Tokyo

Tucked into the lush Kiso Valley, the town of Kiso-Fukushima feels like stepping into a painting where time itself has taken a gentler pace.  Crisp mountain air, the quiet murmur of a river winding through its center, and streets lined with beautiful wooden facades. Once a key post town on the Nakasendo, the historic route connecting Kyoto to Edo (modern-day Tokyo), Kiso-Fukushima still bears the imprint of its past.

The architecture here tells its own stories. Dark timber-framed buildings with latticed windows stand shoulder to shoulder along narrow lanes. These machiya houses, with their harmonious proportions and sturdy elegance, evoke the era when travelers and merchants sought refuge here. At the heart of the town lies the sekisho, a meticulously preserved Edo-era checkpoint where guards once scrutinized goods, travelers, and documents, ensuring the integrity of the Shogunate’s control. It is both an artifact and a lens through which to view Japan’s layered history.