Getting around Northern Nagano Prefecture

I've been trying to figure out a good 3-day travel plan, taking into account suggestions already posted on this forum, as well as the bus/train schedules and the availability of special tickets. My head is beginning to spin from all the information, and I could use some advice.

In a nutshell, in mid-October we'd like to leave from Matsumoto in the morning and do the following, in whatever order makes the most sense:

- Go to Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen area, do things there, and stay there one night (ryokan already decided)

- Visit the monkey park and stay one night a ryokan in Yudanaka (ryokan already decided)

- Go from Nagano City to Togakushi to see the ninja museum and a few other sites

- See anything else that can be squeezed in without too much extra travel (eg: Matsushiro??)

We just need to return to Matsumoto by evening on the third day.

I can find various ways (either train or bus, or sometimes a combination of the two) to get from place to place. Also, I see that there is a special two-day Northern Nagano area pass (3,520 yen; good north of Shinonoi on Nagano Dentetsu trains, Shinano Tetsudo trains, and Alpico Bus), but I'm not sure if that's economical or even valid for much of this route.

If someone has tips about traveling to these places by public transportation or thoughts on the best order for seeing these things, I'd really appreciate your advice. Thank you.

I suggest Obuse (小布施) with its really great Museum of Hokusei and nice town (maybe even instead of Nagano)
(It is from most foreign tourists a very overlooked gem. )

http://www.jreast.co.jp/tickets/info.aspx?GoodsCd=2178

This pass is valid north of Obaste so you must go to Obaste first (of course you can stay on the train though). Some Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen ryokans provide free shuttle bus to/from Obaste and Togura.

On day 2 you can use the pass to go from Togura to Yudanaka. On the the third day, you can go back to Nagano and then to Obaste, but as far as I understand the pass is not valid for going to Togakushi.

So the total fare is
Togura to Yudanaka 1570 yen
Yudanaka to Nagano 1160 yen
Nagano to Matsumoto 1140 yen
Obasute to Matsumoto 760 yen

1570+1160+1140-760=3110

This pass is 3510 yen so is 400 yen more expensive.