Magome (馬籠) is a small village located in the Kiso Valley, which served travelers from the Nakasendo, and was an important route between Tokyo and Kyoto during the Edo Period.
Magome is known as a post office, or Shukuba (宿場), which were places where they used to rest during their travels across the country. These cities were created by policies of transporting goods by horse.
In the past, the city was relatively prosperous and cosmopolitan, but after the railroad closed, the city fell into poverty. It was later renovated and restored to its Edo period appearance, and is now a popular tourist destination.
Tourism
The famous writer Shimazaki Toson was born in Magome in 1872. In his novel Yoakemae he describes life in the area during the early years of the Meiji Restoration. Toson was born in the main Pousada in the city, known as Honjin. Today the inn serves as a memorial to the artist. We also have Tsuchimaya Shiryokan a small restaurant and souvenir shop, which has a small museum focused on the Toson.
Wakihonjin it was another inn in the city that has now become a museum. Inside, there are exhibits pertaining to Magome's history as a post-Nakasendo city. Shimizuya Shiryokan is another museum that has wall scrolls, ceramics, clothing and other goods that belonged to the residents of Magome.
To know more about this small village, watch our friend's video Santana Fonseca:
