1-Day Tour from Nagano & Matsumoto: Step into the Past on the Nakasendo

Stretch your legs and breathe in fresh mountain air on the Nakasendo Trail in this unforgettable tour. Starting from Matsumoto City, our private tour bus will take you to the romantic post town of Tsumago, with a stop at a fascinating Japanese Michi-no-Eki (Road-side Service Area) along the way to purchase refreshments in preparation for the trail. After exploring the town of Tsumago with your guide, the 8-km scenic walk from Tsumago to Magome will begin, taking you through small towns and forested mountains on a road that in many areas retains its original cobblestone paving. Taking around 3 hours in total, this journey will make your arrival at the next post town of Magome all the more rewarding. In Magome, you will have the chance to shop for local crafts and souvenirs, before boarding our tour bus to return to Matsumoto. This tour will reward those who like to take the road less traveled and enjoy a more hands (or feet!) on experience in the heartland of Japan.

*As lunch options are limited, please purchase a bento box or other food items before the tour starts, and bring them with you. Time will be allotted to eat while on the trail.

Highlights

• Visit the well-preserved townscape of Tsumago, and enter into some of its historical buildings. Less crowded and less visited than Magome, this post town is sure to impress with its serene appearance and rustic charm.
• Walk the Nakasendo Trail for 8-km from Tsumago to Magome, with plenty of time to rest and take in the view at key areas.
• Have a snack or window shop in the quaint town of Magome while you enjoy some of Japan’s best scenery.
• Enjoy the scenery outside the tour bus window on your way to and from the Nakasendo. While many tours of this area start from Nagoya, our tour starts from Matsumoto – allowing for a much more scenic drive.

Want to join this tour from Tokyo? It’s easy to do! Scroll to the bottom for our FAQs including train services that you can use to join the tour!

Description

The tour starts at Nagano Station, where you guide will greet you at 08:15 and have you board the tour bus and head to Matsumoto Station, the second pick up point of the tour, where boarding will begin at 09:45. You will be led to the tour bus, where the journey to the Kiso Valley will begin. Although the drive will take around 2 hours, the scenery along the way is breathtakingly beautiful and we will arrive at Tsumago in what feels like the blink of an eye. The ride also includes a stop at a Japanese Michi-no-Eki, or Road-side Service Area. Unlike service areas in many countries, those in Japan are often attractions in and of themselves, with themed buildings and shops selling local goods and food.

Leaving the Michi-no-Eki, you will continue on to the town where the tour starts, Tsumago. A well-preserved, rustic town of wooden buildings and mountain views, travelers who visit here will be rewarded with a glimpse into Japan’s past. Indeed, you will get more than a glimpse – many of the buildings can be entered freely, for you to see for yourself the lifestyle this town once was home to.

You will have around an hour here with your guide, who will make sure you are kept entertained and informed during your walk. After everyone has finished up at Tsumago-juku, it is time to start the 8km walk to Magome. With beautiful scenery in each season, the walk wont feel long at all – but make sure to wear clothing appropriate for a hike!

Along the way, you will see parts of the path lined with cobblestones from the Edo Era (1600-1868), when this road was one of the major transportation connections between what is now Tokyo and Kyoto. Nowadays, the path is traversed by much fewer people, and imparts an atmosphere of tranquility rather than bustling commerce. Keep an eye open for wildlife, and you will be sure to spot living creatures of various kinds – birds, lizards, and maybe even deer or badgers.

The tour will also take you by two waterfalls, Odaki and Medaki, which will be the perfect place to take a short break and feel the cool mist on your face. In Japanese their names mean ‘Male Waterfall’ and ‘Female Waterfall’, and they are conceived of as a pair based on their location adjacent to one another.

Additionally, there are some houses open along the way for people to relax and have some water. This splendid building depicted above is purely Japanese in design – once you enter, you will be sharing the same experience that travelers on this road have had for hundreds of years.

At the end of the Nakasendo Trek, you will arrive at the beautiful post town of Magome. Situated on a slope, this town offers stunning views of the surrounding mountain scenery and features a main street lined with traditional wooden buildings. Even better, there are waterways on either side of the street, and the fast running water there powers waterwheels at several places.

Magome has more visitors than Tsumago due to its proximity to Nagoya, and as such offers a wide variety of eateries and gift shops. After a tiring hike, these shops will be very welcome to those who would like to rest up or have a little snack. For that purpose, you will be given free time at Magome to use as you please. We would recommend looking for some of the wood crafts made from local trees, many of which are extremely fragrant and, just as importantly, small and easy to carry back home!

Your guide will then accompany back to the tour bus to start the drive back towards Matsumoto. During this ride you will have plenty of time to rest, look through pictures you took, or ask the guide any questions you may have!

MEETUP POINT

1 / HOTEL KOKUSAI 21 @ 07:50

The meetup point is at the entrance of Hotel Kokusai 21. Please note that this is group tour and there are other pick-up points the the tour will need to depart on-time. Please be at the entrance prior to the meetup time and look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag. The tour will need to depart on-time.

2 / NAGANO STATION @ 08:15  — MAIN MEETUP POINT — All Year Round

The meetup point is inside the station, in front of the Information Board directly across from the Shinkansen ticket gates. Be sure to look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag and ensure you are there prior to the meetup time as the tour will need to depart by 08:20.

3 / MATSUMOTO STATION @ 09:45

Please wait outside the West Exit of Matsumoto Station, in front of the escalator. The guide will meet you here and load everyone on to the tour bus.

NOTES

Included

• Transportation from Matsumoto to the Nakasendo Trail and back
• English-speaking guide

Excluded

• Lunch
• Accommodation

Other Information

• There will be a significant amount of walking required (over 8 kilometers) along the Nakasendo trail, so please wear appropriate shoes/boots. The trail is not especially difficult, but includes areas where there may be mud or slippery rocks and has significant changes in elevation along the way. Please consider your physical condition before purchasing this tour.
• This tour is not wheelchair accessible and will not be suitable for most customers with mobility impairments. Should you have any concerns about your ability to join the tour, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.
• The drive from Matsumoto to the Nakasendo trail is around 2 hours, and while there will be a bathroom stop along the way, please come prepared to spend a few hours in the car while we are heading to our destination.
• While the weather in Spring and Autumn is usually pleasant, it can be quite chilly on some days. Please pay attention to the weather forecast and wear clothes appropriate to the outside air temperature to ensure you are not uncomfortable on the hike.
• This tour is not suitable for small children due to the long walking distances involved.