In rural Gifu Prefecture, Iwamura Castle was an important fortress during the Edo period (1603-1867) which has now ceased to exist. It was deconstructed manually during the Meiji Restoration. So why visit a castle if no castle exists? Well, the castle ruins has its own draws, but the castle is really just a goal on a map. The real fun of the day comes from the stunning views and exploring the beautiful, historical, countryside. Iwamura is a historical castle town with lots of stunning architecture left over from the Edo period. Shops and restaurants line the streets and the atmosphere is something out fairytale. Much like the towns of Magome, Tsumago and Narai, Iwamura is historical and deeply charming! But with barely any tourists in site! And the locals are famed for their niceness. The hike up to the castle is beautiful and the stone foundations are impressive with great views over the Iwamura Basin. And there are impressive gruesome stories waiting for you as you climb to the top.

Other group walking tour operators that book tours on the Nakasendo from afar often have people walk between Ena and Nakatsugawa on the Nakasendo. This is a rather featureless walk without much of interest. We do not offer this hike. Through living local we are able to research and more deeply understand the areas charm. This makes a great addition to a Nakasendo long trip, or a fun standalone day trip for those wanting to get off the beaten path.

The Morning:

In the morning you will meet your guide at Ena Station or your guide will pick you up from your accommodation if you are staying in town. From there you catch the morning train from Ena Station to Iwamura Station. This train line is known as the Akechi Railroad and it is extremely rural. Most trains are made up of a single carriage. When we arrive it is time to hike. We will head through the castle town while it is quiet in the morning and in 1 or 2 hour we will reach the top of the mountain ruins. On route there will be plenty of Edo period houses which are open to the public and free to look inside. After the castle town comes the forest hike to top of castle ruins. This is a steep climb so be prepared. Iwamura Castle was the castle with the highest elevation in all of Japan during the Edo period.

Lunch:

After enjoying the views we will come back down. Now the shops in the town are open and it is time for lunch. Your guide will choose a good local restaurant to sample the regional cuisine. There are also Japanese sweet and cake shops aplenty so lunch may be followed by more food.

The Afternoon:

After lunch, fans of sake can enjoy a tour of the inside of a sake brewery (bookings likely but not guaranteed) and a tasting course. This comes at a small additional cost. Non drinkers could also request a tour with a non-alcoholic tasting of local offerings. Other options for the afternoon could include a trip to Ena and a look inside an interactive art gallery dedicated to Hiroshige, the last great master of ukiyo-e (Japanese block print painting), a local tea tasting with a tea farmer (also at slight extra cost), a look around the ancient parts of the Nakasendo town of Nakatsugawa, or even another castle ruins at Naegi Castle.