Nagano hosted the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. Many of the Olympic facilities remain open - like the '''M-Wave''' speedskating arena and the '''Aqua-Wing''' arena - making Nagano a popular destination for indoor and outdoor sports enthusiasts. It's also a key launching point for trips to ''onsen'' and ski resorts in the nearby mountains, which are often referred to as "the Japanese Alps". http://wikitravel.org/en/Nagano