Japan Heritage Kisoji
Japan Heritage Kisoji
Cultural Properties
Travel Column
 

Travel Column Archive

01
#1Kiso—The Resonance of Nature, Spirituality, and Myth
Hakusan Shrine, Nezamenotoko Gorge
The road to Kiso runs through a narrow, mountain valley where old post towns are tucked into its nooks and crannies. Sacred sites hundreds of years old and places of natural beauty are scattered about the forests, mountains, and rivers... [read more]
02
#2Kiso Shikki Kiso Lacquerware
Harunoya Lacquerware Studio
Neat displays of bowls, lunch boxes, and other objects greeted us with their lustrous coatings of warm brown, vibrant red, and even a deep sky blue. In a second floor workshop, a narrow space void of windows, Mr. Hiroyuki  Kobayashi sat ... [read more]
03
#3A Noble Family, Eerie Legends, and Culinary Traditions in Kiso
Yamamura Daikan Yashiki Museum, The Curious Tale of the Mummy Fox, Ontake Soba Shop
Traveling around Kiso, practically every bend of the river, nook of the valley, and stone along the old road had its own unique story. One of the most intriguing, if not eerie, tales we found was at the Yamamura Daikan Yashiki, while a  ... [read more]
04
#4Nagiso – Warm Colors of Wood and a Smoky Aroma
Tsumago Post Town, Wakihonjin Okuya, the Nagisomachi Museum, The Tateba Teahouse
As we walked along past old stone steps, latticed doors, earthen walls, and wooden lanterns, it seemed like time must have stood still in this place. The post town has been preserved through the Protection of Cultural Properties Project ... [read more]