Azumino is located in Nagano and surrounded by the beautiful Japan Alps. Azumino is positioned in the center of Honshu Island and can be easily accessed from both Tokyo and Nagoya in less than 3 hours by train. The Azumino area is sandwiched between the historical city of Matsumoto, made famous by its castle built at the start of the 16th century, and the world-class ski resort of Hakuba Village, which gained fame when it hosted the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games.
Azumino is a short train/car journey north from Matsumoto City.
Transport to AZUMINO by Train
From HAKUBA
Hakuba Sta
40 min
Hotaka Sta
Ride the Limited Express No. 38 Azusa train from Hakuba Station. You can enjoy the view from the window.
From MATSUMOTO
Matsumoto Sta
30 min
Hotaka Sta
Ride the JR Oito Line from Matsumoto Station. You will arrive at Hotaka Station after about 30 min.
After arriving at Hotaka Station, you can visit the tourist information center located near the station and learn about the sightseeing spots around Azumino. In front of the station, you can take a bus, taxi, and even use a rental bicycle, making your journey to the sightseeing spots even more convenient.
From TOKYO
Tokyo Sta
1 hr 30 min
Nagano Sta
1 hr
Matsumoto Sta
30 min
Hotaka Sta
1 hr
Akashina Sta
15 min
First, ride the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station. After arriving at Nagano Station, change to the Limited Express Shinano train to Matsumoto. At Matsumoto Station, change once more onto the Oito Line and ride the local train.
You can also take either a limited express or local train to Akashina Station, which is close to Matsumoto Station. Taxis may be taken from Akashina for access to the greater Azumino area.
Shinjuku Sta
2 hr 40 min
Matsumoto Sta
30 min
Hotaka Sta
Ride the Limited Express Azusa train from Shinjuku (or Tokyo) Station. At Matsumoto Station, change onto the Oito Line and alight from the train at Hotaka Station.
From NAGOYA
Nagoya Sta
2 hr
Matsumoto Sta
30 min
Hotaka Sta
From Nagoya JR Station, take the limited express ‘Shinano’ train that is bound for Nagano. This train departs on an almost hourly basis, and you can enjoy the view of Kiso Gorge during your travel.
At Matsumoto, transfer to the Oito Line. Local trains run on an almost hourly basis from the Oito Line, with services to Azumino’s main station, Hotaka Station, typically taking around 30 minutes.
From OSAKA
Osaka Sta
50 min
Nagoya Sta
2 hr
Matsumoto Sta
30 min
Hotaka Sta
First, from Nagoya JR Station, take the limited express ‘Shinano’ train that is bound for Nagano. This train departs on an almost hourly basis, and you can enjoy the view of Kiso Gorge during your travel. The journey time from Nagoya to Matsumoto is about 2 hours.
After arriving at Matsumoto Station, change onto the Oito Line. Local trains run on an almost hourly basis from the Oito Line, with services to Azumino’s main station, Hotaka Station, typically taking around 30 minutes.
Please Note:
・The early morning Azusa No.5 train extends its service until Hakuba JR Station, directly stopping by Toyoshina and Hotaka stations in Azumino along the way. Occasionally, extra trains operate for this service during special events. Check at ticketing counters for further details.
・If you have a Japan Rail Pass or a JR East Rail Pass, which are special passes for unlimited rides on JR trains and only foreigners visiting Japan for a short time can purchase them, this route might be convenient.
・Attention to passengers prone to motion sickness: Please be aware that the Chuo Line follows a slightly winding route through the valleys.
Transport to Azumino by Road or Expressway Bus
By Road
The Azumino area can be easily accessed by road by taking the Nagano Expressway and getting off at the Azumino Interchange (IC), 10 minutes north of the Matsumoto IC. From the Azumino IC, Hotaka Station is a 15-20 minute drive north along Route 147.
By Expressway Bus
From TOKYO
The expressway bus station is located at the south gate of JR Shinjuku Station. About twenty services bound for Matsumoto operate daily from this terminal from 06:05 to 22:25. Tickets for expressway buses are considerably cheaper than those found for train journeys between Shinjuku and Matsumoto, although journey times tend to be longer – typically being a little less than 3 hours and half long, including a 10-minute rest-stop along the way.
An expressway bus bound for Hakuba also operates, stopping off at the Azumino Swiss Village along the way. After getting off at the Swiss Village, please call a taxi.
Click below to go to Alpico Bus site for timetables and further information regarding bus travel:
From OSAKA and NAGOYA
From Umeda bus terminal (near JR Osaka station) three daily services (one of them is night service) are offered to Matsumoto bus terminal.
From Nagoya Meitetsu bus center (adjacent to Nagoya JR Station) two services to Matsumoto are offered.
Transport to Azumino by Air
From Matsumoto Airport near Azumino city, you can take air flights to Sapporo in Hokkaido and Fukuoka in Kyushu.
