Nagano Shiojiri City Tourist Association.
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Nagano Shiojiri City Tourist Association.

Nov. 4, 2025 (edited)
[Image1]Shiojiri-juku Location: Shiojiri City, ShiojirimachiThe old Nakasendo route that crossed Misawa Pass
[Image2]Shiojiri-juku Location: Shiojiri City, ShiojirimachiThe old Nakasendo route that crossed Misawa Pass

Shiojiri-juku Location: Shiojiri City, Shiojirimachi

The old Nakasendo route that crossed Misawa Pass, Ono-juku and Ushikubi Pass from Shimosuwa-shuku was abolished in 1613 (Keichō 18). From 1614 (Keichō 19) the Nakasendo was rerouted via Shiojiri Pass and the new Shiojiri-juku was established.

The town layout work was overseen by Ogasawara Hidemasa, lord of Matsumoto Domain. He laid out the new Shiojiri-juku in an east–west plan southwest of the old post town. The honjin was one of the largest on the Nakasendo, and the post town also featured a noticeboard area and a Matsumoto Domain checkpoint.

Plots in the post town were typically three to four ken wide. By 1843 (Tenpō 14) the town had 166 households, including 75 inns — the largest number among the 26 post towns of Shinshu, due to its position at a road junction below Shiojiri Pass. Major fires in 1828 (Bunsei 11) and 1882 (Meiji 15) destroyed much of the town, but the Ono family house, a National Important Cultural Property, still evokes the town’s former appearance.

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Nagano Shiojiri City Tourist Association.
Oct. 23, 2025
【Nakasendo and 5 Post Towns in Shiojiri City】

There are 69 Shukuba on the Nakasendo Road between Edo Japan Bridge and Kyoto Sanjo Ohashi Bridge.
Although there are more hills in the Shiojiri City area than on the Tokaido, there was no long stay in the river, so we were able to pass as planned.
There were five shukuba on the Nakasendo road in the Shiojiri city area: Shiojiri Inn, Washima Inn, Motoyama Inn, Niekawa Juku, and Narai Juku.

(1) Shiojiri Inn -Shiojirijuku- (30th from Edo Japan Bridge)
Shiojiri inn was set up in Sakai in the Matsumoto and Suwa territories to change Rice shells and contraband items, and the honjin and wakihonjin used for attendance shifts were established, and the number of hatagoya was the second largest in Nakasendo and the largest in Shinano at the end of the Bakumatsu shogunate.

(2) Washima inn -Barajuku- (31st from Edo Japan Bridge)
It is a Shukuba that corresponds to the follow-up of the Nakasendo Road and Zenkoji Temple Highway. The inn was equipped with one of only three Kanme Kaisho on Nakasendo. Most of the faces of the Shukuba were destroyed by the great fire in the early Showa period, but the stone lantern of the night light remains in the place where it hits.

(3) Motoyama inn -Motoyamajuku- (32nd from Edo Japan Bridge)
Motoyama inn is said to be the birthplace of Soba cutting. It flourished as the entrance to Kisoji Road and the exit of Matsumotodaira. Honjin became a Accommodation when the Imperial Princess Wagu married Tokugawa Ieshige and during the Meiji Emperor's visit in 1880 (Meiji 13).

(4) Niekawa Juku -Niekawajuku- (33rd from Edo Japan Bridge)
Niekawa Juku is the entrance to Kisoji 11 Inn. As a transportation hub on the Nakasendo Highway, the Kakegawa Checkpoint was located, and it developed in the Accommodation industry and remote area commerce.

(5) Narai juku -Naraijuku- (34th from Edo Japan Bridge)
The Shukuba was called "Narai Senken" and was crowded. Richly preserved of the faces of that time, it is now visited by many people as a popular Sightseeing spot.

Shiojiri-shuku

Shiojirimachi, Shiojiri, Nagano 399-0712, Japan
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Oct. 28, 2025
[Torii Pass - toriitoge-] Overview A roughly 6 km mountain trail linking Narai inn on the Kiso Kaido with Yabuhara inn. In the Edo period it was famous as one of the Nakasendo’s toughest stretches, a place that made straw-sandalled travelers limp with pain. Today it is a popular, atmospheric trekking route. Hikers from Japan and abroad walk this pass in large numbers. From the summit you can look west to Mitakesan and east to Kiso Komagatake. Along the old road you will find numerous haiku and waka monuments and stone Buddhas, including those honoring Matsuo Bashō. The pass saw battles between the Kiso clan and the Takeda clan in the Sengoku era, and in the late Edo period Princess Kazunomiya passed through here on her marriage procession. Free loan of hinoki conical hats and bear bells! This service lets walkers experience the look of Edo-period travelers, especially those walking between Yabuhara and Narai on the Nakasendo. The traditional original hinoki (cypress) hats, hand-painted with kanji, make perfect travel companions and evoke the spirit of Edo travelers. They’re great for the experience and for photo opportunities. What is a hinoki hat? A hinoki hat is one of Kiso region’s traditional crafts. It remains popular with locals and visitors as a practical fashion item and as a sunshade that traces its roots to the Edo period. How to try them You can try them at the tourist information centers listed below. We refund the full deposit when you return the items. ⚠ The deposit will not be refunded if the item is lost or damaged. (Items may be wet without issue.) Loan locations: ① Narai-juku Tourist Information Center ② Yabuhara-juku Nigiwai Hiroba Enkan ③ Kiso Village Tourist Information Center Addresses: ① 497-3 Narai, Shiojiri City ② 1019-1 Yabuhara, Kiso village ③ Lot 196, Yabuhara, Kiso village TEL: ① 0264-34-3160 ② 0264-36-3020 ③ 0264-36-2543 Opening hours: ① 9:00–17:00 ② 8:30–17:00 ③ 9:00–17:00 Closed: ① During the New Year holidays ② Every Tuesday ③ Every Monday Refundable deposit: 2,000 yen per item Payment method: Cash only

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