Old Towns and Ninjas

A month ago, I was sitting at a bar with my husband and we have been talking about how and where we should go on our next day off because we rarely have a day off that we are together. The chef at the bar, someone who travels a lot around Japan just taking awesome photos, suggested we visit Magome and Tsumago. What is special about these places is they were once part of the Nakasendō (中山道) and most of it are preserved to remain the way they were during the Edo period. As a person deeply in love with history, I had no hesitations and just wanted to give it a go.

These post towns are located in Nakatsugawa, still part of Gifu Prefecture. It is halfway between Tokyo, known as Edo of the Edo period, and Kyoto. We knew we only had little time and so we had to plan how we were going to see both Magome and Tsumago without being unable to appreciate their essence and beauty; or simply missing out on its best features.

Since Magome-juku is roughly a 3-hour-drive via the national road from where I live, we decided to take the expressway making the travel just an hour and 15 minutes. Isn’t that amazing? It is!

Upon reaching the place, we sat at the parking lot and thought things out carefully.

(The mighty drunk Tanuki, as I like to call it. This is the first statue from the entrance to Magome-juku)

                            (This watermill is a monument built in memory of Shimazaki Toson)

We originally wanted to hike the trail from Magome-juku until Tsumago-juku because we wanted to see first hand and get a feel of where the Lords, Samurais, and peasants (just normal people actually) travelled on foot to reach Kyoto. And also, because we were still hoping we could see wild bears (we felt ready for an encounter, of course I wasn’t, but to see one could be once in a blue moon). Unfortunately for us, we didn’t have the luxury of time so we decided to walk the streets of the old town Magome-juku and then drive to Tsumago-juku after.

                                        (I love the subtle dichotomy depicted on this photo.)

                                                    (Picture this couple in Kimono...) 

In my mind I was already imagining how the Lords (in ancient Japan) were always accompanied by their loyal Samurai warriors because then there would have always been assassination by rival clans, and seeing this trail proves my imagination right; they go through thick forests. I mean, have you seen those Samurai movies? If not, start watching them.

                        (I wonder how the people of Tsumago-juku lived during this time.)

                    (Here are some of the local townspeople tending to their small shops.)

                                    (The roof of this house is lined with stones. Ingenuity)

Just walking through the old streets of Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku is a priceless experience. The well-preserved architecture gives an enchanting vibe. It makes me feel like the 1950s Samurai movies I have been watching just came to life right in front of me. I was just in awe, to be honest.

                                                                        (Family Crest)

                           (Watermills are actually landmarks in Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku)

(Tsumago-juku's post office. This shows a perfect blend of ancient architecture and modern technology)

(These buildings are so well-preserved they have remained exactly as they look during the Edo period)

Merely strolling down the street looking at the old houses and shops takes me back during a time when I wasn’t even born and, in a place, where I wasn’t even originally from. To a gaijin, such as myself, it is captivating and surreal.

Another impressive thing that I learned is the folks who reside in these old small towns agreed to protect and not exploit their lands and homes to preserve these historical pieces. This is such a courageous and wonderful act. Realizing that these people are endowed with an immense responsibility of taking care of something that represents an important part of Japan's history is mind-blowing. This is a community that resides in an ancient town but manage to go on with their modern lives.  It makes me hope we can all do the same whether to our own ancestral lands or our natural home, the Earth.

You might have been wondering where the ninjas are in the article, well, I really love the thought of meeting them in old towns such as this. Nonetheless, here's one that I found.