Nakasendo Private Hiking Tour
Nakatsugawa to Magome
中津川宿 - 馬籠宿
From ¥45,000
Nakatsugawa to Magome
Distance: About 9km
Time: 3-4 hours
Highlights: A vast array of views, cobble stone paths, craft shops, sweet shops, sake and more.
Time to introduce you to a lesser known, but surprisingly wonderful hike on the Nakasendo. Nakatsugawa Juku to Magome Juku is often skipped over by a bus ride. One word. Don’t. It is well worth it. This hike kind of ticks so many boxes of Japanese landscapes. It goes from the center of the small city/big town of Nakatsugawa, passing through the suburbs, the rice fields, the mountain views, the forests, the old post towns, cobble stones, temples, shrines … Okay these are all things you can in Japan elsewhere, but to have them all on an easy day hike is the beauty of this one.
Without further ado. Let’s begin in Nakatsugawa Station. A quick 10 minute walk through the town will get you to Nakatsugawa Juku. The Juku here simply means post town or old town that people would stop off while traveling along the Nakasendo. Highlights here include Kawakami Japanese sweet shop. This family run shop has hundreds of years of history and is famous for its kurikinton (chestnut sweet). Also Hazama Sake Brewery is an old family run sake maker. Before covid there were instore tastings available. Watch this space and see if they bring it back!
The hike then through the town. This is everyday stuff, right through the suburbs. The Nakasendo is marked pretty well but if you do get lost a smart phone map can get you back on course. A few kilometers will get you to Ochiai Juku. Before you get there, you will see remnants of older times. Tea shops and statues to bring fortune on the road.
In Ochiai Juku one shops stands out. Craft Shop Laboratory do all kinds of crafts and experiences. They are really nice people too with a great sense of style. You could try indigo dying, make a mandala, a wreath of dry flowers and more. You could also visit three temples. They actually offer meditation, calligraphy and a tea ceremony respectively.
Moving on you will soon get to Ochiai Cobblestone Road. This part of the Nakasendo actually remains quite as it would have been when processions of Daimyo and all manner of traders came through. Follow this with a spectacular view, one of my favorites in Japan. They call it a sunset spot but its good anytime. The view looks over rice fields, the town and the mountains behind.
Now you are not far from Magamo Juku where this journey ends. You could go onto to Tsumago Juku for a longer day’s hike. Or call it a day here and stay in one of the really lovely accommodations. Of course, don’t forget to enjoy Magome Juku itself. It is a wonderful place to hit the brakes and go slow.
