Private Nakasendo Hiking Tour From

$900

Shimo-Suwa to Wada (The Wada Pass)

-下諏訪・和田-

    • Distance: 15km/9miles

    • Uphill: 700m/2,300ft

    • Level: Moderate. Excellent fitness is required. Suitable for all skill levels.

    • Highlights:

      • Walking on a part of the Nakasendo that pretty much no other tourists do with cobblestones and remnants left behind.

      • Seeing the grand shrines of Suwa- based Shintoism, a major sect of the faith with over 10,000 tributary shrines nationwide.

      • Walking the longest, hardest section of the Nakasendo.

    • Prices (USD):

      • $900 for 1-2 people

      • $100 per additional person

      • $50 per additional child (4-18 years old)

      • FREE (kids under 4 years old)

A traditional Shinto shrine entrance with a large shimenawa rope hanging from the wooden structure, and a person walking towards the shrine. Suwa Taisha.
Overgrown and abandoned car covered in moss and plants in a forest.
Close-up of pink flowers with green blurred background.
A person walking on a trail in a lush green forest, carrying a camera and wearing a hat and backpack. Wada Pass Nakasendo.
A small stream flowing through a lush green forest with trees and fern plants. Wada Pass Nakasendo.
Traditional Japanese building with wooden fencing and lush green plants and pink flowers in the garden. Wada Pass Nakasendo.
A pathway lined with large, tall trees leading to a traditional wooden structure with a blue roof, surrounded by lush greenery and moss on the pathway. Wada Pass Nakasendo.
A lush green garden with tall trees, neatly trimmed bushes, pink flowers, a small waterfall, and a pond with lily pads. Wada Pass Nakasendo.
Multiple electrical power lines and towers in the foreground with snow-capped mountain in the background Wada Pass Nakasendo.
A tall, dark stone monument with carvings stands on a grassy hillside, with green trees and distant mountains in the background. Wada Pass Nakasendo.
Stone sculpture resembling a human face with a protruding nose and closed lips, set amid greenery and bushes. Wada Pass Nakasendo. Suwa Taisha.
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The Wada Pass was the longest and most difficult hike of the Nakasendo. Most post towns had an average of 8km between them. The distance from Shimo Suwa Juku to Wada Juku was a staggering 23km. However some of this road is dangerous due to traffic and no footpaths and really not suitable for walking and so Really Rural Japan are guiding this pass as a 15km.

Starting in the lakeside ancient hot spring town of Shimo Suwa, this hike is one for those really looking to explore the history of the Nakasendo away from any other tourists. Shimo Suwa was famously the only town on the Nakasendo with natural hot springs. Nowadays many inns along the way have managed to dig and pipe, or deliver, hot springs to their inn. But back in the Edo period, only Shimo Suwa had a natural hot spring bath awaiting the weary traveler.

After staying in a traditional ancient onsen ryokan of Shimo Suwa, your hike begins with a look around some of the Suwa Grand Shrines and Juinji Temple with its incredible stone garden and carpet of moss. After walking to the famous and dangerous Kiotoshi Saka, a steep slope used in the Onbashira Festival, where local men ride ginormous logs as they hurtle down the slope. After this point, it is time to move by vehicle to the mountains.

Here the verdant mountains have secrets of the past hidden inside. The ancient cobblestone roads are now carpeted with moss. The foundations of tea houses are barely visible but provide a glimpse to the past. As the hike goes on, you will reach the top of the Wada Pass at around 1,600m. On a clear day you can see Mount Ontake and the surrounding planes. Coming down you will finally reach the goal and a vehicle will be waiting for you. From here you will take a look at Wada Juku, with its unspoiled honjin (an inn reserved for high ranking nobles left over from the Edo period). Really Rural Japan generally recommends heading back to Shimo Suwa after this to make your onwards journey easier as Wada Juku is rather remote indeed! But for those with cars Wada Juku makes a perfect retreat.

    • A knowledgeable professional local guide.

    • The logistics.

    • Lunch

    • Attraction Entry Fees

    • Souvenirs and any other personal costs.

    • Shoes suitable for plenty of walking

    • Clothes suitable for the weather

    • Cash for lunch and shopping

    • Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)

    • Drinks

    • $900 for 1-2 people

    • $100 per additional person

    • $50 per additional child (4-18 years old)

    • FREE (kids under 4 years old)

  • Day Tour Payments & Cancellation Policy:

    To lock in a booking payment of a 20% non refundable deposit must be made within 2 weeks of the tour being confirmed. The remaining 80% will be due 30 days prior to the tour. Once the tour has been agreed upon and confirmed, we will send you both invoices (credit card payable) at the same time. If you are booking within 30 days of your tour, the total price of the tour must be paid immediately. Our cancellation policy is as follows:

    • Cancellation 30 or more days prior: 20% non refundable planning fee

    • 29-15 days prior: 30%

    • 14-7 days prior: 70%

    • 6 days prior and beyond: 100%

    Should the cancellation come from unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters, war and political unrest (force majeure), etc. we are not obligated to issue refunds. We will endeavor to facilitate your tour and make alterations to your bookings with your cooperation but will do so on a case by case basis and not under obligation. Should cancellation come from our end for reasons such as sickness, etc. 100% of the tour fee will be refunded.

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