Name: Overnight Getaway To Rural Ena
Uploaded: 2025-07-22T18:32:47.000Z
Duration: 11 min 47 s
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Japan is known for its plethora of must-see destinations, many of them in large cities, but whether you're looking for that off-the-beaten-track experience or just want a break from the concrete, some time in the Japanese countryside is always a worthy addition to any travel itinerary.

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Located in the southeastern part of Gifu Prefecture within easy reach of the famous Nakasendo hiking trail, the city of Enna is an under-seen rural gem in attractive natural surroundings, with a peaceful atmosphere and plenty to see and do.

In this video, we'll spend two days exploring the area and check out some of its highlights, from the historic castle town to the spectacular Enna Gorge.

On day one, we'll take the charming Akechi Railway to the old castle town of Iwamura for a look around, before exploring a nearby castle ruin with a fascinating backstory.

From there, we'll make our way to a local inn where we'll enjoy some traditional cuisine and stay the night.

On day two, we'll visit a very special guesthouse used by the Meiji Emperor and then the Hiroshige Museum of Art Enna.

Finally, we'll end our visit with a boat ride in Enna Gorge.

I'm Matt Evans, join me on a two-day visit to Enna City.

Our trip begins with a ride on the Akechi Railway, a private line connecting the rural Akechi and Enna.

Extending just over 25 kilometres and 11 stops through peaceful countryside, it's a tiny railway with a lot of character.

A relaxing ride along the Akechi Railway brings us to the little historic town of Iwamura.

Once the home of a formidable mountain castle, in peacetime it became a popular rest stop on one of Japan's most important historic highways, the Nakasendo.

Iwamura may have undergone many changes in its long history, but there are still signs of the castle town it once was, from its old waterway to little plazas where soldiers would have gathered.

You can still also see signs of feudal Japan's rigid class distinctions, with samurai residences located to the north side of the river and merchant houses to the south.

A popular snack here is gohe mochi, a sticky rice cake coated in a sweet and savoury mix of miso, soy sauce and walnut sauce.

We round off our time in the town with a visit to the Iwamura Jozo Brewery.

Founded in 1787 and run to this day by the same family.

Iwamura Jozo Brewery This is a very elegant sake with a balance of sourness and sweetness.

Leaving the town behind, we make our way along a steep trail to the ruins of Iwamura Castle.

But first, we make a stop at the Iwamura History Museum.

On display we find some impressive weapons and armour, as well as a host of preserved documents.

Iwamura Castle At a lofty 717 metres above sea level, Iwamura Castle was one of the highest ever to be built in Japan, and often hidden by thick mist, earning it the nickname Kirigajō, or mist castle.

Iwamura Castle Despite its formidable defences, the castle was bitterly contested during Japan's era of warring states, and changed hands several times in a series of bloody sieges.

The castle itself may have been demolished long ago, but looking at these impressive foundations, it's easy to imagine what a fearsome place this must have been.

Visitors today can explore what remains and enjoy some wonderful views of the surrounding landscape.

Edo After our time in Iwamura, we retrace our steps back to Ena Station.

From here, it's just a short walk to our accommodation for the night.

In the centuries before trains and today's mass transit system, the majority of travel was done on foot via a handful of paved roads.

Of these, one of the most important was the Nakasendo, connecting the old capital of Kyoto with Edo, today Tokyo.

Located in one of the oldest parts of town, the Ichikawa Ryokan can trace its history back over 400 years, when Ena was one of 69 post towns, breaking up that long and difficult journey.

Kaiseki A stay at a traditional inn like this one is the perfect way to wind down after a busy day of exploring in the Japanese countryside.

I've already tried out the baths, and now it's time for our evening meal.

I'm about to enjoy this beautiful Kaiseki banquet.

Everything you see here in front of me comes from within Gifu Prefecture, from the Hida Beef Shabu Shabu to all the various vegetable ingredients.

Oijuku We begin our second day with a visit to another beautifully preserved historic building just a few steps from our ryokan, the Oijuku Emperor Meiji Anzai Sho.

One of the most fascinating things about historic highways like the Nakasendo is that even in times of strict class division, people of all kinds would have used them, from humble peasants to samurai and even the highest ranking nobles.

For most of its history, this was the biggest and grandest lodging in town.

Now lovingly restored and open to the public, it's best known for one very special visitor.

This beautifully furnished tatami room behind me is where the Meiji Emperor stayed for just one night during a progress along the Nakasendo in 1898.

It's been kept almost exactly as it was on that night, and includes a number of items which, because they were used by the Emperor, can never be used again.

Hiroshige Just a short walk from the Oijuku Emperor Meiji Anzai Sho, our next visit is to the Hiroshige Museum of Art, Ena, to look at some beautiful woodblock prints and learn about life in a feudal post town.

Always in search of new land and townscapes, Hiroshige was a regular traveller on Japan's highways.

Along the way, he recorded his impressions of the landmarks, views and post towns he passed, ultimately establishing himself as one of the greatest woodblock artists of his time.

This is one of Hiroshige's prints from around 1836 to 1837, and actually shows a group of travellers making their way to what is today Ena City.

Snow is strongly emphasised as the area was known for its heavy snowfall in winter, and in the distance we can see the Kiso mountain range.

We round off our visit to the museum with a simple block printing activity, creating a small print using pretty much the same technique used in Hiroshige's day.

ENA GORGE From the Hiroshige Museum of Art, Ena, we jump on a local bus for a 15 minute ride to Ena Gorge.

Close to the midpoint of the Kiso river that flows through Ena and its neighbouring city of Nakatsagawa, the Ena Gorge is a large and very scenic body of water, known for its cherry blossom in spring, lush green forest in summer and fall leaves in autumn.

From the pier, we set off on a relaxing 30 minute cruise of the gorge, passing leafy scenery and interesting rock formations.

I hope you enjoyed this video, and perhaps even have some new ideas for your next visit to Japan.

For more information about this trip, or to watch another video, click the links on the screen now or head over to japan-guide.com, your comprehensive, up-to-date travel guide first-hand from Japan.

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