Obuse

Obuse (小布施) is a town in Nagano Prefecture.

Understand
Obuse is famous as the home of the Hokusai Museum. It houses works by the Edo-era woodblock artist Katsushika Hokusai, well known for his Thirty-Six Views of Mt Fuji. He lived in Obuse when in his 70s, and produced many brush paintings during that time.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a bilingual guide site.

Get in
Take the Nagano Dentetsu railway from Nagano station to Obuse station (24 minutes/¥750 by limited express, 33 minutes/¥650 by local train).

Get around
The old town area is very compact and flat, and easy to walk around.

Go next

 * Chikuma - take the Shinano railway south from Nagano City to Chikuma or Togura stations and explore the onsens, mountains and temples of this small city straddling the picturesque Chikuma River
 * Yamanouchi - home of the famous hot-spring soaking snow monkeys.
 * Joshinetsu Kogen National Park - which includes Shiga Kogen, Japan's largest ski resort, host of 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic Giant Slalom, with 21 interlinked ski fields and over 70 lifts.
 * Matsumoto - home of the famous black castle, whose gardens and views are a delight in spring and autumn
 * Kiso Valley - through which winds the historic Nakasendo (Mountain Road) with numerous historic and beautifully restored villages
 * Hakuba - some of the best ski fields in Japan and great summer hiking along the spectacular northern Alps
 * Azumino - Spice up your life with a visit to one of Japan's most famous wasabi farms
 * Nagano - Take a pilgrimage to Zenkoji Temple