Nagiso

Nagisomachi is a town located at the southern end of the long and wide Kisodani, with a population of around 4,017. More than 90% of the total area is covered with forests and the Kiso area has a strong impression that “everything is in the mountains”, but when visiting, it becomes clear that each settlement has rich culture and life beyond words. Even in the present age when motorization has progressed, many people visit this town from all over the world for the purpose of “walking”.

Toward south by taking the Chuo Main Line from Shiojiri Station. The views of the mountains immediately approach in sight on the right and left and the greenery of the trees passing from the train windows is beautiful. Let's go from here to the end of the road and to the deep bosom of Japan. Such deep emotions draw out the sentiment of a traveler like it or not.
Nagisomachi is located at the southern end of Kisoji, which is said to have a total length of 80km and 100km. This town, which was born in 1961 by the merger of the three villages of Yomikaki-mura, Azuma-mura, and Tadachi-mura, has always attracted attention from people with its rich nature and nurtured culture. In the Edo period, it was an important growing location for timber and was a transportation hub connecting Kyoto and Edo. During the Meiji and Taisho periods when the modernization in Japan was advanced, it became a supply source of timber and also one of the centers of hydroelectric power generation leveraged the rapids of the Kiso River. Furthermore, in recent years, it has become a new tourist destination where many people from abroad gather for the purpose of a leisurely trip along the Nakasendo highway. Even if its role changes, there is what the times demand in Nagiso for some reason. It is a truly mysterious place.
They joined the “The Most Beautiful Villages in Japan” Union in 2008. The motive was exactly “because I thought that it was a good initiative to utilize the history, nature, and culture that are the treasures of this town and connect it to the future” (Village Mayor Hiroyuki Mukai). There are various areas in Kiso, too such that an area around Kiso-mura and Kiso-machi are close to the Chushin area centered on Shiojiri and Nagiso-machi is adjacent to the prefectural border of Gifu Prefecture and is strongly influenced by the Chubu region. In addition to Tsumago, which is famous as a pioneer in preserving the townscape, there are so many different attractions that you can't go around in a day, such as Tadachi where Kabuki and Hanauma festivals are inherited, Kakizore with beautiful valleys, and Kijishi-no-Sato.

Interviewed in October, 2020