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Private Nakasendo Hiking Tours
Nakasendo Recommended Itineraries:
One Day | Two Days | Three Days | Five Days
Two Ways to Travel:
Before I get started, lets talk about the two ways to traveling and hike on the Nakasendo:
A to B to C: This means that you pack light and bring your belongings with you. Between Magome, and Tsumago there is a special luggage delivery service provided jointly by the various tourism bureaus. You can send your luggage to the next post town while you hike costing 1,000JPY per item and pick them up when you finish your hike. Just take your luggage to the tourist information center in the morning to get it done. Please note that this service does not yet function year round. Outside of that specific area, you rely on your own muscle or, if you book a tour with us, we can help with luggage transfers. Contact us to get started.
With a base: Having a base and then traveling to each hike you choose to do each day is another popular way to hike the Nakasendo and Kiso Valley. That way you can leave your larger bags of luggage in one place securely and travel up and down the valley using the train line.
There are no right or wrong ways to do it. It is just a matter of preference.
A Note on Itineraries
There are a hundred ways to combine the various hikes and day plans of the Kiso Valley and Ina Valley to make your own personalized itinerary. As a tour operator specializing in private tours, we are always happy to customize your trip to fit your needs. So please, use these itineraries as a guide but also feel free to pick out any other tours or content that interest you. Contact us and we can advise and customize to make your very own personalized trip!
Seasons
You should also be aware that while as a general rule, the Nakasendo is usable all year round, I recommend avoiding long hiking trips in high summer (Jul, Aug, Sep) due to the sweltering heat. For these seasons consider alpine hiking tours (summer to autumn only), cultural items such as wara-zaiku (straw craft), etc. Winter is in general doable but the snow and ice make some sections more difficult so keep that in mind. The good thing about winter is that it is the low season and booking is easier. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for hiking but be aware that rooms book out ahead of time.
Now without further ado here are my recommended itineraries:
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Most people doing a one day trip to the Nakasendo come in and out of Nagoya, Japan’s third biggest city. Here are two three one day itineraries to consider:
Magome to Tsumago - 8km (+ 4km to end at Nagiso Station) > 250m elevation gain > about 3 hours: The most popular hike for good reason with the most stunning historical villages and great woodland hiking in between. Most people will arrive by train at Nakatsugawa Station before catching a bus or taxi to the starting point.
Nakatsugawa to Tsumago - 17km ( + 4km to end at Nagiso Station) > 480m elevation gain > about 5 hours: This hike puts two day hikes back to back and is recommended for fast walkers with good stamina. You’ll cover a lot of ground and see four historical villages all in one day.
Yabuhara to Narai AKA The Torii Pass > 7km > 320m elevation gain > 3-4 hours > The second most popular hike on the Nakasendo. Narai is a stunning historical village and the hike is beautiful and goes deep into the forests. This is a lot further from Nagoya and closer instead to Matsumoto so might be the better choice for people staying there.
High Summer - Mount Ontake or the Ontake Kodo. In the heat of the Japanese summer, the Nakasendo becomes hot and humid and difficult to enjoy walking on. This is the best time to consider a hike up the sacred Mount Ontake. Summer is the best time to stay cool in the alpine air. Or you could even consider a hike and waterfall meditation at the base of the Mountain in Otaki Village.
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Classic Route:
Day 1: Magome to Tsumago - 8km > 250m elevation gain > about 3 hours
Day 2: Yabuhara to Narai - 7km > 320m elevation gain > about 3 hours
The two hikes are the most popular on the Nakasendo and they visit the three most stunning historical villages along the way. Now you have to consider, do you want to carry your belongings the whole way? Or do you want to set up a base somewhere and travel to the hikes each day.
Southern Kiso Route:
Day 1: Nakatsugawa to Magome - 9km > 230m elevation gain > about 2-3 hours
Day 2: Magome to Tsumago - 8km > 250m elevation gain > about 3 hours
This is a great route for people without a base. They can take advantage of the luggage delivery service offered by the tourism agencies and have their stuff delivered for each hike.
Strong Hikers Route:
Day 1: Nakatsugawa to Tsumago - 17km ( + 4km to end at Nagiso Station) > 480m elevation gain > about 5 hours
Day 2: Tsumago (or Nagiso Station) to Nojiri - 15km (+4 if starting from Tsumago) > 600m elevation gain > about 5 hours
These are two tough back to back hikes so make sure you are strong enough to take them on. The Tsumago to Nojiri hike features some of the most beautiful views of the deep Japanese countryside you can imagine, however there has been a lot of landslides and the route is often chopping and changing so a guide is highly recommended.
High Summer:
The high summer months of July, August, and September are hot and humid and hiking the Nakasendo becomes a lot less pleasant. You may want to consider a two day itinerary walking the Ontake Kodo and doing waterfall meditation on one day, and climbing the sacred Mount Ontake on the other. The Yabuhara to Narai hike is also a little cooler due to the its higher altitude which makes it slightly more endurable.
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Classic Route:
Day 1: Nakatsugawa to Magome - 9km > 230m elevation gain > about 2 hours
Day 2: Magome to Tsumago - 8km > 250m elevation gain > about 3 hours
Day 3: Yabuhara to Narai - 7km > 320m elevation gain > about 3 hours
This combines the three most commonly hiked sections on the Nakasendo. It is gentle and beginner friendly leaving lots of time to enjoy the view and relax. It can be done with one base or by carrying your luggage as you go.
Southern Kiso Route:
Day 1: Nakatsugawa to Magome - 9km > 230m elevation gain > about 2 hours
Day 2: Magome to Tsumago - 8km > 250m elevation gain > about 3 hours
Day 3: Tsumago (or Nagiso Station) to Nojiri - 15km (+4 if starting from Tsumago) > 600m elevation gain > about 5 hours
This route is the same as the classic route except for the last hike which is a continuation of the previous two. It flows nicely but the last hike is significantly harder and a guide for the trails is highly recommended.
Strong Hikers Route:
Day 1: Nakatsugawa to Tsumago - 17km ( + 4km to end at Nagiso Station) > 480m elevation gain > about 5 hours
Day 2: Tsumago (or Nagiso Station) to Nojiri - 15km (+4 if starting from Tsumago) > 600m elevation gain > about 5 hours
Day 3: Yabuhara to Narai (w/ Hirasawa extension) - 7km + 2km > 320m elevation gain > about 3-4 hours
This route covers a lot of ground in three days so make sure you are up to the challenge. The final hike has a nice little extension which is possible anytime you take the hike it. It takes you to Hirasawa, a small town of lacquerware craftsmen full of artisanal shops.
High Summer:
The hot and humid Japanese summers make walking the Nakasendo a lot less enjoyable in July, August and September. To avoid the heat, you could consider a hike on the Ontake Kodo including waterfall meditation, climbing Mount Ontake itself, and the Wada Pass, a lesser known hike of the Nakasendo, with the highest altitude. You could also consider heading to the Ina Valley to try the Central and Southern Alps.
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Gifu and Kiso Route:
Day 1: Mitake to Hosokute - 12km > 425m elevation gain > about 3 hours
Day 2: Hosokute to Oi - 19km > 340m elevation gain > about 5 hours
Day 3: Nakatsugawa to Tsumago - 17km > 480m elevation gain > about 5 hours
Day 4: Tsumago to Nojiri - 15km > 600m elevation gain > about 5 hours
Day 5: Yabuhara to Narai - 7km > 320m elevation gain > about 3 hours
As the itineraries get longer, the hikes become deeper and further off of the beaten track. Logistically things also become harder as accommodation becomes scarce. These trips require advanced planning and a guide is highly recommended.
Kiso and Ontake Route:
Day 1: Nakatsugawa to Tsumago -
Day 2: Tsumago to Nojiri
Day 3: Ontake Kodo
Day 4: Mount Ontake
Day 5: Yabuhara to Narai
In autumn there is a perfect window of time when the Nakasendo of the Kiso Valley becomes cool enough to be pleasant to walk again after the raging summer. At the same time snow hasn’t yet fallen on the sacred Mount Ontake the mountain’s autumn leaves burst into color. This is the best time to consider the Kiso Ontake Route.