Nakatsugawa: Post Town, Museum and Riverside Promenade

Nakatsugawa offers a variety of ways to shape your stay: the history of Nakatsugawa-juku, a museum with historical records, riverside paths, and local specialties. If you’re looking for a hotel in Nakatsugawa, your interests can help you decide what to focus on during your trip—from the townscape of the former post town to a stroll or a tasting.

History of Nakatsugawa-juku

The Nakasendo Historical Museum collects, preserves, and publicly displays important historical records. Documents from former homes in Nakatsugawa-juku include records about Kazunomiya’s procession and the passage of the Tenguto. They offer insight into specific historical events associated with the former post town. The museum was also built on the site of a former Waki-Honjin, giving its location a historical connection of its own.

Traces of the former post town can also be seen in the townscape outside the museum. As you walk through Nakatsugawa-juku, you’ll encounter such reminders in several places. In the Honmachi, Yokomachi, and Shimomachi districts, many houses still have Udatatsu firewalls, preserving the character of the former post town. The townscape of Nakatsugawa-juku evokes the atmosphere of the Edo period, while the surviving walls give that character a tangible form.

The “Mini Nakasendo” Promenade

For outdoor exercise, the “Mini Nakasendo” promenade follows the Nakatsugawa River from Honmachi Park, beneath the Nakatsugawa-juku Central Bridge, to the city hall. It is used for walking and jogging. These landmarks help you understand the route, but no walking time or distance is specified. If you’re interested in the history of the post town, you can consider the promenade as one option alongside a walk through Nakatsugawa-juku: the paths lead through different parts of a visit, and do not need to be combined into a single route.

Parks, Views, and Literature

Asahigaoka Park offers a view over Nakatsugawa-juku. Several literary monuments can also be found there, including a Basho haiku monument. Views of the historic town and literary memorials offer different points of interest within the same park.

Another point of interest can be found at Momoyama Park on the left bank of the Nakatsugawa River: Meotoiwa consists of yin-and-yang stones representing male and female symbols. These places appeal to different interests: Asahigaoka Park for views over Nakatsugawa-juku and its literary monuments, and Meotoiwa for the symbolic meaning of its stones and its riverside location.

Kuri-kinton, Sake, and Gionba

Shops around Nakatsugawa-juku offer Nakatsugawa kuri-kinton. This chestnut confection is made with selected chestnuts and a small amount of sugar. At Nigiwai Tokusan-kan, you can sample local sake from Nakatsugawa and sake from Kiso; check before your trip to see whether tastings are available. These are two different options: a regional sweet and a sake tasting.

During Gionba, lantern processions from the three districts of the Nakatsu area—West, South, and East—travel from Furusato Nigiwai Hiroba to the plaza in front of JR Nakatsugawa Station. If you’d like to include Gionba in your travel plans, check the event dates in advance.

Getting There

Nakatsugawa Station is the area’s main transportation hub. For Nakatsugawa-juku, the Yodokawa bus stop is also a useful landmark: the post town is only a short walk from there. Check connections for your travel date when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Hatotani, Toki, Yoro, Gifu, Minokamo, Kawabe, Kani, Kaizu

For the regional travel overview: Gifu Prefecture.