Stay at a Traditional Inn on the Nakasendo Trail

A post town with a centuries-old legacy of hospitality offers a respite for today’s travelers

Iseya is a traditional family-run inn in the former post town of Narai. Nestled in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture's scenic Kiso Valley, this town long served as a rest stop along the Nakasendo trail that
connected the former capital of Kyoto with Edo (now Tokyo). Today, centuries later, visitors can enjoy the same feeling of adventure that early travelers experienced. Founded in 1818 and set in a traditional structure that was once a wholesaler’s warehouse, Iseya welcomes visitors with its distinct Edo-period (1603-1867) architecture and views of the surrounding natural beauty. Dinner and breakfast are prepared using local ingredients such as mountain vegetables and fish caught from the nearby river. (Iseya can accommodate most dietary restrictions; simply mention them at the time of reservation.)

Guests to the town will find charming local shops and carefully preserved historical residences. To truly experience the road as it once was, it is even possible to walk parts of the Nakasendo to the next town.

ISEYA