The same area features a number of other attractions such as Ena Gorge, Iwamura Castle (made famous in the tale of the "Castle Mistress"), Japan Taishō Village (a theme park), the cities of Toki and Mizunami, which are well known for the production of Mino ceramic ware and Oribe ware; Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku, two stations on the Nakasendō, a road that connected Kyōto and Edo; Meiji Mura, and Inuyama Castle.
The river, whose name means "Frozen Dark One", was named after Mieji-juku, the 56th post town on the Nakasendō, a historical trading route.
Though not a neighboring post town, Matsuida-shuku also provides a direct connection to Oiwake-shuku along the Nakasendō, by way of a minor hime kaidō.
Seba-juku was originally established in 1614, along with Shiojiri-juku and Motoyama-juku, in order to accommodate the change in the Nakasendō's route.
Prior to becoming part of the Nakasendō, it was the tenth of eleven stations along the Kisoji, a minor trade route running through the Kiso Valley.