Walking the Kiso Road: A Modern-Day Exploration of Old Japan

(Paperback)

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Description

Step back into old Japan with this fascinating travelogue of the famous Kiso Road, an ancient route used by samurai and warlords The Kisoji, which runs through the Kiso Valley in the Japanese Alps, has been in use since at least 701 C.E. In the seventeenth century, it was the route that the daimyo (warlords) used for their biennial trips-along with their samurai and porters-to the new capital of Edo (now Tokyo). The natural beauty of the route is renowned-and famously inspired the landscapes of Hiroshige, as well as the work of many other artists and writers. William Scott Wilson, esteemed translator of samurai philosophy, has walked the road several times and is a delightful and expert guide to this popular tourist destination; he shares its rich history and lore, literary and artistic significance, cuisine and architecture, as well as his own experiences.

Reviews

A gemlike book, brimming with sharp insights on the way Japans ancient past continues to inform its present. . . . A carefully observed and sagacious travelogue.New York Times Book Review

Author Bio

WILLIAM SCOTT WILSON is the foremost translator into English of traditional Japanese texts on samurai culture. His best-selling translations include Hagakure, The Book of Five Rings, and Taiko. He is also the author of The Lone Samurai, a biography of the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi, and The One Taste of Truth, on the history of tea and Zen.