Article

20423 ／なぎそまち

Nagano Prefecture 木曽郡

Nagiso Town

A wooden suspension bridge, 247.8 m.

Momosuke Bridge, wooden span

Photo by 663highland (CC BY 2.5)

01 ／ Okuya Waki-honjin

Once the ban on the Five Trees of Kiso was lifted,it was rebuilt in cypress, the town records.

This is the residence of the Hayashi family, who served for generations as the waki-honjin (secondary inn) of Tsumago-juku; its trade name is Okuya. The town's museum page records that after the ban on the Five Trees of Kiso was lifted, the present building was rebuilt in cypress in 1877 (Meiji 10). In the Agency for Cultural Affairs database, the main house was raised in May 1877 and completed in April 1879.

Important Cultural Property (Hayashi Residence main house), designated June 15, 2001
Main house raised May 1877 (Meiji 10), completed April 1879 (Meiji 12)
"After the ban was lifted" is from the town museum page

02 ／ Ichikokutochi Shiraki-Aratame Guard House ruins

Shipments of the Five Trees of Kiso were controlledat the Ichikokutochi guard house ruins.

According to the tourism association's guide, the guard house was set up in 1749 after the earlier one at Kudaridani was washed away, and ran until 1869. From the mid-17th century the Owari domain banned ordinary people in Kiso from cutting hinoki, sawara, asunaro, nezuko and koyamaki, and enforcement was said to be so harsh that people spoke of "one tree, one head."

Set up in 1749, in operation until 1869 (tourism association guide)
Five Trees of Kiso: hinoki, sawara, asunaro, nezuko, koyamaki
Listed by the tourism association under the Nakasendo National Historic Site

03 ／ Kamisagaya

Anyone who bought wood could stay:a wood-fee inn of Tsumago-juku.

This building at Terashita in Tsumago-juku was restored in 1969 (Showa 44). The tourism association's guide says it was the most modest inn there, called a kichin-yado (wood-fee inn) because the landlord put up those who bought wood. The tatami room measures 12 mats and could be divided when needed.

Town Tangible Cultural Property, designated July 12, 1974 (town list)
Restored in 1969 (Showa 44)
Tatami room of 12 mats (tourism association guide)

Nagiso Town from the sky

Now and 1974–78. Tap a photo to zoom in.

Now1974–78

Wide (about 6 km across)

Close (about 1.5 km across)

Now (shot May–November 2020)Shot 1974–78

Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) GSI Tiles（全国最新写真（シームレス）／国土画像情報（第一期：1974〜1978年撮影））

Open in GSI Maps (now)Open in GSI Maps (1974–78)

Living here

At the southern end of the Kiso valley, a town 94% forest.

about 4,000 people
60 min to a city centre
Rural district town

According to the town's introduction, the area is 215.93 km², 94% of it forest and 70% of that national forest. Seven settlements, Yogawa, Hokubu, Midono, Tsumago, Araragi, Hirose and Tadachi, lie on terraces along the Kiso River and its tributaries. Nagiso Town was founded in January 1961 through the merger of three villages. The gateway is Nagiso Station.

People living here: 3,915people
Area: 215.93km²
Households: 1,630households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 0 hospitals ／ 2 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Children waiting for childcare: —3 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

ACCESS

Where you can go from here.

Nagiso Town in Japan35.604°N 137.609°E

to NagoyaLtd. exp. Shinano59min

Travel times follow 名古屋→南木曽（下り）：JR東日本『駅の時刻表』（2026年10月版）の特急しなの号別ページ。7号名古屋10:00発→南木曽10:59着＝59分（https://timetables.jreast.co.jp/2610/train/000/000171.html。運行日の違う版 000172 も同じ10:59着）。1号 07:00→08:00着＝60分（000041・000042）、17号 15:00→16:00着＝60分（000381）、25号 19:40→20:43着＝63分（000451）。南木曽に停まる下りのしなのはこの4本だけ（南木曽町地域公共交通協議会『JR 田立・南木曽・十二兼・野尻・大桑・須原駅列車時刻表』令和8年3月14日改正の下り欄に、名古屋始発のしなの1・7・17・25号だけが南木曽に停車と載る） (checked 2026-10-20). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 4 municipalities across 1 prefectures.

Territory of Nagiso Town

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (Administrative Area Data), MLIT. Processed by Machigatari.Lakes: National Land Numerical Information (Lake Data), MLIT. Processed by Machigatari. Prepared with the approval of the Director-General of the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, using its Digital Map 25000 (Spatial Data Framework) and Digital Map 25000 (Place Names and Public Facilities). (承認番号平27情使、第585号)

North to south

20.2km

Nagano Prefecture: Okuwa Village, Iida City, Achi Village
Gifu Prefecture: Nakatsugawa City

Nagiso Town isthis kind of town.

01Momosuke Bridge, in Yomikaki, Nagiso, is a wooden stiffened suspension bridge, 247.8 m long and 3.0 m wide, built in 1922 (Taisho 11). As one structure of the Yomikaki Power Station Facilities it was designated an Important Cultural Property on December 27, 1994, and is owned by Nagiso Town
02Okuya Waki-honjin (Hayashi Residence) is the home of an old family of Tsumago-juku and an Important Cultural Property since June 15, 2001. The Ichikokutochi Shiraki-Aratame Guard House ruins is where shipments of the Five Trees of Kiso were controlled, and Tsumago-juku was selected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings on September 4, 1976
03Kamisagaya is a wood-fee inn building of Tsumago-juku and a town Tangible Cultural Property; the town's list of cultural properties also includes Shimosagaya at Terashita in Tsumago

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Nagiso Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes