Support BOA by ordering Walking the Kiso Road through these links:
Amazon U.S.
Apple Books U.S.
Amazon Japan
Amazon Japan
Thanks for helping support Books on Asia!
Find out more about “Walking the Kiso Road” by listening to Hon Podcast No. 5 where we talk to the author, William Scott Wilson about the book. The Kiso road is one section of the Nakasendo route to Edo. This section of the Kiso Road includes 11 post towns, 10 in Nagano Prefecture and one in Gifu Prefecture.
Book Description:
Step back into old Japan in this fascinating travelogue of the famous Kiso Road, an ancient route used by samurai and warlords, which remains much the same today as it did hundreds of years ago.
Take a trip to old Japan with William Scott Wilson as he travels the ancient Kiso Road, a legendary route that remains much the same today as it was hundreds of years ago. The Kisoji, which runs through the Kiso Valley in the Japanese Alps, has been in use since at least 701 C.E. In the seventeenth century, it was the route that the daimyo (warlords) used for their biennial trips—along with their samurai and porters—to the new capital of Edo (now Tokyo). The natural beauty of the route is renowned—and famously inspired the landscapes of Hiroshige, as well as the work of many other artists and writers. Wilson, esteemed translator of samurai philosophy, has walked the road several times and is a delightful and expert guide to this popular tourist destination; he shares its rich history and lore, literary and artistic significance, cuisine and architecture, as well as his own experiences.
About the Author:
William Scott Wilson is author of over a dozen books on Japan and China.