Nanone is nestled amongst the Matsuyama district of Uda City which still retains its old townscape from the late Edo period. The 120-year-old house used to be a soy sauce merchant’s residence and displays a number of traditional Japanese architectural structures such as thick beams, sliding doors using zelkova wood, staircase chests, an earthen warehouse, and mushiko-mado lattice windows. In winter, a wood stove warms up the rooms and people’s hearts and in summer a refreshing breeze drifts in from the large garden. This area has a very long history and was mentioned in the Nihon Shoki (the oldest chronicles of Japan written in the 8th century) as a land of hunting called Akino. It once flourished as an important transportation hub connecting Nara and Kyoto with Ise (in Mie Prefecture) and a castle was established during the Sengoku Civil War period (16th century) around which a castle town flourished. Since there was a herbal garden in the town, it also developed as a center for medical herbs. Nanoe is a perfect place to stay overnight to discover and explore the various attractions of the Matsuyama district: traditional houses from various periods (important preservation district of historic buildings), historical sites, a herbal garden, sake brewery, Japanese sweet shops, traditional events and more.