeway is recommended. The ropeway is popular as a scenic spot that takes you all the way up to the ninth station of "Chausudake," the main peak of the Nasu Mountain Range, located in the northernmost part of Tochigi Prefecture. The ropeway is 812 meters long from its starting point at the foot of the mountain to its ending point at the summit of the mountain, and the 5-minute walk in the air offers a spectacular view of the Nasu mountain range, with azaleas in spring and autumn leaves in fall. If you have trekking shoes and other equipment, you can go directly from the summit station to the top of Chausudake, 1,915 meters above sea level.
Pets are allowed to ride in a carry-on bag!
The ropeway has a height difference of about 294 meters, and the giant gondola with a capacity of 111 people is always crowded with families and couples. The gondola is also available for boarding with pets such as dogs and cats. Please check the official website for the regulations on carry-on bags. The ropeway is in operation from mid-March to mid-December every year. Even in summer, it is chilly near the top of the mountain, so it is advisable to bring a long-sleeved jacket. Every year, the ropeway also operates at night to allow visitors to enjoy the starlit sky as an event, so check the official website in advance of your visit.
- Nasu Ropeway
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- 215 Aza Nasu-dake, Oaza Yumoto, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi MAP
- Approximately 60 minutes by car from JR Kuroiso Station
- Take a bus from JR Kuroiso Station, get off at "Nasu Ropeway" and walk shortly.
- 8:30-16:30 (last bus up at 16:00, last bus down at 16:20) *Varies depending on the season.
- Closed from mid-December to late March (check website for details).
- Junior high school students and older: 1,200 yen one-way / 1,800 yen round-trip; 3 to elementary school students: 600 yen one-way / 900 yen round-trip; under 3 years old: free; pets: 600 yen both one-way and round-trip
- 0287-76-2449
- Free of charge
- The bus runs at 20-minute intervals at 00, 20, and 40 minutes every hour. May be cancelled due to inclement weather.
MAP
- Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
- Kazutoshi Sato A father of two who loves Nasu
