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
The Nakasendo and Five Post Towns within Shiojiri City

Along the Nakasendo, there were 69 post towns stretching from Nihombashi in Edo to Sanjo Ohashi in Kyoto.
Although the Shiojiri area had more hills and slopes than the Tokaido, travelers could keep to their planned schedules because prolonged delays caused by river closures were rare.
Within Shiojiri, the Nakasendo included five post towns: Shiojiri-juku, Seba-juku, Motoyama-juku, Niekawa-juku, and Narai-juku.

1. Shiojiri-juku (the 30th station from Nihombashi)
Shiojiri-juku stood on the border between the Matsumoto and Suwa domains. A checkpoint called the kuchidome-bansho, which inspected rice and prohibited goods, was established there. Honjin and waki-honjin served officials on sankin-kotai, and by the late shogunate period the number of inns ranked second on the Nakasendo and first in Shinano.

2. Seba-juku (the 31st station from Nihombashi)
Seba-juku lies at the fork between the Nakasendo and the Zenkoji Kaido. It hosted one of the Nakasendo’s three kanmearisho, offices that measured grain. A great fire in the early Showa era destroyed much of the post town’s appearance, but a stone lantern marking the old fork remains.

3. Motoyama-juku (the 32nd station from Nihombashi)
Said to be the birthplace of soba-kiri noodles, Motoyama-juku prospered as the gateway to Kiso and the exit of the Matsumoto Basin. Its honjin accommodated Princess Kazunomiya when she married Tokugawa Iemochi, and later served as lodgings during Emperor Meiji’s imperial tour in Meiji 13 (1880).

4. Niekawa-juku (the 33rd station from Nihombashi)
Niekawa-juku marks the entrance to the eleven post towns of the Kiso Road. Niekawa Sekisho checkpoint guarded this key transport chokepoint on the Nakasendo, and the town developed through lodging services and long-distance trade.

5. Narai-juku (the 34th station from Nihombashi)
Famed as “Narai Senken” with a thousand bustling shops in its heyday, Narai-juku still preserves much of its historical atmosphere and today draws many visitors as a popular tourist destination.

Shiojiri-shuku

Shiojirimachi, Shiojiri, Nagano 399-0712, Japan
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Jan. 18, 2026
Kiso Kurashi no Kogeikan Location: 2272-7 Kisohirasawa, Shiojiri City ◎ Masterful craftsmanship and the power of lacquer breathe life into materials Kiso Kurashi no Kogeikan is conceived as a museum and shop. From the displayed and stocked items to the building materials and furniture, the facility proudly emphasizes wood—the hallmark of this region. The entire venue overflows with the warmth of Shiojiri and Kiso, offering everything from crafts to everyday household tools and mountain-country flavors unique to the area. ◎ A wide selection of local specialties from Shiojiri and Kiso, including the traditional craft Kiso lacquerware and Shiojiri wine A range of cultures born from interactions with nature. We introduce the attractions of local industries rooted in Kiso life—skills handed down for centuries—while also presenting new lifestyle ideas. A medal awarded at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, finished by the careful work of lacquer artisans, is on permanent display. Visitors can also enjoy a Kiso tsuishu (Kiso raised lacquer) sanding-and-revealing experience. (Advance reservation required at least two weeks prior) ◎ Traditional craft “Kiso lacquerware” hands-on experience menu (advance reservation required; please book at least two weeks in advance) Kiso tsuishu sanding-and-revealing experience Duration: Approximately 1 hour Fees: ① Coaster 2,200 yen ② Chopsticks 2,500 yen ③ Spoon 2,500 yen - Overview - Address: 2272-7 Kisohirasawa, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture Phone: 0264-34-3888 Fax: 0264-34-2832 Hours: 9:00–17:00 Closed: Every Tuesday / Open during busy seasons (closed irregularly) Parking: Standard cars: 500 spaces / Large buses: 10 spaces / Accessible: 4 spaces (all free) Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible restrooms, ramps Access: By car: 25 km (about 30 minutes) from Shiojiri IC / By car: 80 km (about 90 minutes) from Nakatsugawa IC / By train: JR Chuo Main Line to kisohirasawa station, then 20-minute walk
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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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