Bokushi-dori, street (Mikunikaido, Shiozawa-juku)

　　Shiozawa-juku prospered as a post town on the Mikunikaido for travelers between Edo (Tokyo) and Echigo (Niigata) for more than 300 years, and the area also became known for its textile industry that developed around the UNESCO cultural asset Echigo Jofu fabrics. The region is also considered to be one of the snowiest regions in all of Japan.

　　The present-day Bokushi Street was part of a restoration project intended to give current generations a sense of the historic townscape. A defining feature of Bokushi Street’s nostalgic atmosphere comes from the “gangi” covered walkways on either sidewalk. These are an example of traditional snow country architecture that were necessary to allow people to travel through town despite the heavy snowfall.

　　Historic Bokushi Street is only a short walk from Shiozawa Station and there are a number of museums, boutique shops, and cafes to enjoy while snapping pictures and imagining this area in the Edo period.