1-Day Tour from Matsumoto: Walk the Nakasendo Trail
1-Day Tour from Matsumoto: Walk the Nakasendo Trail
Join from Matsumoto Station
From
Join from Nagano station
From
Highlights
Prepare to experience Old Japan on foot with this exciting hike through traditional post towns, ancient forests, and dramatic mountain passes. Starting in Tsumago-juku post town, your guide will explain a bit about what kinds of people traveled the roads in Old Japan, where they were going, and how they lived. You will get a chance to enter some buildings including an old Inn and a horse-stable that perfectly illustrate what your guide has mentioned.
Leaving Tsumago-juku post town, you will start out on an 8km trek to the next post town, passing by roaring waterfalls and quiet hamlets along the way. Keep an eye open for wildlife and wildflowers while you are led by your guide along what was once one of the main avenues of travel in Japan.
Arriving at Magome-juku post town, you will be treated to far off views of fields and mountains as you descend to the bottom of this very vertical village. After having a little time for shopping, you will board the tour vehicle and head back.
Itinerary
Tsumago Post Office
1 hoursAdmission Ticket FreeOur tour will begin in earnest when you and your guide step off the bus at Tsumago-juku Post Town. Once a vital station on a road connecting Tokyo (then called Edo) and Kyoto, the town's appearance has not changed since its heyday. Here you can find streets lined with traditional wooden buildings that have been meticulously preserved by their residents. Some buildings are open to enter, and allow you a look into how people used to travel in Old Japan.Nakasendo Halfway Point
3 hoursAdmission Ticket FreeDeparting Tsumago, the Nakasendo Trail trek will begin. Totaling around 8km, this trail is a must-see for people looking to combine an outdoor experience with a cultural experience. Along the way you will be treated to breathtaking waterfalls, quaint hamlets, and dramatic mountain views. The trail covers a wide range of elevations, so prepare to use your legs and get your blood flowing. Your guide will be there to make sure you don't get lost, and to help enhance the experience with timely anecdotes and knowledgeable trivia about the sights you will see along the way.Nakasendo Magome-juku
30 minsAdmission Ticket FreeWith the 8km Nakasendo trek complete, you will arrive at Magome-juku, another amazing town on the Nakasendo Trail. More vertical than Tsumago-juku, this town is located on a steep hill providing views over the roofs of buildings below you and out onto the plain that lies at the bottom of the village. There are some gift shops and places to have a quick snack here, and your guide will give you a chance to peruse these establishments at your own pace.
What's included
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
Customer reviews
Additional information
Location
Provider
Snow Monkey Resorts Tours (Machinovate Japan Ltd.)
NZD 364
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The trip to and from the trail was approximately 1 hour each way (from Matsumoto), or 2 hours each way (from Nagano). The trail itself, though only 8 km, took almost 4 hours, due to the elevation and the breathtaking scenery! Great way to escape the busy city areas. But do be prepared with a certain level of cardiovascular fitness.