Nakasendo Walk (21) Okuwa-Nojiri(40/69)-Midono(41/69): April 29, 2017

I resumed my Nakasendo Walk from Okuwa, between Suhara, the 39^th shukuba station from Nihonbashi and Nojiri, the 40^th station. It is about 20 km walk.

I saw various beautiful flowers during my walk. I also found dams and hydropower stations in and along the Kiso River. The signs of flood disasters were also notable in the area.

The hana peach flowers were beautiful when I got off the train at Okuwa station. The tree was originally imported from Germany about one hundred years ago by Momosuke Fukuzawa, a famous businessman who developed hydroelectric industry in this area in the Maiji period. I found the flowers in many places -- along the roads, the river banks and in the house gardens – in the Kiso Valley.

Nakasendo goes along the Kiso River. I saw the mountains of Chuo Alps behind local mountains. The scene was beautiful.

I arrived in Nojiri shukuba station. There remain several old houses.

There stood a bord sign of “west end” in front of a house at the western end of the streets.

There is a cow shed along Nakasendo near the sukuba station.

I also found tea fields here. Farmers pick up the fresh tea leaves in May in Shizuoka and neighboring areas which face the Pacific Ocean. Here in Kiso, they pick up the tea in June, a month later.

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There is a big dam named “Yomikaki Dam” near Nojiri station.

I walked along the river. The river, the road and the railway go together in a narrow valley. (See also the third photo from the top)

I arrived in Midono station.　They had a big fire in the Meiji era and most houses were burnt. There is an office of the forestry association at a place where the main inn, or honjin, located.

There remain memories of Momosuke Fukuzawa in the area. A bridge was built when he was here about one hundred ago to carry materials necessary to build dams. It is preserved well.

It was just before the May festival. Tens of carp-shaped streamers were flying at the side of the bridge.

I crossed the bridge.

Fukuzawa built seven dams in the Kiso River in the Meiji period. We have now more than 30 dams. They transmit the electricity to the Kansai area.

His house has turned to a museum.

There are big rocks and stones around the museum and neighboring houses. The rocks were brought from the mountains when they had flash floods.