Glimpses of Japan

Kisoji is an old trade used during the Edo Period. It is in the middle of Nakasendo, one of the Edo Five Routes that connected Tokyo and Kyoto. Among many of the Shukubamachi, or staging post stations, on the route, Kisoji is the largest, with 11 stations. Some of the stations preserve traditional buildings very well.  The fountain used to be a water station for travelers, both human and horses. Also it was an important infrastructure to the village to extinguish fire back in the Edo period.  There were also many souvenir shops, cafes, and restaurants. Most of them used to be inns for travelers during the Edo period.  There are only few inns left in Narai Shuku. I stayed at Aburaya Ryokan. It was a traditional Japaneses building, small inn. The owner said that they can host only one group per night.  I could look down the street of Narai Shuku from my room Part of Kisoji is maintained as a hiking trail. I hiked from Narai Shuku to Yabuhara Shuku, which includes the h...

In the past few years, Nozawaonsen, a village in Nagano prefecture, has become known for skiing in winter. Although I love to ski, I had a chance to visit Nozawaonsen in summer. It was my first time staying there during summer, but it was great because I could indulge in the onsen experience.  There are 13 communal bath houses in the center of the village, and visiting each one is called "Sotoyu-Meguri." It's interesting that the bathhouses have been run and maintained by local families since the Edo Period.  The bath was so hot that some of it was very difficult to soak in the whole body. I went there on the hottest time of the year but felt somewhat well after getting out of the bath. I visited 5-6 bath houses. It was interesting to see the differences; some of them had extremely hot water, while others did not. When visiting a bathhouse, remember to bring your own soap and towel. Unlike the usual onsen or sento, they offer nothing, even no shower. Also, although it is ...