© Paolo Dala
The Nakesendo Samurai Trail
The cobblestone roads of the historic Nakasendo Route and the quaint Edo period (1603-1868) post towns of the Kiso Valley will make you feel like you have taken a step back in time to the age of the samurai.
The Nakasendo, literally the central mountain route, was a mountainous inland route that once connected Edo (present-day Tokyo) with Kyoto during the Edo period. It was one of the Gokaido (Japan's five major highways) consisting of a network of sixty-nine post towns along its 540-kilometer route.
Part of the trail passed through the mountains of Gifu and Nagano Prefectures in central Japan and was known as the Kisoji, or Kiso Road. This historic section of the route was known for its lush green forests, crystal-clear streams, and remote rural villages and farms, which have remained pretty much untouched from the modern world.
Japan-guide Walking the Historic Nakasendo Samurai Trail
