Narai-juku

Narai-juku is the longest and best-preserved of the post towns that once lined the Nakasendo trail connecting Kyoto to Edo, stretching for nearly a kilometer through a forested mountain valley. Wooden merchant houses, sake breweries, and lacquerware shops line both sides of the atmospheric main street, which has changed little since the Edo period. Unlike busier heritage towns, Narai maintains a peaceful ambiance where visitors can truly imagine the journey of travelers who walked this route centuries ago.