Last Updated: Nov 30, 2023

Nagano’s Narai-juku

An Edo Period (1603–1868) Post Town

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium

Thanks to Instagram, the topic of today’s post likely needs no introduction. Known as Narai-juku, this medieval town has been getting far more attention than it used to thanks to social media these days. In addition to being incredibly photogenic though, Narai-juku is also a hamlet with a ton of history to it. As a result of this legacy, a visit here strikes the perfect balance between a cultural indulgence and content for the Gram. Especially if you’re going to hit up the present day city of Matsumoto, I couldn’t more highly suggest adding Narai-juku to your itinerary. Trust me when I say that it won’t disappoint you!

Historically speaking, Narai-juku was considered to be the halfway point between the Tokugawa shogunate’s stronghold in Edo and the ancient capital of Kyoto. Situated along the Nakasendo trail which cut through the heart of Japan, Narai-juku was what was known as a post town. These locales offered travelers along the Nakasendo route a much needed reprieve from the long road. In total, there were 69 post towns on this route to and from Kyoto. Due to being the center point though, Narai-juku was the most wealthy of the post towns earning it the moniker of “Narai of a Thousand Houses.”