Top 5 Photogenic Gourmet Foods & Souvenirs of Nagano | Instagram-Worthy Sweets & Street Snacks

Nagano is full of gourmet treats born from Shinshu's great nature and artisan skill that make you want to snap a photo. This time we carefully select gourmet foods and souvenirs guaranteed to be Instagram-worthy, adding even more brilliance to your travel memories.

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1. Polka-Dot Soft Serve Inspired by Yayoi Kusama | Matsumoto City, "Matsumoto City Museum of Art Cafe"

The polka-dot soft serve you can enjoy at the cafe inside the Matsumoto City Museum of Art is a hot topic. Fitting for a place associated with Yayoi Kusama, the visual topped with colorful dots is pure art.

• Why it's photogenic: Capturing the vivid colors together with the museum's exterior makes a one-of-a-kind shot
• Shooting tips: Shooting from a low angle with the Yayoi Kusama object at the museum entrance as the background is GOOD
• Best season: Spring to autumn (the outdoor location is photogenic)
• Access: About 10 minutes on foot from JR Matsumoto Station

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2. A Spectacular Parfait Seemingly Floating on the Lake | Suwa City, "Fruit Parlor Ichigoya"

A parfait generously using fruit from Shinshu, enjoyed in a location overlooking Lake Suwa. If you shoot from a window seat with the lake as the background, you complete a fantastical photo where the parfait seems to float on the water!

• Why it's photogenic: The exquisite contrast between the vivid colors of seasonal fruit and the blue of Lake Suwa
• Shooting tips: Place the parfait in front and the lake behind at a window seat, and shoot making use of natural light
• Best time: The soft-light hours of 10 to 11 a.m.
• Access: About 15 minutes on foot from JR Kami-Suwa Station

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3. An Overly Photogenic Shinshu Apple Candy | Obuse, "Hokusai-kan Dori Food Stall"

In autumn, rising rapidly in popularity alongside Obuse's chestnut okowa is the candy apple made from a whole Shinshu apple. Capturing the bright red candy apple together with Obuse's chestnut townscape completes a Japanese-modern shot.

• Why it's photogenic: The glossy red is in best contrast with the townscape dyed in autumn's golden hue
• Shooting tips: Holding the candy apple in hand and shooting in a vertical composition with the stone-paved path as the background is best
• Best season: The chestnut season of October to November
• Access: About 7 minutes on foot from Obuse Station on the Nagano Electric Railway

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4. Transparent Jewel-Like Kohakuto | Nagano City, "Shinshu Machinaka Factory"

The kohakuto (crystal sugar candy) made with Shinshu fruit juice drawing attention in Nagano City is highly praised for sparkling like jewels when held up to the light. It's also perfect as a souvenir, and the photo of the moment you open the box is picture-worthy.

• Why it's photogenic: The transparency that glows from within when exposed to natural light is photogenic
• Shooting tips: Line them up on white paper and shoot with backlight by the window to boost the GEM feel
• Best time: In the soft light of a sunny afternoon
• Access: About 8 minutes on foot from JR Nagano Station

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5. A Snow-White Mont Blanc | Karuizawa, "Boulangerie Asanoya"

The snow-dusted Mont Blanc of "Boulangerie Asanoya," a bakery representing Karuizawa, has a stunning white visual exclusive to the winter season. Combined with Karuizawa's snowy scenery or its lush tree-lined paths, it makes a shot brimming with seasonal feeling.

• Why it's photogenic: The beauty of the pure white Mont Blanc blending into Karuizawa's scenery through the four seasons
• Shooting tips: Shooting across the table in a spot where dappled sunlight filters through boosts the natural feel
• Best season: A snowy background in winter, a fresh-green background in summer—completely different expressions
• Access: About 5 minutes on foot from Karuizawa Station on the Shinano Railway

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Nagano's gourmet foods are all not only delicious to eat but also beautiful to see. Be sure to take lots of photos as a record of your trip.

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