Feature Post

Bessho Onsen (別所温泉) is a small hot spring resort town just outside of central Ueda City in Nagano Prefecture. During the Kamakura Period (1192-1333), it served as the headquarters of the governor of the Shinshu Region, who built temples and brought Kamakura culture to the mountain town and is now an onsen / ryokan resort town.

Magome post-town on the 43rd station on the Nakasendo Way. Learn more about this picturesque station located in the Kiso Valley, on this beautifully preserved section of the this historic highway with the best examples of post towns on the Nakasendo trail. This post town appeared in Joanne Lumly's broadcast visit to Japan.

Joukamachi (literally “towns below castles”) were established around castles, particularly those that served as a daimyo’s (prefectural lord) political power base in the various han (or domains) that Japan was divided into during the Edo Period (1600 – 1868). On our trek together along the nakasendo we will visit two Castle Towns or joukamachi.