Ena has a strong connection to rail travel; art, history and scenery are also highlights of the associated municipality. You can choose the focus of your stay: the connection between two rail lines in Ena, or themes in the context of the associated municipality—ukiyo-e, the historic Nakasendō post stations and the rock formations along the Ena Gorge.

Arrival and rail connections

Ena Station is a transfer station between the JR Chūō Main Line and the Akechi Line operated by Akechi Railway. From the station, you can reach both the everyday life of the city’s residents and major tourist destinations. This makes the station a practical reference point for planning your trip. If you are coordinating your journey with a particular connection, check the current timetable: operating details may change.

Ukiyo-e and printmaking

In the associated municipality, the Nakasendo Hiroshige Museum of Art primarily preserves ukiyo-e prints. These include Hiroshige’s series “Kisokaidō Rokujūkyū-tsugi.” The exhibits change almost every month; if you want to see a particular design, check the current exhibition in advance.

In the associated municipality, the multi-block printing activity in the Ukiyo-e Navi Room offers a different perspective on printmaking. A replica printing block is available for this activity. The collection and the activity have different focuses: one highlights historical prints, while the other explores multi-block printing techniques. This brings together artworks and a hands-on activity, so you can engage with ukiyo-e in more than one way.

Ooi-juku and the history of the Nakasendō

In the associated municipality, Ooi-juku was the forty-sixth of the Nakasendō’s 69 post stations when counted from Edo. The honjin served as lodging for daimyō and others. It burned down completely in 1947; its entrance gate and garden have survived. Another historic site in Ooi-juku is the former inn of the Ito family. It preserves living quarters, a bath and a toilet used during Emperor Meiji’s journey in 1880.

The Nakasendo Hishiya Museum in the associated municipality opened in 2000, after the city of Ena restored the imposing Edo-period residence of village headman Koyama. Hishiya, the former residence of the prominent Koyama merchant family in Ooi-juku, was restored in the associated municipality to closely resemble its original state; it is designated a cultural property of the city of Ena. Historical materials at the museum tell the story of Ooi-juku and neighboring villages. These include records of trade and the head of the household’s haikai poetry. Together, they offer context on the site as a Nakasendō post station and insights into local life and trade in the past.

Ena Gorge, rocks and seasonal blooms

In the associated municipality, striking rock formations line both banks of the Ena Gorge. Kasagi Rock is about 4.5 meters high, with a top that spreads out like an umbrella. On the left bank, a walking path loops around Sazanami Square. Seasonal blooms there include cherry blossoms, wisteria and Japanese azaleas. About 200 cherry trees and azaleas bloom in the square in spring. The distinctive rocks and the changing seasonal plant life offer two different impressions of the gorge landscape.

For your trip planning, it is worth deciding which themes interest you most: rail travel in Ena, or themes in the context of the associated municipality—ukiyo-e and printmaking, the history of the Nakasendō, or the landscape of the Ena Gorge. If a particular exhibit is important to your decision, check what is currently on display in advance.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Takayama, Tarui, Hida, Yoro, Kakamigahara, Shirakawa, Kaizu, Kawabe

Return to the main travel overview: Gifu Prefecture.