We begin our tour on the lowlands of Nagoya then transfer by train to the Nakasendo Ways central, mountainous section, which is also often known as the Kiso Road. Here, in the depths of the Japanese countryside, we begin our walk. On the first day we pass by farming communities, stepped fields and bamboo groves before a last stretch along a preserved section of ishidatami, or stone paving, that brings us to our first inn. On the following days we walk through the picturesque post-towns of Magome and Tsumago, farmlands and forests, staying in an atmospheric, traditional village inn with an open fire, continue our walk over a high pass and visit a historic barrier station of Kiso-Fukushima.
We visit Kaida Kogen, a high plateau and, with good reason, self-styled as one of the most beautiful areas in Japan. Our walk continues over another pass on the Hida Way, which connected Takayama with the Nakasendo Way. The pass provides spectacular views of Mt. Ontake, a sacred peak and active volcano. We walk to our inn for the night which has its own natural, thermal hot springs. The next day we return to the Nakasendo Way and another lovely walk over a high pass to the post town of Narai. The tour finishes in the city of Matsumoto, ideally situated for those who wish to travel on to Tokyo or Kyoto, as well as those who would like to continue their winter adventures in the Central Mountains of Nagano Prefecture, host of the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Our Winter Nakasendo Way tour follows some of the most scenic and enjoyable sections of the old highway - this is a walking tour, rather than a trek, and average daily walking distance is a moderate 10 ~16 kilometres (6 ~ 10 miles) . Forward transport, however, can be arranged for those who desire a more relaxed day. Our main luggage is sent ahead each day and you need only carry what you require for each days walk.
Price: USD2,450 per person. The single supplement is USD100 (Please see below).
What is included and not included? Local travel from tour meeting point to finishing point, accommodation, all breakfasts and evening meals, baggage transfers, and entrance fees are included. Not included are flights, all lunches, two evening meals and drinks with meals.
Single room supplement: The single room supplement is USD100 per person and guarantees a single room in a hotel 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 12~13 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 Thursday and finish on a Monday.
Please contact
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for more information and to book this tour.
This itinerary for the Winter Nakasendo Way trip is "ground only," beginning in Nagoya and ending in Matsumoto. From Matsumoto it is an easy train journey to either Tokyo, Nagoya and Kyoto. After receiving the booking and deposit we will provide detailed instructions for getting to the meeting point at Nagoya Station from Osaka's Kansai Airport (KIX), Tokyo's Narita Airport (NRT) and Chubu (Nagoya) International Airport. Arrangements can be made by Walk Japan for extra time in Japan before or after the trip.
Day 1
After meeting mid-morning at Nagoya Station we catch a train to Nakatsugawa, an old post town and now a pleasant regional town. Lunch and tour briefing here before our afternoon walk in hilly countryside to Shinchaya teahouse, now refurbished as an inn. Total walking about 10 kilometres.
Lunch and dinner provided.
Day 2
Walk to pleasant Magome post-town, which was the home of Shimazaki Toson. Toson wrote Before the Dawn. Set in the days of Japan's change from feudal Japan dominated by the Samurai to a fledgling industrial nation, Toson's book is considered to be Japan's first modern novel. Then on to Tsumago, for a classic hike through old forests and bubbling streams, of the Nakasendo. There is a reasonable probability we will descend from Magome Pass through scenery cloaked in snow. Stay in a traditional inn in the hamlet of O-Tsumago. After dinner, we visit nearby thermal hot spring baths for a relaxing end to the day. Total walking about 10 kilometres (6 miles).
Breakfast and dinner provided.
Day 3
Walk onto Tsumago and spend time exploring this beautifully maintained, traditional post-town. An inclusive, optional guided tour of the high-class inn and attached museum is highly recommended. We continue about 6 kilometres (3.75 miles) to Nagiso. Here an interesting footbridge provides us with a hint of two colourful people once associated with the area; a geisha who appeared on the front of Harper's Bazaar in 1900 and her tycoon partner. We catch a train to Kiso-Fukushima, where we have lunch at a popular restaurant serving a local delicacy, soba noodles. An exploration of this town follows and includes a visit to the reconstructed Barrier Station that stood here during the Edo Period. Our lodgings in the centre of town are a Japanese inn with thermal hot spring baths. Total walking about 9 kilometres (5.6 miles)
Breakfast and dinner provided.
Day 4
After breakfast, we transfer by local bus to the Kaida Plateau for our walk through forests and over another pass. The high Kaida Plateau has a distinct alpine feel and we reach over 1,500 metres (4,920 ft.) as we crest our pass for the day. Clear weather will provide us with views over the Plateau to Mt. Ontake (3,007 metres, 9,865ft.), the volcano that dominates the area. We descend from here to our lodgings, another delightful inn with thermal hot springs baths. Total walking approximately 5 km (3 miles)
Breakfast and dinner provided.
Day 5
We return to Kiso-Fukushima for a short train ride to Yabuhara. Our walk is over the Torii Pass to the lovely post town of Narai. Free time to explore, relax in cafes and shop in Narai before travelling onto Matsumoto and our hotel for the night. Dinner is enjoyed nearby at one of Matsumoto's best restaurants, a lively Japanese eating and drinking establishment, suitable for our last meal together on tour. Afterwards, for those who wish, an interesting excursion with the guide into Japan's nightlife. Total walking approximately 8 kilometres (5 miles).
Breakfast and dinner provided.
Day 6
After breakfast a guided visit to Matsumoto's impressive castle, one of only four that are listed as National Treasures in Japan. The Winter Nakasendo Way tour ends at the castle at approximately 11am. However, the guide will be on hand to help you purchase your train tickets for your onward journey within Japan. Travel to Tokyo, Nagoya and Kyoto is easily accomplished from here by train.
Breakfast provided.
This itinerary is subject to change.
Please see Tour Dates for scheduled tours and their availability. Contact Walk Japan for more information and to receive the booking form. For more information about the history of the Nakasendo highway is available at our complementary website Nakasendo Highway: A Journey to the Heart of Japan.
The following travel tips are intended to be helpful advice for the Winter 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 winter and early spring, days will be cool to cold and nights cold to very cold, so it is advisable to bring a number of layers, including thermal undergarments and a windproof jacket in addition to a warm sweater/fleece and hat. We recommend good quality walking shoes/boots, gaiters and two collapsible walking poles. You may also like to bring some comfortable, casual shoes for use in town. 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 the cold air. Your rooms will be heated and futons very warm, but some of the older, traditional Japanese buildings can sometimes be draughty. Launderette facilities are not available during this tour.
When walking the Nakasendo, our main luggage is sent on ahead to the next lodgings by vehicle. 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.
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 only for those who bring their own computers in Shinchaya, O-Tsumago and Matsumoto Days 1, 2, & 5. For more information please contact
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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 can walk at a gentle pace for three to four hours in comfort. In general, the route is gently undulating but also includes some short, steeper climbs. The lower temperatures of winter include the probability of snow at some points along the route, hence the slightly higher difficulty rating than our regular Nakasendo Way tour. Please bear in mind, however, that roads and alternative transport are never far away, should we encounter difficult weather conditions. Read more on tour levels below.
