I joined Sunrise Tour "Kiso-ji & Takayama 4day Tour" with two couples early in November, which will also appear in 2008. Taking this opportunity, I would like to introduce this tour. The highlight of the tour is "get over passes to a post station.", allowing you to enjoy a glimpse of the history of Japan and beauty of the mountain country.
Kiso-ji used to be a part of Nakasen-do ( or way) , one of Go-kaido ( or Five ways) which used to be main ways under the road magistrate of Tokugawa Shogunate (17th century-19th century), and all of which shared the same starting point designated at Nihon-bashi Bridge, in Edo, the ancient name of -Tokyo.
Five ways included;
 (1) Tokai-do which means the eastern ocean way, literally runs along the east coast of the Pacific Ocean, connecting Edo, the seat of government and Kyoto, the capital of Japan, center of Japanese civilization for more than 1,000 years from 794 to 1868.
(2) Nakasen-do which means the way through mountains, also connecting Edo & Kyoto.
This way literally ran through mountains, and was far easier for travelers although they spent more traveling days than Tokai-do, for they could travel on schedule without any suspension of crossing rivers such as Oi Riverrunning near Kanaya station on Tokai-do.
(3) Nikko-dochu, connecting Edo & Nikko , where Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of Tokugawa Shogunate, was enshrined.
(4) Oushu-dochu, between Edo & Shirakawa, where one of Tokugawa family ruled to protect their territory from invasions by people living beyond the Shirakawa check-point.
(5) Koshu-dochu, connecting Edo &Shimo-suwa, where Suwa Great Shrine Lower Shrine, and also one of Tokugawa family control the area to prevent a would-be enemies from approaching Edo, and then joining together with Nakasen-do. |
Each Go-kaido had its own post stations: Tokai-do 53 stations, Nakasen-do 67. Nikko-dochu 21, Oushu-dochu 10, and Koshu-dochu 44 stations. Each station had accommodation facilities, including one for local feudal lords who travelled between their domain and Edo under the system of alternate attendance by a feudal lord in Edo, and another for commoners. Accommodation facilities for Daimyo, feudal lord was called Hon-jin, inns officially designated for daimyo. Waki-jin was for the replacements in case of over-booking, or for their retainers.
Let's join Kiso-ji & Takayama 4 day tour through this "cafe negishi", visiting key points of this itinerary;
1st day :
Suwa Great Shrine consists of two shrines - the kamisha (the Upper Shrine) and the Shimosha(the Lower Shrine) at Shimo-suwa. It is the oldest shrine in Japan, headquarters for 5,000 branch shrines throughout Japan. It has derived from the story of Record of Ancient Matters. Here, you have good chance to learn about Japanese original religion, Shintoism. You may be surprised to learn how broad-minded Japanese used to be in the ancient time through the storynation building of Japan indicates openness of ancient Japanese for reproduction.
 Matumoto Castle was originally built in 1504.
The moat and stone walls of the first castle still remain.
The imposing six-story castle tower, designated as a National Treasure, is connected by corridors with a small keep. You may be surprised to see how accurately and exquisitely guns displayed inside were molded for a very short period after introduction of a western one, using traditional technology of Japanese sword.
The museum in the compound of an inner moat displays mementos of the castle and the data.
Former Kaichi School, registered as an important cultural asset, was founded in 1873 and used to functional school for 90 years until 1963, one of the oldest elementary school in Japan, the mixture of Japanese and Western styles of architecture and keeps a designated symbol of the Meiji era civilization.
You may also be surprised to learn how small desks and chairs were in class rooms and understand Japanese have got taller under the influence of the westernization of food and living style.
2nd day :
Magome is located at the southern tip of Kiso-ji. It is famous for the birthplace of Shimazaki Toson, great literary figure in Meiji Period (1868-1912) and the stage of the novel ”Predawn”. Most part of the old town was burned down by the conflagration of Meiji period and then restored. There stand lines of folk dwellings, which remain sign of the post station, having latticework which include traditional mechanic like blinds; visible from the inside in the daytime but invisible from the outside. They sell gohei-mochi, which is broken-down steamed rice, threaded onto a skewer, put it in mop bean paste sauce including chestnut or sesame and roasted.
Tsumago is the 2nd post station of Kisoji, was designated as one of Kiso' 11 post stations by Edo shogunate in 1601 and the junction of Nakasen-do and Iida-way, so used to be full with travelers. After the Meiji restoration, however, it ran down. Since 1968, the conservation movement was launched, thereby being designated as the National Important Traditional Buildings Conservation District. It was the first project to remain the old street in Japan in those days. 800m-long row of houses with a style of traditional architecture includes Honjin, waki-honjin and temples.
 Nezame-no-toko, or wake-up bed, is the beauty spot, where 1.5 km long strange rocks of granite eroded by a rapid stream of Kiso river. We have two reasons for its funny name. One is that the scenery is so exciting and make sleepy eyes open Another is that the name traces back to a folk tale of Urashima Taro, a fisher man, who was carried on the back of a tortoise, which he had helped it from bullying by children, to the Sea God’s Palace. He returned to his hometown after a month entertainment (equivalent to one hundred years in this world.)Knowing that his relative had already passed away, he despairingly opened the gift casket which gushed out smoke over him, suddenly transforming him to 100 year old man, awaking him from his dream. Which do you prefer to? Make your choice after you visited here.
Kiso-fukushima is located in the center of Kiso valley, used to prosper as the local center of politics, economy, culture and traffic. During Edo period, it played an important role of security guard, establishing Fukushima checking station and controlling incoming gun and outgoing ladies. The town is located between mountains from the east to the west and along River Kiso flowing in the central part of it. Along the river, old private houses stand side by side.
Narai is located in northern and in the highest-altitude spot among Kiso 11 post stations, with the most difficult place to pass through : “Torii pass” in the south and “gonbei pass” in the east behind the town.
In Edo period, many inns and tea houses stood side by side in this neighborhood. This town also went through the same circumstance as Tsumago and designated as National Important Traditional Buildings Conservation District.
3rd day:
Shirakawa-go
 To see how rural people lived in centuries past, you visit this open-air museum with gassho-zukuri houses and sheds filled with tools of everyday life. It also serve as an artist colony, with artisans engaged in such traditional handicrafts as woodworking , pottery, weaving , inking, and straw basket and hat making, placing their products for sale on site. The buildings are picturesquely situated around ponds, paddy fields, flowerbeds and streams. It is one of World Heritage in Japan.
4th day:
Takayama called a "little Kyoto", is calm and carefully arranged old city situated in the center of the Hida mountains, a part of the Japan Alps National Park.
The streets are built in cross-bar design as in Kyoto and are well known for many houses constructed in a unique traditional style. As an excellent example, the jinya or manor house of the Edo period has been well preserved. Places of interest include the local museum and Hie Shrine. Takayama matsuriis one of the most famous festivals in Japan. It will be held annually from April 14 to 15 in Hie Shrine and from October 9 to 10 in Sakuragaoka-hachimangu Shrine. It is especially conspicuous because of the parade of 23 high-wheeled yatai (wagon floats) . Some of them are gorgeously embellished with gold and decorated with elaborate carvings. You can enjoy a day back to the Edo period. Please find an elaborate craft arts as souvenir. Kiso-ji is located in mountain area, with easy access to Sea of Japan. So you can always enjoy fresh and seasonal food from local mountains and from Sea of Japan. Good cuisine and spring spa warm you up even on cold days. You may be interesting in shopping. On this tour, you will find many handicrafts which has inherited from the Edo period (1600-1868), in many visiting places. They include Kiso lacquered ware, woodworks which indicate the traditional and local craftsmanship.
Now, it is early December. Kiso-ji may have been fully covered with snow, creating fantastic scenery which Japanese have been missing in the modern cities. Soon they will welcome a new year in a snowy world.
Please wait for detail information for 21 tour departures (March-November) in the coming year to appear on the Sunrise Homepage soon.
Happy Christmas and New Year!! |
