Nakatsugawa

Naegi Castle

Nakatsugawa (中津川) is a city of 79,000 people (2018) in Gifu. The post town of Magome is also within Nakatsugawa, but covered in its own article.

Understand

Tourist information site

• The city government's official site has a good Japanese-only tourism section with integrated Google Translate.

• The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site also with integrated Google Translate.

Get in

By train

By Central Japan Railway Company (JR Tokai), on the Chuo Main Line: (Nagiso Town, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture) -Sakashita Station - Ochiaigawa Station - Nakatsugawa Station - Mino Sakamoto Station- (Ena City). By Akechi Railway (Aketetsu) on the Akechi Line: (Ena City) -Iinuma Station - Agi Station- (Ena City)

• 1 Nakatsugawa railway station (中津川駅, Nakatsugawa-eki). (updated Mar 2022)

By car

• Chuo Expressway : Nakatsugawa IC - Misaka PA
• National highways No. 19, No. 256, No. 257, No. 363

See

• 1 Misaka Pass. A National Historic Site. It is a mountain pass through the southern end of the Kiso Mountains, connecting the city of Nakatsugawa with the village of Achi, Nagano. The highest point on the pass is 1,569 m (5,148 ft). The pass is accessible by car via a forestry road from the Gifu side; however, due to the danger of falling rocks, the road on the Nagano side of the pass is closed to vehicular traffic. The modern 8600-m Enayama Tunnel on the Chūō Expressway is about 500 m north of the pass. (updated Sep 2021)
• 2 Naegi Castle Ruins (苗木城跡) (Drive east from Naegi Toyama Memorial Museum, at a dead end). Open at all times. Ruins of a castle built in the 1500s with nice views of the surrounding area and Kiso River free. (updated Aug 2021)

Do

• 1 Nakatsugawa Onsen Kur Resort Yubunesawa (クアリゾート湯舟沢), 280 Misaka, ☏ +81 573695000. open everyday 10:00-20:00; -21:00 on weekends. Onsen with both indoor and outdoor baths, there are also some private baths and saunas for three to four people. ¥700 on weekdays and ¥1,000 during weekends. (updated Sep 2021)
• 2 Meijiza (かしも明治座), 4793-2 Kashimo, ☏ +81 573793611. events are held weekly. Old kabuki theatre from 1894 that still holds kabuki plays and concerts. (updated Sep 2021)
• Roadside Station Kirira Sakashita (道の駅きりら坂下). (updated Feb 2024)

Buy

• Kurikinton (栗きんとん) — Nakatsugawa is known for its abundant chestnut harvest and this chestnut delicacy. Kurikinton is produced by boiling and mashing the chestnuts, then mixing them with sugar and reforming into a chestnut shape. It is widely available during the autumn months. Many families make their own, while purchased kurikinton is popular as well for home consumption and as gifts.

Go next

• Ena
• Mizunami
• Toki
• Tajimi
• Higashishirakawa
• Shirakawa Town
• Nagiso
• Okuwa
• Agematsu

Routes through Nakatsugawa

Nagoya ← Ena ←	'  '	→ Nagiso → Shiojiri
Ena (Ena station) ←	'  '	→ Ena (Akechi Station)