Private Tour

Explore Kiso Valley : Magome - Tsumago Mountain Trail Walk

Overview

Available languages

Japanese

English

7 hours

Mobile ticket

Nakasendo was formerly known as the Higashisendo and connects Kyoto and the eastern provinces including present day Tokyo. It was one of five highways created within a 7 year period from 1601 along with the Tokaido, Nikko, Oshu, and Koshu. This tour is a 5 hour mountain trail walk that traverses along a 9km trail that connects the two most beautiful post towns along the Nakasendo - Magome-Juku and Tsumago-Juku. Both towns still retain their medieval flare. Your guide will show you the commercial town in the Tono region that flourished when the highway was active. From cobbled roads going through Magome-Juku, the view of Mt. Ena, a quaint teahouse on a mountain pass, and beautiful mountain village scenery around Tsumago-Juku, there is no doubt that you will feel like you've been transported back to medieval Japan.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

English Guide

Bus Ticket

Entrance Fee

Food & Drink

What To Expect

Nakasendo Magome-juku

Meet your guide at Nakatsugawa Station’s ticket gate at 9:00am before heading off to your first destination of Magome-Juku via bus. Magome-Juku is a post town on this ancient highway where many samurai passed through on their journey to and from the capital of Edo (present day Tokyo) between the 17th and mid-19th centuries. Located at an altitude of 600m, you can take in the vast cityscape of Nakatsugawa and Mt. Ena (one of Japan's 100 greatest mountains) in the southeast. Magome-Juku's highway runs along a steep slope along the ridge of the mountain, and is characterized by "hill houses" because the inns had to be built on steep slopes, and are therefore supported with stone walls at the base.

40 minutes•Admission Not Applicable

Magome Observatory

This observatory located just up the slope of Magome-Juku has a great view from an altitude of 801m. Placed at the highest point of the Magome-Juku-Tsumago-juku hiking course, you can see not only Magome, but also a beautiful view of Mt. Ena. The sunset as seen from the observatory is ranked one of the top 100 sunsets in Japan.

15 minutes•Admission Not Applicable

Options

Explore Kiso Valley : Magome - Tsumago Mountain Trail Walk

Reviews

4.96

25 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Fantastic tour; highly recommended
Julie P,
Dec 24, 2024
- Viator
5.00
Our guide Moto made this trip exceptionally interesting, fun, and memorable. We learned a lot from him about the trail's history and about regional culture. We enjoyed breathtaking mountain views and forested paths, and we savored the delicious meal and special treats Moto introduced along the way.
Great first tour in Japan
5t4r5yfdgq,
Sep 11, 2024
- Viator
5.00
We had an incredible tour along the Nakasendo Trail from Magome to Tsumago. It was a wonderful day and the perfect start to our trip in Japan, thanks to our guide, Harumoto. The scenery was stunning, and we got great photos along the way. Harumoto shared lots of insightful information about Japanese culture and gave us helpful recommendations that enriched the experience. Overall, it was an unforgettable day, and we highly recommend this tour! Best wishes from Austria,  Nadine & Alex
Historical and Beautiful Japan!
Jane H,
Apr 1, 2024
- Viator
5.00
Kazuo was an excellent tour guide who was very considerate of our needs. He was patient as we asked many questions and enhanced our experience with his knowledge. The walk through nature and an amazing historical area should not be missed!
Nakasendo Hike with all the details taken care of
Rachel B,
Mar 31, 2023
- Viator
5.00
This tour was perfectly timed and a great way to see the Nakasendo trail without having to worry about buses, maps, etc. All we had to do was get off the train and follow our guide Kazuo! We had time to see stores in both Magome and Tsumago and enjoyed getting out of the city and seeing more of the countryside. Kazuo picked and reserved a great place for lunch and was always confident on the path.