Ina Valley Tours
-伊那谷-
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The Ina Valley
The Ina Valley is the much, much lesser known part of the area that Really Rural Japan covers. Running parallel to the Kiso Valley, the Ina Valley is a wide, often sunny fertile valley which is framed by the Central Alps in the west, and the Southern Alps in the east.
Hiking Tours
The hiking tours that we offer in the Ina Valley are rich in both history and nature. Unlike the Nakasendo, they are yet to be discovered by foreign legs. These are tours that we at Really Rural Japan have pioneered and this is your chance to see somewhere that nobody abroad knows about.
Craft & Culture Tours
The Ina Valley craft & culture tours the we offer are also pioneered by us. They offer you a chance to get deep inside of rural Japan and into undiscovered places rich in history and culture.
Combinations
Many of the Ina Valley tours are half day experiences. We highly recommend combining two of these experiences to create a full day of fun and adventure! See below for recommended combinations.
Hiking Tours
Japanese Central Alps Hiking Tour
Seinaiji Kaido Hiking Tour
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・Location: Komagane City
・Season: June to October
・Distance: 4km/2.5miles
・Uphill: 350m/1,150ft
・Of the three alpine mountain ranges in Japan, the Central Alps are the smallest and least crowded. Hike the Japanese Central Alps from Komagane Ropeway in the Ina Valley. See the alpine flowers of Senjojiki Cirque and climb Mount Kiso-Komagatake (2,956m), the highest peak.
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・Location: Hirugami Onsen
・Season: late March to mid December
・Distance: 13km/8miles
・Uphill: 340m/1,115ft
The Seinaiji Kaido is an ancient road that once connected the Nakasendo at Tsumago Juku, with the southern end of the Ina Valley in Iida City. Compared to the Nakasendo, it was a relatively minor road used by regular people instead of the Daimyo and Princess that used the Nakasendo. For these reasons, the beautiful historical trail is extremely secretive. You may not encounter another soul on the trail as you hike. This is highly recommended for anyone wanting a quiet, therapeutic walk in the forests of Japan.
Chuma Kaido Hiking Tour
Tosando Hiking Tour
Tenryu Gorge
1/2 Day
Akiba Kodo
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Location: Tenryu Gorge
Season: Year round
Tenryu Gorge:
This stunning gorge is a symbol of area. The Tenryu River disappears deep into a steep ravine which can be enjoyed both on foot and by Japanese traditional boat.
What will you do during this tour?
Choose between:
A short hike (30 mins - 1 hour)
A Japanese boat ride (1 hour)
A longer hike (2 hours)
Both the short hike and boat ride may be possible in a half day if the timing is right.
Combinations:
This is a half day tour which is best used in combination with another 1/2 day Ina Valley tour to make a full day.
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Location: Iida City
Season: Spring and Autumn
Akiba Kodo:
An incredible ancient pilgrimage that used to be undertaken by townships. They would send a delegation of men to pray at Akiba Grand Shrine to prevent their towns from burning down. This hike is one section of the ancient road. It goes from Iida to Toyama-go. This is as remote as hikes get in Japan. It is physically very demanding and is not for the faint of heart.
Craft & Culture Tours
Odaira Juku Rural Cooking Experience
Wara-Zaiku (Straw Craft) Experience
1/2 Day
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Location: Odaira Juku, Iida City
Season: Apr - Nov
What is Odaira Juku?
Odaira Juku is an abandoned village full of ancient Japanese houses located deep in the mountains of southern Nagano pref.
What will you do during this experience?
Travel to Odaira Juku
Prepare lunch from scratch using an authentic Japanese ancient kitchen
Eat lunch
Clean up
Stroll around the ancient village and highway
Descend down the mountain or stay if you prefer
Time:
This is a full day experience.
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Location: Iijima Town, Ina Valley
Season: Year round
What is Wara-Zaiku?
Wara-zaiku is an endangered ancient traditional Japanese craft. It basically refers to any items made out of Japan’s plentiful supple of rice straw.
What will you do during this experience?
1. Meet and greet the master craftsmen behind Japan’s sumo rings and learn about the ancient craft.
2. Tour of the facility.
3. Get hands on and make on of the following:
Shimenawa-kazari (Shinto faith rope decoration)
Warakame (straw turtle)
Waraji (straw sandals)
4. Farewells and decide what to do with your handmade creation.
Time:
This is a half day experience requiring 2-3 hours.
Tenryu Pottery
1/2 Day
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Location: Tenryu Gorge
Season: Year round
Enjoy a pottery workshop with the Miwa’s, a family of potters going back many generations.
You will take a piece of local clay and form it into an artwork of your choice.
The Miwa family fire the kilns around 4 times a year. So your artwork will likely not be ready for a long time. Once the kiln has been fired and your art work baked, the shop will send your piece to you in your own country of place of residence. The price of delivery will be covered by you.
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・Location: Hirugami Onsen
・Season: April to November
・Distance: 13km/8miles
・Uphill: 340m/1,115ft
The Tosando is one of the oldest known official roads in Japan which stretched from Kyoto to Tohoku in northern Japan. It was written about in the Kojiki, the first book ever written in Japan in the year 711. It also features in Heian period literature such as The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu.
Here we will hike probably the most infamous part of the ancient road, the Misaka Pass. This was known as the hardest section to cross, the only part where there was no choice but to head high into the mountains and leave the plains proper. This hike features stunning views, deep forested mountains and historical shrines and temples. It has not yet been found by foreign walking tour groups. So beat the rest and be among the first to experience Japan’s oldest road.
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・Location: Neba Village
・Season: late March to mid December
・Distance: 16km/10miles
・Uphill: 655m/2,150ft
The Chuma Kaido was one of the biggest trade routes during the Edo period. Hundreds to thousands of horses were used to carry goods throughout Japan on a daily basis. These days Really Rural Japan have been working hard in the Japanese countryside repurposing the Chuma Kaido for hiking tours. This is somewhere as yet completely undiscovered. Be one of the first to hike through some of the most rural villages in all of Japan.
Tea Picking & Roasting
1/2 Day
Shinshu Tsumugi (Japanese Silk) Weaving Experience
1/2 Day
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Location: Komagane City, Ina Valley
Season: Year round except high summer
What is Shinshu Tsumugi?
Shinshu Tsumugi is an historical, traditional, luxurious fabric which is handwoven with 100% local silk. The most common use of Shinshu Tsumugi is to be made into kimono and obi. It is an officially designated traditional handicraft, one of only seven in Nagano Prefecture.
What will you do during this experience?
Meet and greet the Kubota family.
Enjoy a factory tour.
Learn how to weave your own item at a traditional Japanese loom.
Time for shopping and farewells.
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Location: Tenryu Village
Season: June to September.
Nakai Samurai is a tiny village deep, and I mean deep, in the mountains of southern Nagano Prefecture. The village is famed for its green tea production, and its stunning views, with the tea fields located on steep slopes overlooking the Tenryu River.
As you get off of the train, the tea fields are literally a stones throw away. The day starts with a quick intro and a tasting of the farmers local brew, before you head into the fields and pick your own. Then roast the leaves into fresh green tea and enjoy with locally made snacks and lunch.
Washi & Mizuhiki Experience
1/2 Day
Komagane Ropeway
1/2 Day
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Location: Komagane City
Season: Year round
Komagane Ropeway:
Komagane Ropeway is the highest ropeway in Japan, going to 2,612m above sea level. At the top the Senjojiki Cirque gives stunning views all year round.
What will you do on this tour:
Bus to Shirabi-Daira Station.
Ride the Komagane Ropeway.
30 minute easy walk in the basin of the Senjojiki Cirque.
Lunch/coffee at 2612 Cafe.
Come down.
Time:
This tour will take about 4 hours.
Combinations:
This tour is best used in combination with anther 1/2 day tour.
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Location: Shimo-Hisakata Village (Iida City)
Season: Year round
What is washi?
Washi is Japanese traditional paper made with the tree bark of the kozo tree. Here in Iida City the small village of Shimo-Hisakata has a long washi making history.
What is mizuhiki?
Mizuhiki are colourful chords tied into shapes and knots full of history, auspicious meaning and tradition. The chords are traditionally made out of twisted washi. Iida City makes about 70% of Japan’s mizuhiki and is the centre of the craft.
What will you do during this experience?
Meet the local craftsmen keeping their local tradition alive and learn the history and methods of making washi and mizuhiki.
Make your own washi using traditional techniques. Then, while your washi dries, learn how to make mizuhiki. At the end of the exerience, the washi and mizuhiki can be combined to make a special letter. Perhaps a love letter for a special occasion?
Time for shopping and farewells.
Time:
This is a half day experience requiring about 2-3 hours.
How to Combine Two Half Day Tours:
The following combinations work well together and are highly recommended to make a full day of adventure! Here is a list of combinations that could work: