Why read Walking the Kiso Road?

Book cover of Walking the Kiso Road: A Modern-Day Exploration of Old Japan

Book description

Step back into old Japan with this fascinating travelogue of the famous Kiso Road, an ancient route used by samurai and warlords

The Kisoji, which runs through the Kiso Valley in the Japanese Alps, has been in use since at least 701 C.E. In the seventeenth century, it was…

Explore

Topics

Genres

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Walking the Kiso Road as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Dennis Kawaharada

Author

Wilson describes his walking journey along the ancient Kiso Road through the Kiso Valley and the stops he made in the eleven post towns along the road. Today, some of the towns, like Narai, Tsumago, and Magome, are popular tourist destinations because they have maintained something of the look and character of the Edo Period, but in Wilson’s narrative, even the lesser known towns have something interesting to offer. Walker describes personal experiences with local people he met in the inns where he stayed and provides historical and literary backgrounds that add depth to his journey. The Kiso Road was…

From Dennis' list on The best books for exploring roads less traveled in Japan.