Next, Kamikochi provides a further welcome escape from the high heat and humidity of the lowlands. Kamikochi and the surrounding mountains of the Central Alps was first made famous in the 1880s by Walter Weston, a British missionary, inveterate explorer and mountain climber. Weston clambered all over the mountains of the region and also travelled along the Nakasendo. He wrote of his experiences in his fascinating book "Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japanese Alps". Weston's book is still in print to this day. In Kamikochi the accommodation changes to a comfortable mountain lodge hotel.
Takayama, our final destination, a picturesque little town is also justly known as "Little Kyoto". The town had a reputation as a fiercely independent and defiant town during the Edo Period, when the great Tokugawa Shogun regime dominated Japan. Today, Takayama's narrow streets are lined with historic houses, delightful little restaurants and shops; a perfect place in which to complete this tour.
Our Summer Nakasendo Way tour follows some of the most scenic and enjoyable sections of the old highway and into the mountains of Japan's Central Alps. Seventeenth-century travellers insisted on a reasonably easy route for their journey and so do we. This is a walking tour, not a trek, and average daily walking distance is a moderate 10-16 kilometres. Forward transport, however, can be arranged for those who desire a more relaxed day. Our main luggage is sent ahead each day.
Price: US$2,850 per person. The single supplement is US$110 (Please see below).
What is included and not included? Local travel from tour meeting point to finishing point, accommodation, all breakfasts, two lunches and six evening meals, baggage transfers, and entrance fees are included. Not included are flights, five lunches and drinks with meals.
Single room supplement: The single room supplement is US$110 per person and guarantees a single room in hotels on one night. Please note that while we cannot guarantee to do so we will endeavour to provide single accommodation on the nights we stay in traditional Japanese accommodation. No additional charge is made for any single accommodation provided in traditional inns.
Group size: The small, intimate nature of the inns makes the maximum group size 8~9 people. We have no minimum size. If we accept a booking we guarantee to run the tour.
Please see the Itinerary for this tour and Tour Dates for dates and availability. These tours start on a Saturday and finish on a Friday except the 7 July ~ 13 July 2010 tour, which starts on a Wednesday and finishes on a Tuesday.
Please contact
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for more information and to book this tour.
This itinerary for the Summer Nakasendo Way trip is "ground only," beginning and ending in Nagoya. Connections are easily made by Shinkansen 'Bullet' train to both Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. After receiving the booking and deposit we will provide detailed instructions for getting to the meeting point at Nagoya Railway Station from Osaka's Kansai Airport (KIX), Tokyo's Narita Airport (NRT) and Chubu (Nagoya) International Airport.
Please note that on Day 3 & 5 and the main baggage will be shipped in advance overnight. On these days all items you require for overnight will need to be carried in your daypack.
Day 1
After meeting mid-morning in Nagoya we catch a train to Nakatsugawa, an old post town and now a pleasant regional town. A leisurely lunch and tour briefing here before an afternoon walk in hilly countryside to Shinchaya teahouse, now a refurbished inn. Total walking about 10 kilometers.
Lunch and dinner provided.
Day 2
Walk to Magome post-town, which was the home of Shimazaki Toson. Toson wrote Before the Dawn, considered to be Japan's first modern novel. Then on to Tsumago, the classic hike of the Nakasendo through verdant forests. Stay in a traditional inn. Visit the old, high-class inn, now museum, in Tsumago. Total walking of about 14 kilometres walking.
Breakfast and dinner provided.
Day 3
Walk of about 6 kilometres to Nagiso before catching a train to Kiso-Fukushima. A short taxi journey to the beginning of our walk over a pass and on to the Kaida Plateau, which is dominated by Mt. Ontake, a volcano and one of Japan's sacred mountains. Another walk takes us over another pass and to our lodgings, a Japanese inn with hot spring.
Breakfast and dinner provided.
Day 4
Catch a local bus to Kiso-Fukushima, where we visit the reconstructed Edo Period barrier station before taking a short train ride to Yabuhara. Walk 8 kilometres over the Torii-toge pass to the lovely post town of Narai. Free time to explore, relax in cafes and shop in Narai. Stay in the famous inn found on the Nakasendo. Optional excursion to nearby Hirasawa to visit the studios of a master craftsman. Total walking approximately 8 km. Breakfast and dinner provided.
Breakfast and dinner provided.
Day 5
After breakfast in our inn, transfer to Kamikochi. Our journey by train and bus takes us across the high plateau, famous in Japan for its high quality grapes and apples, surrounding Matsumoto before arriving in the Central Alps and Kamikochi. After arrival in time for lunch we take an exploratory walk along the beautiful Azusa River valley. Total walking approximately 6km. Stay in a Japanese-style hotel with natural hot spring baths.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.
Day 6
An early start today for a steep walk out of Kamikochi with the reward of excellent views, weather permitting, of the Central and Northern Alps. Look out for the smoking summit of Mt. Yake-dake, an active volcano. We head along a ridge to catch a cable car down into the neighbouring valley and a direct bus to Takayama. After bathing at our lodgings, a hotel, we enjoy a celebratory evening meal out in town. Total walking approximately 10km but vertical height gain of about 800m. Breakfast and dinner provided. For those who do not wish to participate in today's walk, onward transport from Kamikochi to Takayama is easily accomplished.
Breakfast and dinner provided.
Day 7
Time to explore the historic town of Takayama, known as "little Kyoto", in the morning with your guide. Unlike Kyoto, however, Takayama is a compact town and it is easy to visit the sites here on foot. Of particular interest are the historical Yoshijima sake- brewer's house and jinya. The latter was the local administrative quarters of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Takayama directly from Edo. The tour finishes around lunchtime. Trains connect Takayama to Nagoya for onward Shinkansen 'Bullet' trains to Tokyo, Kyoto and further afield. Your guide will help you organise your tickets, etc. as required.
Breakfast provided.
This itinerary is subject to change.
Please see
Tour Dates for scheduled tours and their availability. Contact
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information and to receive the booking form.More information about the history of the Nakasendo highway is available at this website
Nakasendo Highway: A Journey to the Heart of Japan.
The following travel tips are intended to be helpful advice for the Summer Nakasendo Way tour. In addition, please refer to your own past experiences and make adjustments or amendments as necessary. If you require any further advice please contact us.
Clothing & baggage:In summer days are hot and evenings warm to cool. There is an increased probability of rain from early to mid-July. It is still however advisable to bring a variety of layers ranging from t-shirts to a top with long sleeves and perhaps a lightweight sweater/fleece. Shorts are acceptable in Japan for both men and women. We recommend good quality walking shoes/boots and a collapsible walking pole. You may also like to bring some comfortable, casual shoes sneakers, sandals, etc. for use in town. The sun's rays can be strong and we recommend a sun hat, sun screen, etc. A lightweight, packable waterproof and a compact, fold-up umbrella should suffice for any inclement weather. (Note, 24-hour stores, which are found almost everywhere in Japan, sell cheap umbrellas and rain capes). Some individuals find Japanese pillows uncomfortable and you may like to bring your own inflatable pillow. Yukata, evening gowns for sleeping in, are provided at each lodging. However, we recommend leggings, a top, etc. to wear underneath. This will provide a degree of modesty and help ward off any cold air.
Please bring a small bag - your day pack should be sufficient - to contain overnight items. For logistical reasons, we will be sending ahead our main luggage overnight on Day 5.
On other days, when walking, our main luggage is sent on ahead to the next lodgings by taxi. Each day we carry only what we need (camera, water bottle, note book, rain jacket, etc.) for the walk itself.
If you are travelling prior to and/or after the tour you may have more baggage. In this case, baggage not required for the tour can be sent on at the beginning of the tour to our final hotel or another destination within Japan. Expect to pay between Yen 1,400 ~ 1,800 per item.
Food and drink:While travelling during the day it is not usually necessary to carry more than water, a snack and personal needs. Shops, vending machines and kiosks, which are found in most places we visit, provide for many immediate needs including drinks, snacks, cosmetics and clothing. Lunch will be taken either in restaurants or with food bought to eat as a 'picnic on the road'.
For meals not included in the tour expect to pay between 700~1,500 per person for breakfast and lunch, expect to pay from 3,000 for dinner.
Dinner in the Japanese inns is Japanese style, though breakfast may be more Western in style. Tap water is nearly always drinkable your guide will advise.
Medicines and cosmetics:Some medicines and cosmetics with which you are familiar may not be available in Japan, although there are usually similar products. Prescription medicines in Japan may differ from foreign medicines in minor, but possibly unacceptable, ways. If you require a specific medicine or cosmetic, either for health or comfort, please bring sufficient quantities with you.
Access to cash:Exchanging cash or travellers' cheques in major currencies is possible in most towns that we visit. However, changing foreign currency at a bank can be a time-consuming exercise. Instead, we recommend alternatives including arriving in Japan with some Japanese currency, using credit cards, and withdrawing cash from ATMs.
Japan is still a society based on cash payments. Given that the crime rate is quite low, there is not a great deal of risk in carrying around relatively large amounts of cash. Credit card payments are sometimes possible, but do not rely on it as credit cards are not universally acceptable in Japan, particularly in rural areas. ATMs at Japanese post offices, which are ubiquitous in Japan, and Seven-Eleven stores provide cash against the following credit cards - Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club International, PLUS, Maestro, Cirrus and JCB. Most Japanese bank ATMs, though, do not accept debit cards or provide access to foreign bank accounts.
International telephoning, cell phones and the internet:Making international telephone calls and using the internet outside of major urban areas can be difficult or impossible. Please bring a telephone charge card issued by your local telephone company, such as AT&T, BT and Telstar. These can be used almost anywhere.
The Japanese cell, or mobile, phone system uses a specialized CDMA technology which is incompatible with most overseas systems. Some G3, Blackberry smartphones and iPhones operate in Japan, however, please confirm with your provider whether your phone set will work. If your phone does not work in Japan you may like to rent a cell phone from providers such as NTT Docomo, Cellhire, Mobalrental, Worldroam, Vodafone, etc.
Internet access is available in O-Tsumago and Narai on Days 2 & 4 only for those bringing their own computer and in Kami-kochi and Takayama on Days 5 & 6.
The following is an indication of what level of activity to expect on our tours. The itineraries for all our tours provide specific details of each day's walking.
Please note that one person's expectations of what is easy or hard can be very different. Whilst age, physical ability and fitness are factors in deciding what a person is capable of, often a seemingly less fit person completes our tours with no problem. Another factor to consider is the weather, which can affect people differently.
Since 1992 we have taken many thousands of people of many nationalities, all ages and abilities on tour in Japan. We have good experience and knowledge about what most, if not all, people can achieve so please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like further information and advice related to your abilities.
Participants must be able to handle their own luggage, climb a few flights of stairs and walk less than 1 km a day. Travel will be almost entirely by public transport, taxi and private hire bus.
Participants must be able to handle their own luggage, climb a few flights of stairs and walk up to 5 km a day on mainly even ground.
Participants must be in reasonable health, mobile and able to participate in 4~6 hours of walking at a moderate 2kph to 4kph pace. The terrain is mainly even ground, with occasional short but steep climbs.
Participants must be in reasonable health, mobile and able to participate in 4~6 hours of walking at a 2 kph to 4 kph pace. The terrain includes more uneven ground than Level 2 with some short, occasionally longer, steep climbs.
Participants must be in good health, mobile and used to a reasonably active lifestyle. Walking may require up to six hours of moderate-paced activity per day, at a 2 kph to 4 kph pace over varied terrain. Ascents and descents can sometimes be steep, necessitating the use of arms for support.
Participants must be in good health, have a good level of physical fitness and used to an active lifestyle. Walking may require up to eight hours of moderate-paced activity per day, at a 2 kph to 4kph pace over varied, mountainous terrain including some long ascents and descents.
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A Level 3 walk suitable for anyone who is a fairly frequent walker and can walk for more than three to four hours in comfort. In general, the route is gently undulating but also includes some short, steeper climbs, and an optional mountain climb. Temperatures and humidity are higher in the Japanese summer, hence the slightly higher difficulty rating than our regular Nakasendo Way tour. Read more on tour levels below. 
