Japan is known for its plethora of
must-see destinations - many of them in large cities. But whether you’re
looking for that off-the-beaten-track experience or just want a break from the concrete, some time in the Japanese countryside is always
a worthy addition to any travel itinerary. Located in the southeastern part of Gifu
Prefecture within easy reach of the famous Nakasendo hiking trail, the city of Ena
is an underseen rural gem in attractive natural surroundings, with a peaceful
atmosphere and plenty to see and do. In this video, we’ll spend two days
exploring the area and check out some of its highlights - from its historic
castle town to the spectacular Ena Gorge. Here’s the plan… on day one, we’ll take the
charming Akechi Railway to the old castle town of Iwamura for a look around, before exploring a
nearby castle ruin with a fascinating backstory. From there, we’ll make our way to a local inn
where we’ll enjoy some traditional cuisine and stay the night. On day two,we’ll visit a very
special guesthouse used by the Meiji Emperor, and then the Hiroshige Museum of Art, Ena. Finally,
we’ll end our visit with a boat ride in Ena Gorge. I’m Matt Evans, join me on
a two-day visit to Ena City. Our trip begins with a ride on the Akechi Railway a private line connecting the
rural towns of Akechi and Ena. Extending just over 25 kilometers and
eleven stops through peaceful countryside, it’s a tiny railway with a lot of character. A relaxing ride along the Akechi Railway brings
us to the little historic town of Iwamura. Once the home of a formidable mountain castle,
in peacetime it became a popular rest stop on one of Japan’s most important
historic highways, the Nakasendo. Iwamura may have gone through many changes in its
long history, but there are still see signs of the castle town it once was, from its old waterway, to
little plazas where soldiers would have gathered. You can still also see signs of feudal
Japan’s rigid class distinction, with samurai residences on the north side of
the river, and merchant houses to the south. A popular snack here is Gohei mochi, a sticky rice cake coated in a sweet and savory mix
of miso, soy sauce and walnut sauce. We round off our time in the town with
a visit to the Iwamura Jozo Brewery. Founded in 1787 and run to
this day by the same family. Leaving the town behind, we make our
way along a steep trail to the ruins of Iwamura Castle. But first, we make a stop
at the Iwamura History Museum. On display we find some impressive weapons and armor,
as well as a host of preserved documents. At a lofty 717 meters above sea level, Iwamura
Castle was one of the highest ever to be built in Japan and often hidden by thick mist, earning
it the nickname Kirigajo, or mist castle. Despite its formidable defenses, the
castle was bitterly contested during Japan’s era of warring states and changed hands
several times in a series of bloody sieges. The castle itself may have been
demolished long ago, but looking at these impressive stone foundations it’s easy to
imagine what a fearsome place it must have been. Visitors today can explore what remains and enjoy
some wonderful views of the surrounding landscape. After our time in Iwamura, we retrace
our steps back to Ena Station. From here, it’s just a short walk
to our accommodation for the night. In the centuries before trains
and today’s mass transit system, the majority of travel was done on
foot, via a handful of paved roads. Of these, one of the most
important was the Nakasendo, connecting the old capital of
Kyoto with Edo, today Tokyo. Located in one of the oldest parts of town, the
Ichikawa Ryokan can trace its history back over 400 years, when Ena was one of 69 post towns
breaking up that long and difficult journey. A stay at a traditional inn like this
one is the perfect way to wind down after a busy day of exploring in the Japanese
countryside. I’ve already tried out the baths, and now it’s time for our evening meal. I'm about to enjoy this beautiful Kaiseki banquet. Everything you see here in front of
me comes from within Gifu Prefecture, from the Hida of beef shabu shabu to
all the various vegetable ingredients. We begin our second day with a visit to
another beautifully preserved historic building just a few steps from our ryokan
- the Oi-juku Emperor Meiji Anzaisho. One of the most fascinating things about
historic highways like the Nakasendo is that even in times of strict class
division, people of all kinds would have used them - from humble peasants to
samurai, and even the highest ranking nobles. For most of its history, this was the
biggest and grandest lodging in town. Now lovingly restored and open to the public,
it’s best known for one very special visitor… This beautifully furnished tatami
room behind me is where the Meiji Emperor stayed for just one night during
a progress along the Nakasendo in 1898. It's been kept almost exactly as it was on
that night, and include a number of items, witch becouse they where used by the
emperor, can never be used again. Just a short walk from the
Oi-juku Emperor Meiji Anzaisho, our next visit is to the
Hiroshige Museum of Art, Ena to look at some beautiful woodblock prints
and learn about life in a feudal post town. Always in search of new land and townscapes, Hiroshige was a regular
traveler on Japan’s highways. Along the way, he recorded his impressions of
the landmarks, views and post towns he passed, ultimately establishing himself as one of
the greatest woodblock artists of his time. This is one of Hiroshige’s prints from
around 1836-1838 and actually shows a group of travels making their
way to what is today Ena City. Snow is strongly emphasized as the area
was known for heavy snows in winter, and in the distance we can see the Kiso Mountains. We round off our visit to the museum
with a simple block printing activity, creating a small print, using pretty much
the same technique used in Hiroshige’s day. From the Hiroshige Museum of Art, Ena we jump on
a local bus for a 15-minute ride to Ena Gorge. Close to the midpoint of the Kiso River
that flows through Ena and its neighboring city of Nakatsugawa, the Ena Gorge is
a large and very scenic body of water, known for its cherry blossom in spring, lush
green forest in summer and fall leaves in autumn. From the pier, we set off on
a relaxing 30 minute cruise of the gorge, passing leafy scenery
and interesting rock formations. And that’s our two-day trip to Ena, thanks
for joining me. I hope you enjoyed this video, and perhaps even have some new
ideas for your next visit to Japan. For more information about this
trip or to watch another video, click the links on the screen now,
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