Japan Travel: Tsumago town of Edo period & Japanese food, Nagano, Japan
【★010★Nagano Kiso Valley Tsumago】 Subscribe link ：
Tsumago was a post town on the Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo. It is known today as one of the best preserved post towns in Japan. The town and its residents go to great lengths to recreate the environment and atmosphere of the Edo Period. Cars are not allowed on the main street in the day and phone lines and power cables are kept concealed, so that visitors can imagine they have slipped back to an earlier time.
Tsumago also recreates the post town ambience by maintaining its Honjin and Wakihonjin. In all post towns, the Honjin was the principal inn and served government officials who were traveling through. When more accommodations were required, the Wakihonjin served to accommodate the travelers of lower status. Tsumago also maintains the office where laborers and horses were rented to aid in travel. Many minshuku and ryokan are located in the town, and a stay at one of them will greatly add to the illusion of having left the modern era. If time permits, it is highly recommended to hike a preserved trail of the former Nakasendo from Tsumago to Magome. It is well maintained and well marked in both Japanese and English.
AloJapan.com