Bokushi-dori - A charming stop takes us back into the past👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan

Even after several years, Japan still has a lot of secrets to offer, which I probably can not explore all. But exactly that increases the fascination, which I still feel for this country. Of course, I have already become accustomed to many things and am perhaps no longer so easy to surprise and inspire. Although it doesn't actually take that much for me to get excited. The right atmosphere and the right scenery, and I feel attracted and like to be carried away. Preferably, of course, through uncharted territory that is suitable to broaden my horizons.

And since we unfortunately still can't travel as much as we want and be on the road as much as we would like to, our explorations are still limited to the corners of the country that are directly and indirectly nearby. But even there we still have enough unknown things to discover, even if perhaps not quite as spectacular as one is used to from the glossy brochures and travel guides for Japan. But for that, perhaps a little more genuine and all the more charming.

So today, once again, we go deep into the interior of the country and are offered a Japan that in other places has been lost for a long time. We can't stop time from changing, and the past can usually only be preserved and not really lived on into the future.

But even this past, saved into the present, knows how to captivate and endure, and still manages to inspire. Modernity is probably just too sterile and monotonous, too round and too colorful, so that many prefer to rely on the tried and true. I often feel the same way, and at the moment I prefer to enjoy a trip "back to the roots" rather than a dip into the modern cities. Both have their charm and for both there is the right moment. Lately, things have been a little calmer and slower and I must admit, I have appreciated it. Tomorrow is welcome to wait a little longer, I prefer to look around a little in yesterday.

And so it happened that one of our trips had brought us to Shiozawa, a district of Muikamachi in the south of Niigata Prefecture. We were passing through that day, but were eager to see the former postal station that has been lovingly restored here for travelers like us.

Why don't you come along while we take a little spin around here...?

The shukuba (宿場町 ) called postal stations were distributed all over Japan, especially in the Edo period from the 17th to the 19th century, and were mostly located along the old trunk roads and travel routes. Originally, these shukuba were reserved only for important people, such as officials, daimyo and samurai, when they were traveling on business. In the postal stations they could stay overnight and of course those places also provided for the physical well-being. The main purpose of the shukuba was to ensure the regulated and safe accommodation of these people, which seemed to have worked out well. In Japan of the Edo period, there were almost no armed conflicts, people were deeply trapped in their caste system, from which there were hardly any opportunities to break out.

Therefore, these shukuba were not initially intended for merchants and pilgrims or ordinary citizens, but as trade flourished, the travel of many citizens had also increased. And those too now also wanted to be accommodated and entertained. Especially the merchants, due to their increased wealth, could afford to demand the same and sometimes even better services as a samurai, who usually could not really be counted among the wealthy.

On that day we stopped in Shiozawa-juku, a postal station located on the former Mikunikaido trunk road that connected the capital Edo with Echigo Province (today's Niigata). For more than 300 years, the postal station, located on the edge of the mountains, flourished in a region considered to be among the snowiest in the entire country. The Shiozawa area is also known for its textile industry, which developed around the locally produced Echigo Jofu fabrics.

The old road has long since lost its function and most of the postal stations have disappeared. But as in some other places in Japan, in Shiozawa parts of the past have been saved and preserved for the present.

The houses of a longer street line, Bokushi-dori, have been renovated as part of a restoration project. To preserve the traditional architecture of this area, the exterior facades of the stores have also been unified and now shine in a bright and cheerful white. A key feature of the nostalgic atmosphere here is the covered "gangi" walkways. They allowed people to move through the city even in winter when there was heavy snowfall, and in addition in summer they offered a cool place in the shade.

Even though today's Bokushi Street is only about 350 meters long, it still gives you a sense of the historic cityscape. It's easy to get a good feel for the atmosphere of this place, especially when the sidewalks and streets aren't quite as busy, making it even easier to block out the present.

There are stores in most of the buildings, and you can find restaurants and traditional cafes, as well as clothing and, obviously, the usual souvenirs. But of course there are also products to buy, which are from the region, like the popular high-grade Koshihikari rice.

For me, the view up and down the street was the most captivating. I was quickly captured by the charm of the lovingly restored buildings and, as always, I just couldn't resist taking photos everywhere. The sky shining so wonderfully blue on this day then also had its share in the fact that the scenery has worked so extraordinarily inviting and attractive. Another reason must have been that fortunately there were hardly any cars on the road.

At two places on the Bokushi-dori you encounter two larger praying mantises. These strikingly indicate that we are really in Yuki-guni (雪国) here, in the snow country. On the pillar on which they ares sitting, you can see several markings that indicate how high the snow once was pilling up here.

2 meters and 10 centimeters in Heisei 13 (2001)!

Just some 20 years ago, the snow here was a lot higher than our heads. Having a strong and reliable roof over your head will be definitely an advantage.

But it gets even better. The top marker shows 3 meters 70. That's about twice our height. Wow, that's all I can say. And I'm not sure if I really want to experience that myself. Normally, at 30 centimeters of fresh snow, everything collapses in most cities. Once the snow has accumulated to a height of a meter or more, there's probably hardly any chance of moving anywhere.

Oh yeah, why praying mantises?
These interesting insects seem to have a very special relationship with the culture of the snow country. It is said that if the praying mantis lays its eggs in a high place, it will snow a lot in winter. Supposedly, you can predict how high the snow might be based on the position of the mantis' eggs. So if the eggs are high up, there will be a lot to do for you again in the winter, but if they are found in low places, it will probably be a little quieter. I guess I'll have to take a closer look in the fall.

Our round through the Bokushi-dori is coming to an end now, but to round it up, I took another look down the road. In both directions!

Especially the snow-covered mountains in the background had brought me back to the present, sind we actually just came out of the winter. The blue sky that day was a welcome change, and promised us a pleasant journey back home.

This little side trip was just what I needed. Of course, the quiet and sleepy atmosphere that day cannot reflect the mood that prevailed here in this former postal station a few centuries ago. In earlier times there must have been much more hustle and bustle between the houses. But nevertheless our round was very charming and has not only brought me a lot of fun. And now, while writing these lines, I'm already looking forward to the next time when we can explore some new territory here in the land of the rising sun. Actually, I can hardly wait, and of course I promise to tell you about it.

またね matane

[//]:# (!pinmapple 37.039579 lat 138.851143 long Bokushi-dori - A charming stop takes us back into the past👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan d3scr)