Japan: Magome to Tsumago scenic drive 4k

A scenic drive between famous post towns: Magome and Tsumago.
July 17, 2023
"Magome is one of many villages along the Nakasendo way in Japan where you can still get a glimpse of traditional Edo period architecture, and where you can imagine what village life was like in the ancient Japan.
Magome is located in the middle of the beautiful Kiso Valley, in Gifu Prefecture, right between Kyoto and Tokyo and less than 100km east of Nagoya.
From Magome, it is possible to hike on the Nakasendo Way to the neighboring village of Tsumago. This 8km section allows you to see two of the most beautiful villages in the region, and it is undoubtedly the best preserved part of this mythical path. If you ask us, A MUST in Japan!
A bit more north you will find another beautiful and well preserved village: Narai Juku. Another must-see along Nakasendo.
In the Kiso valley, Magome Juku is one of the most authentic villages because it is almost entirely made up of traditional wooden houses dating originally from the 18th century.
Totally devastated by a fire in 1894, these houses were restored to their original appearance.
The path that crosses Magome is called the Kisoji and connects the 11 villages of Nakasendo grouped in the Kiso valley. These 11 villages all have “remains” of this past, from small historical monuments to traditional houses. The most beautiful villages on this path are Magome, Tsumago or Narai.
Have you heard of Nakasendo before? If you want to see the historical and authentic Japan, then this is one of the best places to discover! We first learned about Nakasendo while watching a documentary about Joanna Lumley in Japan. You can find it on Netflix."
--afuncouple.com...
"When you arrive in Tsumago in the Nagano Prefecture along the legendary Nakasendo Way, time seems to rewind and you rediscover all the charm of ancient Japan.
The dark wooden buildings stand tall. Narrow alleys. No telegraph pole or television antenna in sight. The locality has made it a point to preserve a traditional setting, authentic as in the time of the samurai who visited Tsumago hundreds years ago.
Tsumago is one of the best places to visit along Nakasendo Way!
Tsumago is located on the historic Nakasendo route connecting Kyoto and Edo during the Edo period.
Have you heard of Nakasendo before? If you want to see the historical and authentic Japan, then this is one of the best places to discover! We first learned about Nakasendo while watching a documentary about Joanna Lumley in Japan. You can find it on Netflix.
he Nakasendo or “Central Mountain Road” was one of the five main roads of Gokaido serving the ancient city of Edo. The path wound through the Japanese Alps, a distance of 534 km, between Edo and Kyoto.
Lords, samurai, porters, merchants, etc. used the Nakasendo for centuries. Over time, post towns were created to provide accommodation for travellers. These historical stages where the inns continue to receive today hold an important role in the preservation of the history and culture of the region.
The first weekend of June is the Ochasubo dochu festival. This tradition dates back to the Edo period, when all the local daimyō met in Kyoto and went on a procession to Edo, using the Nakasendo, to offer tea to the Shogun. The event and the parade take place in a new form these days but still remembering this tradition!
Tsumago is was once a very wealth post town.
During the Edo period, it was the 42nd relay among the 69 postal towns of the Nakasendo which linked the capital Edo to Kyoto.
The decline of the Nakasendo Way and all its post town came after the creation of the Chuo Main Line which bypassed it. Tsumago slipped away, its economy sank and much of its infrastructure fell into disrepair…
However from 1950, the inhabitants decided to restore the image of their city. They joined forces to rehabilitate Tsumago’s historic sites and buildings.
In 1971, they managed to restore about twenty houses and to establish a charter with the government according to which no place in the locality could be “sold, rented or destroyed”. Finally in 1976, Tsumago received the status of an Architectural Preservation Site of Japan.
--afuncouple.com...