Inn Town on the Nakasendo Trail
Iwamura is a Edo Style town located south of Kiso River in Gifu. Iwamura was used to be a castle town. Today, it has still many remaining houses since Edo period which gives travelers the look of Edo style town. Those remaining houses are now opened as the museum. At the end of the town, there is a mountain castle called Iwamura castle. This castle is not only the major tourist attraction in Iwamura, it is also chosen as one of the three major mountain castles in Japan.
This historical and cultural castle town has many interesting features that set it apart from other castle towns, such as the plazas where troops would gather or the small canals that flow through the town. Blue curtains with the name of Iwamura Castle’s former female castle lord written upon them adorn the eaves of the houses in the castle town, welcoming weary travelers—an example of the thoughtful hospitality extended to guests by the castle lord.
The Nakasendo is an old traveler’s road from the Edo period, which lasted from 1603 to 1868. Nakasendo (中山道) means “Central Mountain Road” or “Inner Mountain Path.” The Nakasendo is drawing attention from tourists all over the world. Of the five main roads that were maintained during the Edo period, the most historic buildings and historic sites remain alive today.
This historical and cultural castle town has many interesting features that set it apart from other castle towns, such as the plazas where troops would gather or the small canals that flow through the town. Blue curtains with the name of Iwamura Castle’s former female castle lord written upon them adorn the eaves of the houses in the castle town, welcoming weary travelers—an example of the thoughtful hospitality extended to guests by the castle lord.
The Nakasendo is an old traveler’s road from the Edo period, which lasted from 1603 to 1868. Nakasendo (中山道) means “Central Mountain Road” or “Inner Mountain Path.” The Nakasendo is drawing attention from tourists all over the world. Of the five main roads that were maintained during the Edo period, the most historic buildings and historic sites remain alive today.
