Just east of Obuse is the village of Shinshu Takayama, which has a population of about 8,000. Surrounded by mountains and nature, the village is a thriving producer of apples and other fruit. As vineyards have sprung up to produce wine grapes, the number of wineries has been growing, too. This small village also has many hot springs, with inns along the Matsukawa River gorge providing wonderful opportunities to enjoy the beauties of the four seasons.

In the deepest part of the village, the Yamada Bokujo area offers camping and trekking in the summer and skiing in the winter. Its high altitude makes the stars look especially beautiful, so crowding the heavens that it can be difficult to make out the constellations.