1-Day Togakushi Tour: Soba making, Ninja Town, and Hidden Shrines

Overview

Available languages

English

8 hours 15 minutes

Mobile ticket

Sitting just outside Nagano City, the forests of Togakushi are home to some of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines, sacred places that are linked to the myths of the creation of Japan itself, and the mountain refuge of the Togakure Ninja. This engaging tour gives insight into the daily lives of the ninja, taking you along short sections of the pilgrimage trails of the ‘Togakushi Kodo,’ and deep into culture, myth, and legend. This tour includes a hands-on soba making experience, visits to two of the most important Shinto shrines, the Togakushi Ninja Museum, and ends with a stroll through the grand avenue of giant cedar trees.

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

This tour has a minimum of 2 guests to operate

This tour includes a significant amount of walking, often along forest trails. While paths are well-maintained, the ground is uneven in places and requires a reasonable level of fitness to partake. The itinerary is designed to breakup periods of walking into 30-minute blocks. Please ensure you wear good quality shoes or boots.

This tour is well-suited to children but they will need to be able to walk or be carried for up to 30-minutes at a time.

This tour spends a considerable period of time outside. Weather conditions in Togakushi are often notably cooler than Nagano City, even in summer. Please also ensure you wear suitable clothing for the season and bring a waterproof jacket and/or umbrella as weather conditions can change quickly.

This tour includes a 'soba' (buckwheat) noodle lunch in Togakushi village. If you have any dietary requirements please let us know at time of booking.

Infants (0-5) are free of charge. An infant lunch is not included and the order will be made directly to the restaurant according to your needs.

All listed events, activities, and experiences are subject to availability. Please note that while certain tour options may appear bookable through our platforms, this does not guarantee that every experience can be carried out as scheduled in the tour itinerary. Many activities require direct confirmation with our partner venues, and availability may vary based on the date and other factors. Should any part of your ordered itinerary require adjustment or deviation from the original schedule, or if a specific experience is unavailable, we will contact you promptly to discuss suitable alternatives or amendments.

Due to the amount of walking, this tour is not suitable for guests who are mobility impaired

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Guided tour at all listed attractions

Transportation fee from Nagano to Togakushi and between activities/attractions

Entry ticket to the Togakushi Ninja Museum

English-speaking guide

including your own handmade noodles

Shinkansen/Bullet Train ticket

Accommodation

Additional food, snacks & drinks

What To Expect

Tonkururin

Start your soba making journey from scratch with the help of your guide and the museum's expert soba artisans. Enjoy the fruits of your labor with a handmade soba lunch inside of the museum's restaurant seating area!

2 hours • Admission Included

Togakushi Shrine Chusha

Depart for the Togakushi Ninja Museum, with a short stop at the Togakushi Chusha Shrine along the way.

30 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Options

1-Day Togakushi Tour: Soba making, Ninja Town, and Hidden Shrines

Reviews

5.00

18 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Tasty soba and wet shrines
J8907XOvincentr,
Oct 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a fantastic day despite the weather being terrible. Nadine was a great, knowledgeable, and friendly guide. Making soba noodles is an experience we won't soon forget and the results were delicious thanks to the expert guidance. Shrines and ninja house are really fun and worth a visit in any kind of weather. Recommended for any visitor to the area!
Nagano day trip
jessjM6068KT,
Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great day for the whole family. Fun things for the kids and the soba noodles were great. Kevin was a wonderful guide who made the day fun for everyone. A really relaxed feel. What beautiful scenery we got to experience.
Kevin Rocks!
johnwV9271QB,
Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Kevin is awesome. We had such a great time and so much fun. Perfect for our family of four. The kids loved the Ninja Museum.
Visit the Hidden Ninja Village
Connector37800968133,
Sep 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a pleasant journey. There is a guided translation throughout the course, and there are no barriers to participating in the production. Ninja Village is fun. The tour guide is keen to help us take pictures and introduce local cuisine, the driver is also very smooth and comfortable throughout the trip
Fun Day in Togakushi – Soba, Ninjas, and Beautiful Trails!
narapornl2025,
Sep 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had an amazing time on the 1-Day Togakushi Tour! The soba-making was such a fun hands-on experience, and the noodles turned out delicious. The Ninja House was also a blast and added a playful touch to the day. Our schedule was a bit tight, so we didn’t make it all the way to the inner shrine, but the trail itself was beautiful and so photogenic that we didn’t feel like we missed out. A nice surprise was the Kumazasa ice cream at the entrance—refreshing and tasty, though I know the unique flavor may not be for everyone. Our guide, Shawn, was excellent—very informative, helpful, and made everything run smoothly. He’s also a great photographer and helped us capture some wonderful memories along the way. He really made the trip memorable for us. Highly recommend this tour if you’re visiting the area! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
A must see for a Ninja enthusiast and not only
532emam,
Aug 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our guide Shawn showed genuine knowledge in the history and traditions of shintoism, and really capture our attention. Our teenage children appreciated most Ninja village!!!
Thanks Shawn! We loved it all - noodle making, ninja village and breathtaking giant trees
amyvchin,
Jul 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We absolutely loved this tour, such fun activities! Shawn our guide was fantastic, super knowledgeable and interesting to chat to. He was also very patient and sensitive to the needs of our three young children, tailoring the day to ensure they had the best time. Making the noodles and the ninja village were both such cool activities. Highly recommend this for a great day out!
Great family summer day trip
Getaway315206,
Jun 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a wonderful day out for our family. The tween and teen especially loved the ninja house and the adults enjoyed the beautiful (and hot!) walk to the shrine through the 400 year old trees. Shaun was accommodating and we appreciated it!
Great.
lyneg03,
May 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Super nice day, making dough is really fun. Our guide Kevin was really super nice. I recommend
Memorable Togakushi tour
F9497XGrichardl,
Nov 10, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our experience of this one day tour was most memorable from learning to make soba noodles and being served our handiwork for lunch, to finding our way out of the Ninja House, and walking through the tranquil cedar forest to explore hidden shrines along the way. We were lucky to have Shawn as our guide. He gave us interesting commentaries on stories on soba, ninja culture and legends behind the shrines of Togakuschi. He was also very flexible and accommodating in conducting the tour at a pace that was comfortable for us senior citizens.