Exploring the castle town of Iwamura
Located north-east of Nagoya, the historic castle town of Iwamura is a worthy detour on the way to or from the Nakasendo Trail. Not only does Iwamura have plenty of historical charm, but it also comes without the crowds of other tourist spots.
Previously, we introduced Iwamura as part of a 2-day rural getaway in Ena, Gifu Prefecture. However, there is plenty to do in-and-around Iwamura itself.
During my trip, I enjoyed leisurely walks through a historic merchant district and the Iwamura Castle Ruins, while indulging in local treats and scenic views. I stayed overnight in a 140-year-old traditional farmhouse surrounded by picturesque rice paddies. Iwamura was a great place to stretch my legs and enjoy the Japanese countryside at a slower pace.
Day 1 - Iwamura main street and merchant houses
My trip began at Tokyo Station, where I boarded the Tokaido Shinkansen bound for Nagoya. Having reserved a seat for the Nozomi series bullet train, Nagoya was only three stops (or about an hour and a half's journey) away. From Nagoya, I transferred to an express train on the JR Chuo Line that runs between Nagoya and Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture.
After an hour or so, I got off the train at Ena Station and transferred to the local Akechi Railway. The thirty minute ride on the single carriage train was a pleasant journey through the Japanese countryside, the patchwork of autumn leaves and golden rice fields on full display.
In just over three hours, I had made my way from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo to the quiet and charming castle town of Iwamura in Gifu Prefecture.
My first destination was Iwamura's historic main street, a short walk from the station. As I made my way down the road, I stopped to admire the storefronts and old signs that line the street.
There was very little vehicle traffic and, due to the area's designation as a Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, no utility poles or overhead wires. This naturally made for great pictures. If not for the residents of Iwamura going about their daily errands, I would have thought I had been transported back in time.
The scale of Iwamura's preservation district and the amount of buildings that were still being used was impressive. Many historical districts across the country have been reduced to a fraction of their original size due to urban development, but Iwamura's merchant quarter spans 14.6 hectares (nearly double the size of Kawagoe).
I could sense the amount of care put into preserving Iwamura's traditional townscape for future generations. Even if the inside of a building had been refurbished into a trendy cafe, artisan workshop, or guest house, the outside remained untouched. In this way, the community has been born anew without sacrificing its heritage.
GUESTHOUSE YANAGIYA is one such example. This 100-year-old artisan town house in the center of the historic district has been refurbished into a guest house with modern amenities. It also offers bicycle rentals to visitors who would like to tour Iwamura on two wheels.
Iwamura's historic district can be roughly divided in two: Meiji era (1868-1912) shophouses to the west, and Edo period (1603-1867) machiya townhouses to the east. Both districts tell of the town's past as the political, economic, and cultural center of southeastern Gifu Prefecture.
The Meiji-era shophouses are remnants of the town's western expansion after the introduction of a tram line that connected Iwamura to the larger city of Ena. The second floors provided business owners and their families with a larger, separate living space than traditional machiya.
Machiya are the traditional urban houses of artisans and merchants that combine private living space with workshops, offices, and/or retail space. Service spaces typically had dirt floors, whereas living spaces would have raised timber or tatami floors. Lots were narrow but long with storehouses and other buildings behind the house. The wider the lot, the more wealthy the family.
My main goal for the day was to visit Iwamura's historic machiya. All of the homes introduced in this article are free to enter and explore at your own leisure, with the exception of a few rooms that are marked as inaccessible to the public (立ち入り禁止). There are often volunteer guides on site that can answer questions. The hours and days that each home is open vary, so please make sure to confirm these details ahead of time when planning your visit.
The first historic home I visited was the former Kano Residence.
The Kano were a family of blacksmiths who began to make matchlock guns after receiving an 1831 edict from the daimyo of Iwamura domain. The Kano had previously been living in a narrow tenement house that lacked the workspace required to fulfill the order. Throughout the Edo period, class distinctions were regulated and what you could wear or where you could live was tied to your social rank.
Likewise, the Kano had to obtain official permission to rent this new, more spacious house on the north bank of the Iwamura River. It was here that they produced firearms for five generations.
The first floor was primarily used for forging and shaping the gun barrels. Metal engraving and assembly was done on the second floor.
Many of the original matchlocks and wooden models made by the Kano family are on display inside the former smithy on the first floor of the home.
Outside the main building was an earthen storehouse and a Ghibli-esque bathroom that was added during renovations by the home's previous owner.
From there, I crossed back over the Iwamura River to visit the former Katsukawa Residence.
The Katsukawa were a merchant family that rose to prominence in the late Edo period. As one of few merchants in the domain allowed to trade in lumber and rice, the Katsukawa not only sold timber harvested from their own private forest, but the storehouses behind the home are also reported to have stored three thousand 60 kilograms bags of rice per year. This was a hefty sum for a time period in which taxes were paid in rice.
From the street, the Katsukawa Residence looks deceivingly small. However, the lot is much longer than it is wide and the house has had several additions since it was first built in 1838. The current house includes the main residence, three earthen storehouses, and an annex built in the early Showa period.
The main residence is fairly modest, comprising several interconnected tatami rooms and a formal reception room that looks out onto the inner courtyard. This is connected to the annex by an enclosed wooden hallway with sliding windows.
The first floor of the annex has a formal reception room and study divided in two by fusuma panels. It is surrounded on three sides by a wrap-around veranda that overlooks the inner garden. The glass and paper shoji screens made the annex feel extra spacious and welcoming as the autumn sunlight poured into the room.
Another highlight of the home was the daughter's room on the second floor of the annex. It was an airy, bright space with three walls of floor to ceiling windows that looked out onto the garden, courtyard, and storehouses. I could practically see its previous tenant shooing away her siblings as they tried to climb up into her private sanctuary.
Last but not least, I visited the former Kimura Residence.
The Kimura were wholesalers who moved to Iwamura in the mid-1600s. Throughout the Edo period, business flourished and the family regularly contributed funds to the development of new rice fields and roads in Iwamura domain. This earned them the patronage of local daimyo, who paid the family regular visits and even granted them the permission to carry swords - a privilege typically reserved for the samurai class.
The high status of the family can be seen in the size of the property, its raised floors, decorative transoms, and the mushamado ("warrior windows") at the front of the home. There is even a separate front entrance that was used exclusively by the daimyo during his visits. It directly leads to a private study for the daimyo at the back of the home.
On a tour of the home with a local volunteer, I was able to step inside this luxurious room and experience firsthand what it would have been like to be a daimyo in Edo period Japan.
The study's sliding fusuma doors are covered with exquisite art and calligraphy. Above them rest intricate wooden transoms with carved images of a swirling river of reeds and Mt. Fuji with the Miho Pine Forest in Shizuoka Prefecture.
At the back of the property was the inner courtyard which comprised a garden enclosed by a storehouse and tea room.
Returning to the main home, I walked through the service space in which the Kimura would speak with clients and keep their accounts. In the center sits a working desk and an opulent safe so heavy the room was built around it.
Having had my fill of sightseeing for the day, I said farewell to Iwamura's historic downtown and made my way to my accommodations for the night.
Kayanoyado Tomida is a traditional thatch-roofed farmhouse situated in the middle of the Tomida farming district of Iwamura. It is the last house of its kind in the area and had fallen into disrepair until the community raised funds to restore it in the late 2000s. Since then, the 140 year old home has been rented out to visitors who wish to experience traditional countryside life in Iwamura.
The building combines the best of traditional architecture with modern amenities, the inner tatami rooms remain untouched with the exception of ceiling lights and spot heaters.
There is even an open hearth for people who want the full traditional Japanese experience! Meanwhile, the kitchen and bathroom are fully updated with modern conveniences like a microwave, fridge, rice cooker, and washing machine.
Since the home is only rented out to one party at a time, it is the perfect place to slow down and spend quality time with friends and family. Although I only stayed there for a night, it is an extremely budget-friendly option and you could easily extend your stay in the countryside without breaking the bank.
In setting up my futon, I was reminded of the convenience of traditional Japanese architecture: you can partition off rooms and set up your bed wherever you like!
After taking in a beautiful countryside sunset, I returned to Iwamura's main street to indulge in some local eats at the curiously named restaurant Torihyo ("bird warrior").
The restaurant's menu features a wide variety of dishes made with locally raised chicken. I ordered the Kashiwayaki set, which comes with a main dish of chicken flavored with sweet soy sauce, a side of rice, miso soup, and pickled vegetables. Yum!
The rest of the evening was spent relaxing at the kotatsu, a low table with a built-in heater, before taking a hot bath and crawling into bed for the night.
Day 2 - Iwamura Castle and classic treats
After waking up well-rested, I tidied away my futon and checked out of Kayanoyado Tomida. Enjoying an early morning walk through the countryside, I visited an observation deck to the north of the town that provides sweeping views of Iwamura.
The low, rolling hills and mountains at the horizon turn into gentle slopes of farmers' fields dotted with old-fashioned farmhouses and storehouses. It looked like a carefully arranged painting, and I could see why some have referred to it as one of Japan's most picturesque rural landscapes.
From the observation deck, I went back to Iwamura's historic downtown and up to the Iwamura Castle Ruins Hike Trailhead.
At 717 meters above sea level, Iwamura Castle had the highest elevation of all the castles built in Japan. As this factoid suggests, it is a substantial 180 meter climb in elevation to the inner bailey and former site of the main castle keep. However, the trails are nicely maintained and gain elevation gradually, making it an accessible and pleasant climb if done at your own pace. There were also English-Japanese signs along the way with explanatory text and computer graphics (CG) reconstructions of what the castle would have looked like.
What is most amazing about the castle, is that it stood proudly at the top of this mountain for almost 700 years-from the time of its construction in 1185 until 1873 when it was demolished by the Meiji government. Its survival was quite the feat. Iwamura was once at the crossroads of territories controlled and fought over by three major warlords: Takeda Shingen, Oda Nobunaga, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
The castle's defenses were designed to make use of the steep natural terrain and benefited from the climatic conditions that often shrouded the castle in mist. This is said to be the origin of the castle's other name, Kirigajo ("Mist Castle").
Another legend suggests that the daimyo kept a supply of snake bones to throw into the castle's well to produce a thick mist that would envelop the castle and ward off invaders.
The forest of cypress and cedar trees, the perfectly preserved stone foundations, and the view from the inner bailey make it well worth the hour (30 minutes each way) walk through the ruins.
Do not fret if you are not the most physically fit traveler, there is also a road to the Iwamura Castle Rest Area near the inner bailey that lets you skip most of the leg work.
From the top of the castle, I traced my steps back to the main street of Iwamura, where I treated myself to a few well-deserved snacks.
First up was a delicious goheimochi at Amakara.
This traditional Edo-period snack can be found primarily in Nagano, Gifu, and Aichi Prefectures. Each town has its own variation and Iwamura's are similar to mitarashi dango, a type of rice dumpling skewered onto sticks and covered with a sweet soy sauce glaze. The goheimochi are prepared right in front of you and cooked to perfection, with a crispy outside and soft chewy inside.
Next, I walked over to Kameya further down the street for my daily dose of sweets.
Kameya specializes in castella, a type of sponge cake that is based on the cakes introduced to Japan by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. Castella is said to have been brought to Iwamura by a domain physician who learned how to make it while he was studying in the trading port city of Nagasaki.
Iwamura's castella resembles the 16th century form of the cake, and is made with simple ingredients: eggs, flour, sugar, and honey. These are ground with a stone mortar, poured into a tin pan, and heated over charcoal in metal tins.
The dedication of the bakers to their craft and the use of organic, local ingredients comes through in the deliciously uncomplicated flavor of the cakes. It also makes a great treat to bring home as the packaging will keep the cakes fresh for up to a month without refrigeration.
Having spent a relaxing tea time indulging in cake and enjoying the view from inside the store, I made my way back to Iwamura Station and reluctantly parted ways with the peaceful town to make the journey back to Tokyo.
With cafes, art museums, antique shops, and more, there is plenty to do in Iwamura that is just waiting to be discovered!