![[Tomi City, Nagano Prefecture] A great motorcycle touring spot | Unno-juku on the old Hokkoku Kaido road, accessible all year](https://motopeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/4026-1760967921201.jpg)
Unno-juku, which has a history spanning 400 years, began as a post town on the Hokkoku Kaido road.
This article presents a collection of photos of Unnojuku (Unnojuku) in Tomi City, Nagano Prefecture. Accessible from Komoro City to Ueda City, just before Oya on National Route 18 (141), located midway between Tanaka Station and Oya Station on the parallel Shinano Railway. From the expressway, the nearest interchange is the Tobu Yunomaru Interchange on the Joshinetsu Expressway. The coordinate point for the interview data was Unnojuku No. 2 Parking Lot. Located on the bypass road along the Chikuma River, Parking Lots No. 1 and No. 2 offer free bicycle parking. About 300 meters from the parking lot, a four-minute walk leads to the Old Hokkoku Kaido. Turn left and immediately to the right is the Unnojuku Accommodation and Exchange Facility, Unnowa. It serves as a rest stop and tourist information center, so it’s a great place to plan your strolls and sightseeing itinerary and leisurely explore the old townscape. Renting a bicycle and cycling along the historical walking course is also a good option. In addition to the Unnojuku Museum, housed in a former inn built during the Edo period, and the Unnojuku Toy Museum, which features a collection of local toys from all over Japan, there’s also a glass workshop, a used book cafe, and an old-style cafe. There are also rental lodgings and restaurants.
The surrounding area (Shinshu) offers a variety of seasonal events, including soba noodle-making, beeswax cream making, farm work related to homemade soy sauce, and crafting your own cypress chopsticks. There are also a variety of accommodation options, including hot springs, campgrounds, private lodgings, and pensions. It’s a good idea to check the Shinshu Toumi Tourism Association website (see below) beforehand.
While a major tourist spot, it’s never overcrowded, and the quiet, tranquil, retro streets are always soothing. It feels like you’re watching a period drama. In early spring, the cherry blossom-lined streets are a spectacular sight.
The rows of houses that convey the area’s ancient history have a calming atmosphere.
In 1986, the area’s historic row of houses drew attention and it was selected as one of the “100 Best Roads in Japan,” and in April of the following year it was also designated as an “Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.”
1052 Honkaino, Tomi City, Nagano Prefecture (approximately 3 minutes by car/approximately 1.7km from Oya Station on the Shinano Railway)
About one-third of the way from Shiratori Shrine is Kitayashiki-gai, a street that stretches for about 650 meters.
The “Honjin Ruins” are located in the middle of the town. Opposite (to the right) in Minamiyashiki-gai is the “Nostalgic Toy Exhibition Hall.”
It was an inn, and after the Meiji period it prospered through sericulture.
Unno-juku on the old Hokkoku Kaido road is a townscape with a waterway running through the middle.
Shinshu Tomi Tourism Association website
URL: https://tomikan.jp/area/tanaka-unno/unnojuku/
The photo shows “Motonoya.” In the background you can see the “Unnojuku Museum.”
The coordinate point this time is Parking Lot 2. It is recommended to use Parking Lot 2 or Parking Lot 1, which has a bicycle parking area.
