奈良井宿
Narai, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture
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The Longest Post Town on the Nakasendo
Narai-juku is one of the best-preserved post towns on the old Nakasendo highway that once linked Edo and Kyoto. Prospering as the town before the steep Torii Pass, it grew so wealthy it was called 'Narai of a Thousand Houses,' and today its roughly one-kilometre street—the longest surviving post-town townscape in Japan—is lined with dark wooden inns, lacquerware shops and lattice-fronted merchant houses. Designated an Important Preservation District, Narai offers a vivid step back into the world of Edo-era travellers, complete with old wells, temples and mountain scenery.
History & Culture
'Narai of a Thousand Houses'
As the post town just before the difficult Torii Pass, Narai bustled with travellers, merchants and lacquerware artisans, growing so prosperous it earned the nickname 'Narai of a Thousand Houses.'
A Protected Townscape
In 1978 Narai-juku was designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, safeguarding its rare, continuous row of Edo- and Meiji-era post-town architecture.
Narai, Shiojiri City, Nagano 399-6303
- By Narai Stn (JR Chuo Line)
Open post town
Free
Hours and fees are a guide and may change — please check official information before your visit.
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