LOCAL EXPERIENCES

Since the feudal times of the Nakasendo trail, Kiso’s focus has shifted to celebrating and sharing its unique natural resources with the world. Hinoki cypress plays a major role in today’s economy and no visit would be complete without seeing, touching, smelling or working with this beautiful material. The foods and crafts produced in the Kiso Valley offer great insight into the environment, history and lifestyle of its people. Many of the traditional methods still practiced today are available for visitors to experience first hand.

Chopstick Making

Kiso is historically famed for wood production though perhaps best known for hinoki cypress. As such, the area has a long history of woodworking and today local craftsmen offer various woodworking experiences for visitors, including hinoki cypress chopstick making.

Soba Making

Nagano, and in particular Kiso, grows some of Japan’s best soba buckwheat and in turn produces high quality soba noodles. Visitors can experience making and eating this quintessential local staple by participating in a soba making (soba-uchi) class.

Kiso Lacquerware

Lacquerware (shikki) is an iconic art of Japan dating back thousands of years. The Kiso region has been successfully producing large quantities of kiso-shikki for around 600 years, including rarely seen large items such as tables and screens. Kiso-shikki is available to view or purchase at many local stores.

Kayaking in Kiso

Lake Shizenko was formed in 1984 after a large earthquake caused an earthen dam to form and river waters to rise. These days visitors can kayak through the forest of skeletal tree-tops still standing in the lake’s waters. 

Waterfall Meditation

Experience traditional waterfall meditation at Kiyotaki Falls, located deep in the forests of Mt. Ontake. Ascetics of the native Ontake faith have trained and worshipped at Kiyotake Falls since ancient times in a connection of human spirituality with the natural world. The 30-meter-high waterfall freezes into a pillar of ice in winter, making for a majestic sight.

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The cold climate and high altitudes of the Kiso Valley are perfect conditions for growing quality timber. The forests contain cherry, elm, pine and the famous ‘Five Trees of Kiso’ (Sawara, Kouyamaki, Asunaro, Nezuko and the most prized Hinoki cypress). These slow growing trees produce a soft yet strong timber with a fine, beautiful grain.

The ‘Five Trees’ were so valued during the Edo period that the ruling Samurai made their logging illegal. When the ban was eventually lifted, many buildings in the area were reconstructed with these precious timbers. Hinoki was sent by train and floated on rivers to sites such as the World Heritage listed five-storied pagoda at Horyu-ji Temple and the reconstructed Ise-Jingu Shrine.

While Hinoki’s strength is valued in architecture, its beauty is prized among local artisans who have used it to craft everything from bento boxes to bathtubs.

Due to its popularity, the Kiso forests became seriously depleted around a hundred years ago and a decision was made to protect them once more. Today, 90% of the Kiso forests are national forests and under management programs to sustain growth for future generations, however a small amount of Hinoki is still used in construction and craft.