Kiso Valley called area in the upper reaches Kiso, which flows along the ground several prefectures (Nagano, Gifu, Aichi and Mie) and empties into the Gulf of Ise in the vicinity of the city of Nagoya. The length of the channel of the river is 227 kilometers. Sometimes compared with the Kiso River Rhine.

At the beginning of XVII century the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu decided to build a new residence at the Nagoya plateau. For Nagoya Castle was chosen location, convenient to the political and economic points of view. Castle turned halfway 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, near the seaport Kuwana. The castle began to settle on the plateau of artisans and merchants, and so there was the city of Nagoya.

Kiso Valley (or Kisodzi) is known for its shrines and monuments of architecture, handicraft traditions, and cedar wood, which was used for the construction of many Shinto shrines.

In the western part of the valley is an active volcano height of more than 3 thousand meters ontake-san - one of the main sacred mountains for Shinto. The first sanctuary on the slopes of the mountain was built in the year 928. In the XVIII century it even originated a new religion - ontake-kyo, combining shamanism, Buddhism and Shintoism. Its adherents have in our days, and there are many. Every year, pilgrims climb to the sanctuary ontake-Jinja Shrine, which is located almost on the top of the mountain. Believers establish memorial stones but reydzin-hee, on the slopes of which have hundreds of thousands. The starting point for the ascent to ontake-san is Kiso Fukushima - the biggest city of the valley.

On Kiso Valley in the days of feudalism lay tract Nakasendo which linked Edo and Kyoto. Nara City, Tsumago and Magome, standing on the path, today recognized as architectural monuments. The most important city on the path was considered of Nara, which now looks as did two centuries ago. It tsumago in almost all buildings have been renovated, so it looks like an open air museum. In Magome born poet and novelist Simadzaki, the city has a museum dedicated to him.

Up to 50-ies of XX century in the valley flourished wood, as well as the production of lacquerware and wood products. With the development of tourism in the cities and towns of the valley began to appear crafts centers, workshops and folk museums.