How to Get to and Around Omachi
As the gateway to the famous Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route of Chubu Sangaku National Park, along with many other great attractions, Omachi is a city that a great many people have passed through in Central Japan. Easily accessible from major cities including Nagano and Matsumoto Cities, Omachi is also a convenient launching point from where to explore various regional destinations such as Takase Valley, Daio Wasabi Farm, Hakuba, Azumino, and the aforementioned Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. On this page you will find the following information:
— How to Get to From Omachi to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
— 20 Things to Do Around Omachi & Where to Stay
Nestled within the North Japan Alps, Omachi is a small city best-known for its access to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, but has a cultural moniker as the “city of water”. Although the Alpine Route is what usually draws people to the city, many do not stop to appreciate the diversity of activities that are offered in this quaint town. If you take a break from a vigorously packed vacation, you’ll discover a wide variety of sightseeing opportunities, hands-on activities, and natural landmarks to make you happy that you stopped to visit!
Readily accessible from Nagano by express bus and by Matsumoto using the train network, Omachi is an base of operations for a variety of purposes. Being located right next to the Northern Alps allows for a plethora of outdoor activities such as hiking, trekking, and camping; whereas the easy access to the Nishina Lakes of Aoki, Nakatsuna, and Kizaki offer great opportunities to get on the water as well! In the winter, instead of staying in the ski resort proper, you could stay in an onsen town with relatively easy access to the slopes in Hakuba Valley to the north. We hope the following information is of assistance in planning your visit! Let’s start with the obvious question:
WHERE IS OMACHI?
Omachi is located around 45KM / 1-hour to the southwest of Nagano City and around 33 KM / 50 minute train ride to the north of Matsumoto City. As there are not many train lines that directly access Omachi, Shinano-Omachi Station is most easily reached using one of the many express buses from Nagano Station or by using the Oito Train Line from Matsumoto from the south and from Hakuba to the north(we will talk about the various options and timings later in the article). After stopping at Shinano-Omachi Station, many of these buses continue onto the Omachi Onsenkyo and Ogizawa Station to allow for easy access to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route located in Chubu Sangaku National Park. Both the main town and Onsenkyo boast some excellent hotels and guesthouses, restaurants and cafes, museums and galleries. Omachi sits at around 700 meters above sea level, which gives it a cooler and lighter atmosphere as it is blessed by the cold air descending from the nearby Northern Japan Alps, offering an escape from the heat and humidity of summer.
HOW TO GET TO OMACHI
In this section you will find information on how to reach Omachi from the following starting points:
Approaching from Nagano City in the East:
NAGANO CITY – JIGOKUDANI MONKEY PARK – TOKYO – NARITA AIRPORT – HANEDA AIRPORT – KARUIZAWA – KANAZAWA
Approaching from the Matsumoto City in the South:
MATSUMOTO – MATSUMOTO AIRPORT – NAGOYA – NAKASENDO TRAIL – KYOTO & OSAKA – KAMIKOCHI – TAKAYAMA – SHIRAKAWAGO
We endeavor to keep this information as up-to-date as possible and in recognition that most international visitors will be using the train and bus networks to move around Japan, most directions are for using the trains or buses. This information may be subject to change about pricing and route information.
FROM NAGANO CITY / approx. 70 minutes
Nagano City is the starting point for many if not most travelers going to visit Omachi routing from the east. Visitors starting at Nagano Station have the option of using a bus, train, or taxi. The bus to Shinano-Omachi Station departs from Bus Stop No.25 – outside the East Exit – at Nagano Station and takes approximately 70 minutes to reach the station, and an additional 10 minutes will land you at the Omachi Onsenkyo. Alternatively you can also take a taxi from Nagano Station. You will find them outside the station’s Zenkoji Exit.
The buses provided by the Alpico Group provide consistent ferries several times per day between Nagano Station and Shinano-Omachi Station. This bus does not require reservations, but understand that it may become full on a first-come first-served basis. Note that this particular line does not allow for reboarding at Omachi or the Onsenkyo, so we will discuss about how to get from either of these locations to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route later in this article. Please see the link above for how to get from Nagano Station to either the Shinano-Omachi Station area or the Omachi Onsenkyo Area ONLY (please do not worry that the schedule on the website does not occur in winter, as they service these two areas year round)!
FROM THE JIGOKUDANI MONKEY PARK / approx. 2 hours
To reach the Omachi from the Jigokudani Monkey Park takes time but is relatively straight-forward when done via Nagano Station. From the park, you have the option of: 1. a direct express bus from the park to Nagano Station or 2. a local bus to Yudanaka Station followed by an express train to Nagano Station. Starting from the park, the express bus costs JPY1500 each way and takes 55 minutes to reach Nagano Station. In comparison, taking the local bus from the park to Yudanaka Station followed by the train, takes 15 minutes and costs JPY310 before the limited express service to Nagano takes 45 minutes and costs JPY1290 – a total journey of around 60 to 70 minutes and costing JPY1600. Once at Nagano Station, follow the to reach Omachi from Nagano Station above.
FROM TOKYO / between 4 to 5 hours
Visitors coming from Tokyo can have easy access Omachi via Nagano Station. The Hokuriku Shinkansen line connects Nagano Station with Tokyo Station. Regular services throughout the day make the journey quick and easy, taking between 80 and 110 minutes depending on which service you choose. Once in Nagano, follow the directions to reach Omachi from Nagano Station above.
FROM NARITA AIRPORT / between 5 to 6 hours
For visitors heading to the Alpine Route to stay at Omachi directly From Narita Airport, it will be easiest via Nagano Station and then heading onto Ogizawa Station. Two rapid train services connect Narita Airport to central Tokyo, from where you can use the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to reach Nagano.
1 / the Narita Express (NEX) runs from Narita to Tokyo Station. It takes 55 minutes to reach Tokyo Station (depending on the service) and costs JPY3070 with trains departing every 30 to 60 minutes. Once at Tokyo Station, follow the directions above to Nagano and then onto Omachi.
2 / the Keisei Skyliner runs from Narita to Ueno Station. It takes between 40 to 55 minutes to reach Ueno Station and costs JPY2520 with trains departing every 30 to 40 minutes. Once at Ueno Station, transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen bound for Nagano and then follow the directions above from Nagano Station onto Omachi.
FROM HANEDA AIRPORT / between 5 to 6 hours
The Alpine Route area via Omachi can be reached in a multi-step journey from Haneda via 1. using the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station, or 2. using the Limited Express Azusa from Shinjuku Station to Matsumoto Station. We recommend making the journey via Nagano Station as its notably quicker. Two train services connect Haneda Airport to central Tokyo, from where you can use the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to reach Nagano.
1 / the Tokyo Monorail connects the airport to Tokyo Station via Hamamatsucho Station in around 30 minutes. From the airport take the monorail to Hamamatsucho Station (20 min/JPY170) and then switch to the JR Yamanote Line or JR Keihin-Tohoku/Negishi Line Rapid bound for Tokyo Station (5 min/JPY160) – a total journey of around 30-minutes / JPY660 one-way. Once at Tokyo Station, follow the directions above to reach Nagano and then onto Omachi.
2 / the Keikyu Railway connects the airport to Tokyo Station via Shinagawa Station. Take the Keikyu Airport bound to Shinagawa Station (approx.11 min/JPY300) and transfer to the Yamanote Line bound for Osaki to reach Tokyo Station – 13 min / JPY170 or a total journey of around 30 min / JPY470. Once at Tokyo Station, follow the directions above onto Nagano and Omachi.
FROM KARUIZAWA / ~2 hours
Karuizawa is one of Japan’s most popular mountain resort towns and a stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, making it easy to reach the Alpine Route via Nagano. Take the shinkansen from Karuizawa Station to Nagano Station – 25 min / JPY3210 – and follow the directions above onto Omachi.
FROM KANAZAWA / approx. 3.25 hours
Kanazawa Station is the northern terminus of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line. The easiest way to reach Omachi from Kanazawa is to take the shinkansen to from Kanazawa Station to Itoigawa Station, and make a transfer from the Shinkansen Line to the JR Oito Line to approach Omachi from the north. This option is cheaper than riding all the way to Nagano and takes around 3 hours and 15 minutes total.
FROM MATSUMOTO / approx. 1 hours
One of the most historic and enjoyable cities in Central Japan, Matsumoto is an easy location from where to access Omachi. Take the Oito Line from Matsumoto Station to Shinano-Omachi Station – approximately 60 minutes and JPY680 later and you will be there in no time!
FROM MATSUMOTO AIRPORT / approx. 1.5 hours
For visitors heading into Omachi from Matsumoto Airport, the airport shuttle bus operates to and from Matsumoto Bus Terminal (adjacent to Matsumoto Station). The bus takes around 30 minutes and costs around JPY600. Alternatively, taxis are also available – usually around 25 minutes / JPY4000 – to reach central Matsumoto with rental cars also available. Once in Matsumoto, follow the directions above to reach Omachi.
FROM NAGOYA / approx. 3.5 hours
Nagoya Station and Matsumoto are stops on the Shinano Train Line. Regular services connect the two cities each day. It takes approximately 130 minutes and costs JPY5610 to reach Matsumoto from Nagoya. Use the link above to access the timetable. Once in Matsumoto, follow the directions above to reach Omachi.
FROM THE NAKASENDO TRAIL / between 1 and 2 hours
Visitors to the Nakasendo Trail are likely to use the Limited Express ‘Shinano’ via either Nakatsugawa Station or Kiso-Fukushima Station. From those stations, it is easy to reach Matsumoto and onward to Omachi: from Nakatsugawa 75 min / JPY3840 and from Kiso-Fukushima 40 min / JPY2190. Use the link above to access the timetable. Once in Matsumoto, follow the directions above to reach Omachi.
FROM KYOTO & OSAKA / between 4.5 to 5 hours
From both Kyoto and Osaka, the easiest way to reach Matsumoto is via Nagoya Station. Both cities are on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line, making Nagoya readily accessible: taking 35 min / JPY5170 from Kyoto Station and 50 min / JPY5940 from Shin-Osaka Station. Once at Nagoya, follow the direction above to reach Matsumoto and onward to Omachi.
FROM KAMIKOCHI / approx. 2.5 hours
There are no direct buses from Kamikochi to Matsumoto. To travel between the two, you can take the bus from Kamikochi Bus Terminal to Shin-Shimashima Station and once there, transfer to the Kamikochi Line bound for Matsumoto Station. The total journey takes around 2 hours and costs JPY2500 per adult and JPY1250 per child. For full details, see the following timetable and fares page. Once in Matsumoto, follow the directions above to reach Omachi.
FROM TAKAYAMA / approx. 3.5 hours
Takayama to Matsumoto is an increasingly popular route for many international visitors. The Nohi Bus company operates multiple services each day, taking approximately 2.5 hours to reach Matsumoto. The bus departs from the Takayama Bus Terminal, located next to Takayama Station. Once in Matsumoto, follow the directions above to reach Omachi.
FROM SHIRAKAWA-GO & GOKAYAMA / approx. 4.5 hours
From the villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, take the bus onto Takayama Station and follow the directions above. See the following page for information including timetables and fares to and from Takayama. Once in Matsumoto, follow the directions above to reach Omachi.
How to Get to From Omachi to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
Now that you have spent your night of accommodation in Omachi, it is time to discuss your options to travel to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, a premier destination in Japan which can easily be reached as a stress-free day trip from this charming town. The Alpico Group also offers an express bus schedule that runs between Shinano-Omachi and Ogizawa Station, which stops at the Omachi Onsenkyo and Hinatayama Kogen along the way, making for easy access between the two locations if you are looking to only do the first half of the route from Ogizawa Station through Kurobe Dam to Murodo (Snow Walls) and back to Omachi as a round trip excursion.
For those who wish to see the entire route as it was meant to be experienced from Ogizawa Station all the way over to Tateyama Station at the base of the Tateyama mountain chain in Toyama Prefecture, the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Return Bus “Modo-Route” (Japanese text only) offers express buses that pick you up at Tateyama Station at around 14:45 and departs back toward Shinano-Omachi and the Onsenkyo areas after routing through the Hakuba area. Please check the link above for more in depth descriptions about this service.
20 THINGS TO DO IN OMACHI & WHERE TO STAY
Many if not most visitors heading to Omachi are drawn by its proximity to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, an incredibly scenic mountain byway to reach Toyama Prefecture from Nagano Prefecture. After their visit to the stunning Snow Walls of Tateyama Kurobe, visitors discover a city with a thriving folk craft, art and nature scene. So while it’s the Alpine Route that might attract people to visit, there is certainly plenty more to offer in this area to make your journey more than a one day trip! Our ’20 Things to Do Around Omachi & Where to Stay’ page has lots of great tips and suggestions of things to do, including links to accommodation listings, in and around Omachi.
CHARTERS AROUND OMACHI
We are proud to offer private tours and transport in and around the Omachi area, and other regional destinations. Our drivers and vehicles are fully certified, allowing us to transport you to and from your preferred destinations in combination with any activity that suits your schedule. All vehicles are well-maintained and in good condition, allowing you to relax and enjoy your ride to wherever you are going.
We can arrange both private tours with an English-speaking guide or a private charter, including a private vehicle and driver but without a guide. We’d love to be part of your adventure in Central Japan and help you discover even more! Please look HERE for more info on private charters and pricing.
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