Magome-juku

Magome-juku is a tourist spot where the historical townscape that flourished as a post town on the Nakasendo road at the beginning of the Edo period remains. The famous stone-paved roads and water wheels that exist to convey the atmosphere of the Edo period are well-known. On both sides of the stone-paved roads, there are shops where you can enjoy the famous Gohyaku-mame rice cakes and souvenir shops, making it a great place for strolling around town. It's also known as the birthplace of the famous Japanese author, Shimazaki Toson, and there are historical buildings such as the Magome-juku Honjinato and the Magome-juku post town ruins scattered throughout the area. You can visit Magome-juku and take a stroll while feeling the atmosphere of the past.

In the area surrounding Magome-juku, there are several restaurants where you can enjoy local cuisine. While strolling through the town at a leisurely pace, you can enjoy piping hot steamed oyaki and Gohyakumochi, a specialty of Nakatsugawa City. You can also enjoy delicious soba noodles at a long-standing soba restaurant. It's recommended to savor a relaxing moment with local flavors.

Magome-juku is also famous as a spot for autumn foliage. The best time to see it is usually from late October to mid-November, when the normally quiet post town is beautifully colored in red and yellow. The area around Magome-juku has many mountains and is a naturally rich place to enjoy the autumn foliage. In November each year, a light-up event is held at Magome Shimada Park, where you can enjoy the beautifully lit autumn foliage along with the atmosphere of Edo. It's recommended to take a walk at night during the autumn evenings.

There are many places rich in nature around Magome-juku. Especially recommended for those with stamina is the Nakasendo hike. The approximately 9km path that connects Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku is maintained as a hiking course, with water supply spots available. You can enjoy hiking while taking in the beautiful nature of the Kiso Mountains, waterfalls, and valleys. As there are no streetlights in the surrounding area on the approximately 3-hour course, it's recommended to start by 3:00 pm in the summer and 2:00 pm in the winter.

Magome-juku is known as the hometown of Soseki Shimazaki, a representative writer of Japan. The site of the honjin (the main inn) has been recognized as a Japanese heritage site in 2020 as the former residence of Soseki Shimazaki (the honjin of Magome-juku). It is now the Soseki Shimazaki Memorial Hall, where many materials related to Soseki Shimazaki are collected, and valuable collections such as manuscripts of representative works such as "Yoake Mae" can be seen. It is located almost in the center of Magome-juku and is a symbolic presence in the town.