Shiojiri

The Kikyogagahara wine valley is approximately 8 square kilometers space to the west of Shiojiri Station. The winery is most famous for being one of the first wineries to develop wine made in Japan. Currently, Merlot and Chardonnay are also cultivated and now, they area has grown into a wine-growing region with ten wineries offering a balance of astringency and fruity flavors. There are also many affordable table wines being produced. Why not try some Japanese wine that you can enjoy during your stay in Shiojiri? Shiojiri features Narai-Juku, which was a post town on the Nakasendo–a road that connected present-day Tokyo to Kyoto during the Edo period. Narai-Juku is one of Japan’s Nationally Designated Architectural Preservation Sites and is one of the few sights in Japan where streets of the Edo period still exist. The famous ukiyo-e artist, Keisai Eisen, produced a series of woodblock prints of the Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Kaido. His prints depicted scenes and images of daily life the lodging towns where many travelers gathered. Narai-juku has had a thriving woodworking industry since the beginning of the Edo period. Special products to this area include round wooden lunch boxes, combs, lacquerware, etc. Kikyogahara Wine Valley These days, there are 10 wineries that have made Kikyogahara a leading wine region in Japan. Merlot and Chardonnay are cultivated actively to produce many high-quality domestic wines that are on a par with European wines. Narai-Juku The streets of this old Edo town tell the story of forgone days and remain a rare landmark in modern Japan.