Emblem of Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Nagano Prefecture (長野県, Nagano-ken) is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 (as of 1 July 2023) and has a geographic area of 13,561.56 square kilometres (5,236.15 sq mi). Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the northeast, Saitama Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the southeast, Shizuoka Prefecture and Aichi Prefecture to the south, and Gifu Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture to the west. Nagano is the capital and largest city of Nagano Prefecture, with other major cities including Matsumoto, Ueda, and Iida.: 682  Nagano Prefecture has impressive highland areas of the Japanese Alps, including most of the Hida Mountains, Kiso Mountains, and Akaishi Mountains which extend into the neighbouring prefectures. The area's mountain ranges, natural scenery, and history has gained Nagano Prefecture international recognition as a winter sports tourist destination, and hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics. It is served by the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, with direct services to Tokyo, Toyama, and Kanazawa.