Tiny Nezu Village is a settlement in eastern Nagano Prefecture’s Tomi City with ancient roots — one of the participants on a historical walking tour I participated in is the 38th head priest of a local temple. That’s how far back Nezu’s history stretches.

Nezu claims to be the historical home of “Nonou”, young ladies also known as “Walking Miko (shrine maidens)”. Nonou traveled the country during the Warring States era up through the late Edo period, visiting settlements and offering spiritual comfort to women along the way.

Being able to cross into far away provinces meant the Nonou were able to gather valuable information which leads to the possibility that perhaps they were spies, maybe even Kunoichi — female ninja!

The Nezu Historical Society offered a guided walking tour highlighting the Nonou-related sites.

The tour included a house that dates back to the Edo period. Its old thatched roof is covered by tin.

In its garden is a stone well.

Nonou spent winters in this house and others throughout Nezu. The well was used for purifying rituals related to the Nonou’s spiritual ceremonies.

Another physical reminder of the Nonou’s historical presence are graves with headstones marking the names of the deceased maidens. Some bear dates from three or four centuries ago.

Perhaps the most mystical place on the tour is the massive (6 meters tall, 16 meters wide) Princess Rock, worshipped as the embodiment of the wife of an Edo-era lord.

Besides stories of the Nonou, the tour also covered the history of the local Nezu samurai clan and the ancient Nezu Kaido walking road, along with Nezu’s cultural heritage with two Noh theaters that are in use even today. Last but not least … a vineyard!

The main Nonou graveyard is located on the north side of Nezu Elementary School, 700 meters northeast of Tobu-Yunomaru IC (Joshin’etsu Expressway), or 3.2 km northeast of Tanaka Station on the Shinano Railway Line. You, too, can come pay your respects to the Nonou, traveling shrine maidens and possible Kunoichi.