Kirigamine is a highland plateau in central Nagano, and the Venus Line passes across it like a ribbon laid over a green blanket. The name means the peak of mist, and in the summer months, when warm air from the valleys meets the cool air above, the fog moves across the grass in slow rolling banks. The plateau is a volcanic shelf at roughly fifteen to nineteen hundred metres, with gentle slopes, a few small peaks and wide open spaces where cattle graze. It is a gentle contrast to the sharp Alps that rise on the horizon.
The views are the main attraction, and they are well earned. To the west lie the Northern Alps and the Chūō range, to the south the long volcanic ridge of the Yatsugatake, and to the north the broad shoulder of the Asama volcano. Far below, Lake Suwa glints in its basin. The city of Suwa, on the lakeshore, is famous for its hot springs and for the Suwa shrines, some of the oldest in Japan, which hold a remarkable festival every six years, the Onbashira, when huge tree trunks are hauled down the hillside and raised at the shrine corners. It is a spectacular event, and Suwa is worth a stop on a day off.
The riding on the plateau is gentle and enjoyable. The Venus Line runs smoothly across the open grassland, with easy bends and a good surface, and is among the nicest roads in the region for a relaxed ride. There is no heavy traffic, but you will find tourists, cyclists and the occasional tractor, and the speed limits are low. The road is closed for part of the winter, when snow lies deep, and fog can cut visibility to a few metres, so use lights and keep to a sensible pace. Autumn colours here are superb, and the air is crisp and clear.
At various points along the road there are car parks and small restaurants, and some of them sell local products, including dairy goods, apples and soba. For fuel, Suwa, about nine kilometres away, is the nearest sizeable town, and Okaya and Chino have more stations and supermarkets. Fill the tank there, since there is none on the plateau.
If you have time, the hot springs of Kamisuwa and the town's lakeside promenade make a pleasant stop after the climb. Japanese hot springs are a wonderful way to ease a stiff back, and many have public baths for a small fee.