Chino brings together Jōmon connections at the station with other cultural and leisure discoveries around the city. You can see raw obsidian on the platforms, and bronze casts of Dogū figures stand at the west exit. There are also authentic pottery vessels, a workshop that requires reservations, and places with quite different focuses. If you’re looking for accommodation in Chino, it helps to decide first which of these experiences you want to shape your stay.

Jōmon connections at the station

Raw obsidian from the Reizan area at the foot of the Yatsugatake Mountains is on display on platforms 2 and 3 at JR Chino Station. At the west exit is 茅野駅前縄文公園. There are two bronze casts of Dogū figures designated as National Treasures of Japan. You can take souvenir photos in front of the objects displayed there and touch them.

The way you encounter each object varies: the raw obsidian is on display, while you can touch the park objects and take photos in front of them. Authentic pottery vessels can be seen outside the Chino City Tourist Information Center on the second floor of the station building モンエイトビル. These three Jōmon connections are in different parts of the station: on the platforms, at the west exit, and on the second floor of the station building.

Create your own piece and sample 角寒天

In Chino, individual visitors can make clay rattles, pottery, or Dogū figures such as 縄文のビーナス and 仮面の女神 at 尖石縄文考古館, with advance reservations. Unlike the exhibits at the station, this is a hands-on creative experience. Individual visitors need to make a reservation in advance as part of their planning.

At 長寿寒天館, visitors can learn about and sample natural 角寒天. 角寒天 has a history of about 200 years as an industry in Chino. The tasting is paired with an introduction to local industrial history, offering a different focus from the Jōmon themes. Check the latest visitor information before your visit.

Poetry by a waterfall and recreation in the park

Around Tamehime Waterfall in Chino are about 20 stone monuments inscribed with poems by well-known poets, including Matsuo Bashō and 小平雪人. This literary connection offers a different way to experience Chino than its exhibitions and hands-on activities. The nearby path is currently closed due to a landslide; check the situation before your visit.

永明寺山公園 has a roller slide about 70 meters long and a barbecue area. The park offers a recreational focus that differs from the cultural and literary themes. Check local conditions before your visit.

Choose your hotel based on your interests

Then compare the specific location of your accommodation with your own plans. Bear in mind that the workshop requires an advance reservation and that the path near Tamehime Waterfall is currently closed.

Discover more destinations: Suwa, Shimotakai District, Kitaazumi District, Hakuba, Chikuma, Nagawa, Saku, Koumi

For the broader travel overview: Nagano Prefecture.