Shogun Day 23: Takayama to Kiso

Watch Relive video here:https://www.relive.com/view/vrqDyprwnwv

On The Road – Distance 85km / 52mi | Elevation 1498m / 4915ft

For the 2nd day in a row we had to alter our route because of snow blocking some mountain roads. Last night guides Sean and Kusaba scouted the new route in the van. We had more or less main roads but they weren’t that busy.

Before leaving Takayama we finally got a group photo in our Shogun kits

It didn’t take us long to depart the town and we were soon on valley sroads with views of rice paddy fields and small villages. We took a small hill excursion (of course!) and wind through forest with bamboo undergrowth and rejoined the valley road for a basic coffee at a quirky road station.

We continued along the same road through several tunnels to our quiet lunch spot before gently climbing to our high point; although the view of the day is from Kuzo Pass.

We kept an eye out for more macaques ( see relive video above)as we descended and rejoined some wider smoother roads in the valley to Kiso Fukushima and the Old Nakasendo.

Just 100 metres from our hotel in the village of Kiso there was a public onsen just for the feet!

Because we were early to checking into the hotel, we soothed our feet in the 2ft deep, 42C hot springs water!

At the hotel before dinner we were instructed on how to perform a traditional tea ceremony. There is a strict way to make the tea from how to take the water to the bowl, how to whisk it until foamy, and how to turn the bowl with the main design facing away before drinking, then facing it toward you when finished drinking, always holding the bowl in cupped hands.

Matcha tea is quite bitter and so it is served with very sweet rice cake wrapped in young cherry tree leaves (above right).You eat the whole thing, even the leaf before drinking the tea. Only in the spring when the cherry blossoms are out that you have the rice cakes served this way.

Nakasendo

The Nakasendo was one of five major roads, known as Gokaido, connecting Japan during the Edo Period (1600-1868). Nakasendo, meaning “inner mountain road,” ran through the center of Japan’s mountainous island of Honshu, linking the imperial capital of Kyoto to the Tokugawa Shogun’s capital in Edo (now Tokyo). In its day, it was an important thoroughfare utilized by Daimyo lords, peasants, traders and religious pilgrims.

Of the Nakasendo’s 69 post-towns, 26 are located in Nagano Prefecture and some look nearly the same as they did during their hey-day. Traveling on the Nakasendo is a great way to experience Japanese history up close, observe Edo Period architecture and feel what it was like to be a traveler in Japan during that time. Many sections of the Nakasendo are also located in beautiful areas of the Japanese countryside in quaint villages or serene natural settings.