Australia's craving for a holiday in Japan's alpine Nagano region has reached new record-breaking heights.

In the latest Japanese Tourism Agency report based on the number of bed nights spent in the prefecture, Aussies accounted for a healthy 7.4 per cent increase on the corresponding period in 2024.

More than 163,000 overnight stays were booked by Australians from January until the end of November, a jump of 28,020 compared with the previous year's figures.

“And we have yet to receive results from December, the start of the busy ski season,” said Helen Wong, Australian representative of the Nagano Tourism Organization.

“While the winter months remain overwhelmingly popular, we are beginning to hear many more Australian accents beyond the snow,” she said.

“Particular interest has been directed towards the southern most regions of Suwa and Southern Nagano.

“These breathtakingly beautiful areas are renowned for their soaring alps, vast lakes and in season the colourful cherry blossoms and wildflowers – a hiker's delight during the warmer months.”

Flanked by the Japanese Alps, the Southern Nagano's Ina Valley is a magnet for those venturing outdoors in summer. The region is famous for Takato Castle's cherry blossoms and the easily accessible 2600-metre Senjojiki Cirque which was carved by glaciers 20,000 years ago.

Another natural beauty is vast Lake Suwa, Nagano's largest lake, which is shadowed by Yatsugatake and other mountains. From spring to autumn, the foothills are smothered by the colours of wildflowers.

Nagano - renowned for its traditional hot springs, the Zenko-ji Temple, Matsumoto Castle, and popular Jigokudani Monkey Park - is ideally located in the north-west region of main island of Honshu.

A swift method to reach the naturally scenic area, 250kms from capital Tokyo, is by rail.

To find out more about Nagano - Details: Nagano Tourism Organization: Go Nagano (go-nagano.net)