▲Stoe-walls overlapping like a castle

  In this turn I will start from the sign-bord of Ootumago, over the Otarugawa, and walk up along the steep path, the old Nakaendo, southward.
  Around the way we would find the stone-walls overlapping and a tiny mill-house, feeling, at home, a taste of Kisoji.
  There are the old inns, Maruya, Tsutamuraya and Omiya, standing side by side on a hill-terrace.

▲Not a few old houses notable

▲Looking back at the slope way

  Maruya and Tsutamuraya has the particular walls called Sode-Udatsu, old Japanese house decoration, on both front -side just under the rooves.
  The scene has kept the old shape of Nakasendo-Kisoji. However I found just only one inn, Maruya, keeping operation that day. Was it off-season ?
  Once there were not a few people managing stay houses in Ootsumago but nowadyas because of aging they cannot keep operation the hospitality -business.

▲Look down at Otarugawa

▲In front of Maruya

  Walking on along Nakasendo, we would meet pref. road 7, accross which we would get into the paved path to Magome. Then let's imagine the old days.
  In old days travellers from there came into Ostsumago town, turning left at Koshinzuka, which was the religious stone -monument made by people to pray for the peaceful life..

▲The old Nakasendo to Magome-Toge

  Walking on the way and passing the bridge over Ortarugawa, the old-days travellers must have found the inns.
  After passing by the inns, they walked down the path and arrived at the area near Kongoya. Thereafter turning left over the samll bridge and walking up the slope path, they got into Shinmei village.
  The paved way running throung it is the old Nakasendo. The way is running around the ridge and downward to Araragigawa. Walking over the bridge over it, we would get to the entrance to Tsumago town.