A new death, an old birth, and a walk through two historic Nakasendo post towns in Nagano prefecture, Japan.

[betsuni]

The Nakasendo is one of the old official highways between Tokyo and Kyoto, the central mountain route, and some of the post towns have been preserved. Tsumago is first on the video, tourists can walk along the old trail to Magome. I've been there many times because my husband Sam was born on a snowy day in January in one of the first Western-style buildings constructed in the area, not far from Tsumago (was originally a government office, post office, prison, ended up owned by Sam's family until it was moved and is now the Mountain Historical Museum next to the Fukuzawa Momosuke Memorial Museum in the main town of Nagiso). I think it's fabulously historical to be born in what's now a museum. Family ancestors rest in the cemetery overlooking Tsumago and there's a monument for the war dead. Sam's father's older brother's name is on it, died in a Siberian prisoner of war camp in 1946.

Sam went to the funeral of his elderly aunt yesterday, who was also from those mountains. The old towns make it easy to imagine what life was like ninety years ago, thinking about the past. Sam just came home from his aunt's house to say goodbye to her children and grandchildren before they return to the cities and found out the New Year's lottery ticket auntie had him buy for her and promised to spit with him had won ¥3,000. Not much, but she would've been incredibly excited! So now that's Sam's birthday present on a snowy day in January.

[Easterncedar]

1. Wonderful. Peaceful

I love that there is no artificial sound, just footsteps crunching snow, running streams, a bird. I am bookmarking. Thanks

[betsuni]

2. You're welcome!

I mute the sound on most of these things because the music or talking is annoying, was surprised to find no bad music on this one. It's really just like being there and I find it wonderful and peaceful, too.

[Easterncedar]

3. Really beautiful

I wish I could inspire more people to spend time with this video. It’s very soothing. Thanks again, betsuni.
Sarah

[betsuni]

4. Thanks, I think so too. I found a video of my town, Nakatsugawa, also a former Nakasendo post town.

Limited number of preserved buildings so not that beautiful, but some original narrow downtown streets still there. Turn a corner somewhere in town and see the marker and you're unexpectedly on the trail. A few months ago a new supermarket and Muji store opened in what until recently was farmland (very first Muji around here so the talk of the town), and I saw tourists. Sure enough, another part of the trail. European and Australian tourists seem to be the most enthusiastic hikers. Roaming around in the middle of summer doesn't appear to faze them. I'm impressed. Part of the trail nearest to where I live, unpaved, dark in the shade of tall shrine cypresses with several smaller shrines, spooks me. A little too much concentrated history in one place, I avoid it just in case.