Go to Nagano for Your First Long-Distance Tour

Whenever you open a motorcycle magazine, you are almost certain to find roads in Nagano Prefecture featured.
The Venus Line, Utsukushigahara Highlands, Shiga-Kusatsu Road. If you look at rankings of attractive touring roads, you will notice that Nagano Prefecture's name appears near the top.
For those considering their first long-distance tour, those who have just gotten their license and want to discover more of the appeal of motorcycles, and returning riders who have been away from bikes for a while, I strongly recommend Nagano Prefecture.

Nagano Prefecture is a place you never get tired of riding through
Nagano Prefecture is vast. And touring spots are scattered throughout the prefecture.
Just when you think you have finished riding one road, the next view is waiting for you. That is the kind of place it is.
There is a culture that associates touring with soba noodles. Nagano is also a place famous for soba. There are many biker-friendly eateries, and the roads are relatively wide. The environment is perfectly set up to bring out the true appeal of motorcycling.

My first ride in 7 years, I chose Nagano as my destination

In October 2025, I headed to Nagano Prefecture for a 5-day, 4-night trip. It was my first time on a bike in 7 years.
I hopped on a rented GB350C and headed for the Venus Line. In the chilly October air, the pampas grass was swaying in golden hues. The sensation of riding through that—I should have been nervous since it had been so long, but before I knew it, I was breathless.
The ridgeline of the Alps seen from the Utsukushigahara Highlands, the end of the Venus Line, was beyond words. The overlapping mountains stood there with a majestic atmosphere. For someone like me who tended to stay indoors, it was an unbelievable shock.
At Togakushi Shrine, I walked through a cedar avenue that was hundreds of years old. I also encountered scenery that looked like a natural lake. I felt that this prefecture has a perfect balance of places to ride and places to stop and linger.

It wasn't 'I want to come back,' but 'I want to ride again'
After returning from Nagano, what remained with me was not 'I want to go to Nagano again.'
'I want to see various spectacular views,' 'I want to ride dashingly through beautiful scenery,' 'I want to ride a motorcycle again.'
It was a place that made me feel that way.

And so, in my 40s, I got my large motorcycle license
With that feeling still lingering, I obtained my large motorcycle license just before turning 40, and shortly after entering my 40s, I bought a Shadow 750.
That trip gave me the push I needed.
Nagano Prefecture is that kind of place. Whether you have just started riding or have returned to motorcycling, it is a place I want you to ride at least once.