{"product_id":"hiking-the-nakasendo-the-samurai-road-of-the-kiso-valley-and-beyond-9798873486076","title":"Hiking the Nakasendo: The Samurai Road of the Kiso Valley and Beyond","description":"A hiking guide to the Nakasendo, an ancient mountain road that once connected Japan's eastern and western capitals, Tokyo and Kyoto during the Edo period (1603-1867). \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe Nakasendo was 534 km long and had 69 official towns. This book mainly takes place in the Kiso Valley of southern Nagano where ancient towns such as Tsumago, Magome, and Narai remain much as they were hundreds of years ago. As well as covering the Nakasendo hikes in Nagano Prefecture, the book also covers hikes in the prefectures of Gifu, Gunma, and Tokyo, while providing travel advice in other nearby areas too. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIt is the perfect companion for anyone actively hiking, or planning a hiking holiday in the area. The maps, instructions, and local information make it useful while out on the trails. And the planning, cultural \u0026amp; safety advice, as well as the beautiful photographs, make it ideal for time spent sitting at home planning your vacation. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIt is written by Michael King, a British man who has lived in Japan since 2012. He is a rare English-speaking local hiking guide of the Nakasendo and the only non-Japanese master of wara-zaiku, Japanese straw craft. Since 2020 he has painstakingly researched the area, hiking the Nakasendo countless times in order to write this book and gain the knowledge necessary to become an excellent hiking guide. He now runs Really Rural Japan, a guiding company local to the area.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Independently Published","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50459477672210,"sku":"9798873486076","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_4521966e-a972-49a0-8a13-c951e0634718.jpg?v=1729985930","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/hiking-the-nakasendo-the-samurai-road-of-the-kiso-valley-and-beyond-9798873486076","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}