Tour Packages
This is the ONLY time I will reccoment JTB travel (Excet that you can fly anywhere on your birthday for 10,000yen). Go to JTB and ask for the most inexpensive trip to Nagano available. We went for a package that inluded the night bus up and back, 2 days of snowboarding, lift pass, equipment rental, one night at the Ryokan and 2 meals and it came to onle 16,000yen eac. (Less than $130USD).
This, of course, was from Kyoto. We had about 10 people in 3 rooms but that wasn't really too bad. Fun actually. And we were on one of the least crowded mountains!! it was beautiful and quiet and the ONSEN was only 350 yen.
At JTB= "Nagano Ikitai. Ichiban yasui pakage onagaishimasu!!"
It is just bad japanese but it get's the meaning accross.

Zenkoji Temple - Main Hall
View From Togarionsen
Fountain - Zenkoji