Kiso valley is called the territory in the upper reaches of the Kiso river, which flows along the ground several prefectures (Nagano, Gifu, Aichi and mie) and flows into ISE Bay near Nagoya city. The length of the river is 227 km. Sometimes Kiso compared to the river Rhine.

In the early seventeenth century, the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu decided to build a new residence on the Nagoya plateau. For Nagoya castle was chosen as the place is convenient from political and economic points of view. Castle sat in the middle between Kyoto and Edo, the old capital and the main residence of the Tokugawa clan. The rivers that flowed in the area, including Kiso, allowed to establish trade with other areas. In addition, there was the seaport of Kuwana. Around the castle on the plateau began to settle artisans and merchants, and thus was the city of Nagoya.

Kiso valley (or Kisozi) is known for its shrines and monuments, Handicrafts, and timber of cedars, which was used for the construction of many Shinto shrines.

In the Western part of the valley is an active volcano with a height of more than 3 thousand meters of Ontake-San is one of the main sacred mountains for Shinto. The first sanctuary on the slopes of the mountain was built in 928 year. In the eighteenth century, there has even arisen a new religion - Ontake-ke, combining shamanism, Buddhism and Shintoism. Its adherents have in our days, and quite a lot of them. Every year pilgrims make the ascent to the sanctuary of Ontake-Jinja Shrine, which is located almost on the top of the mountain. Believers set memorial stones Raijin no hi, which on the slopes of the mountains for hundreds of thousands. The starting point for climbing Ontake-San is Kiso Fukushima is the biggest city of the valley.

Kiso valley in the days of feudalism ran tract Nakasendo that connected Edo and Kyoto. The town of Narai, Tsumago and Magome standing on the tract is now recognized as architectural monuments. The most important town on the highway was considered Narai, who now looks the same as two centuries ago. In Tsumago almost all the buildings have been restored, so it is like a Museum under the open sky. In Magome born poet and novelist Shimazaki, the city has a Museum dedicated to him.

Up to 50-ies of XX century, flourished in the valley woodworking, and the manufacture of lacquerware and wood products. With the development of tourism in the towns and villages of the valley began to appear in the centers of crafts, workshops and folklore museums.