One of the five Gokaido Highways established in the early 17th century, the Nakasendo Trail crossed through the mountainous regions of central Japan to connect Kyoto and Edo. During its heyday, government officials, samurai and merchants walked the trail and rested each night at one of the many post-towns along the way.

Thanks to the narrow valleys and mountainous terrain that surrounds the Nakasendo, many sections of the trail and several post-towns have remained largely unchanged. So you can walk in the footsteps of merchants and samurai and slip back in time to Japan’s past. 

Learn more about the Nakasendo Trail in our travel guide below.

Location and Access

The Nakasendo Trail runs from Sanjo Ohashi Bridge in Kyoto to Nihonbashi Bridge in Tokyo, covering a distance of 526.3 kilometers. For this guide, we’re focusing on the most well-preserved sections of the Nakasendo Trail centered around the Kiso Valley in Nagano Prefecture. There are 13 post-towns along the trail in this region, the most major ones being Tsumago, Magome and Narai.

The JR Chuo train line runs parallel to the Nakasendo here, so train stations are located relatively close to the major post-towns in the area, and when they diverge, local buses cover the extra distance.

How to get to the Nakasendo’s main post-towns

To reach Narai, take the JR Chuo train line to Narai Station. The station is just a three-minute walk from the post-town.

To reach Kiso Fukushima and Uenodan, take the JR Chuo train line to Kiso-Fukushima Station. The Uenodan post-town street and most hotels in Kiso Fukushima are within a 10-minute walking distance.

To reach Magome, take the JR Chuo line to Nakatsugawa Station or Nagiso Station then take the local Magome-bound bus to your destination.

To reach Tsumago, take the JR Chuo line to Nagiso Station then take the local Tsumago-bound bus to your destination.

Bus timetables are available here (scroll down for English pages)

Places to Visit along the Trail

The old-fashioned Edo period atmosphere of the Nakasendo’s post-towns is one of the main highlights to a visit here. The most prominent post-towns are Tsumago, Magome and Narai, and each has a unique character.

Narai

Narai, located next to steep Torii Pass, prospered with overnight guests as well as commerce in the form of locally produced lacquerware. As a result, it became the longest post-town of the Nakasendo, stretching a full kilometer from end to end. You can enjoy the densely packed townscape, shop for authentic Kiso lacquerware and enjoy a bite at one of the many cafes or restaurants here.

Tsumago

Tsumago sits at the southern end of the Kiso Valley. In comparison to Narai, it is quieter with fewer shops but rivals the kilometer-long post-town in its rustic Edo-period townscape. The street looks especially romantic at night when the inns and shops are lit by the incandescent light of paper lanterns.

Magome

Magome in neighboring Gifu is about three hours away from Tsumago on foot. Sitting on top of hill beyond the Kiso Valley, it offers wide-open scenery of the countryside and Mt. Ena to the east. The stone-paved street and the white walls of the post-town’s inns and shops is much more modern than the bare wooden exteriors of Tsumago or Narai, but nonetheless beautiful.

Kiso Fukushima

Often overlooked by day travelers, Kiso Fukushima has a lot to offer those who want to spend the night or spend a little extra time along the Nakasendo. In addition to its own post-town, Kiso Fukushima is home to one of the Nakasendo’s four Sekisho checkpoints as well as several temples around town.

It also offers access to some of the Nakasendo’s nearby sights such as the Akasawa Recreational Forest, Mt. Ontake and Nezame-no-Toko. Learn more about Kiso Fukushima here.

Hikes Along the Trail

While it is possible to walk the entire 526 kilometers of the Nakasendo, most do not have the time to accomplish such a feat, and not all sections of the Nakasendo are created equal. Some portions of the trail have been overtaken by modern roads and towns and retain little of their traditional atmosphere.

Here are some of our most recommended hikes.

Tsumago-Magome Hike

The most popular hike along the Nakasendo is the Tsumago-Magome hike. It takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours on foot and connects two of the trail’s most well-preserved post-towns.

The trail winds through the forests of the Kiso Valley, passing small hamlets and several waterfalls before reaching a small clearing with a charming farmhouse. Travelers stop here to chat and have some tea before continuing their journey.

Narai-Yabuhara Hike

Considered one of the most difficult sections of the Nakasendo Trail in Kiso, the Narai-Yabuhara hike crosses over Torii Pass at an altitude of 1,197 meters. At 6 kilometers in length, it takes about 3 to 3.5 hours to complete.

Atop Torii Pass is a shrine dedicated to Mt. Ontake, and if the weather is clear, you can see the peak of the mountain peering over the ridgeline to the west. This shrine allowed travelers who couldn’t visit the mountain a chance to pray.

See here for other hikes along the Nakasendo.

Things to do Around the Nakasendo

Make Chopsticks from Hinoki Cypress

To break up the monotony of constantly walking around, why not stop in Narai for a chopstick-making workshop? At the Narai Tourist Information Center you can carve your own set of Hinoki cypress chopsticks in about 45 minutes. These chopsticks are light, durable and have a pleasant Hinoki fragrance.

Hike the Ontake Kodo Trail and Mt. Ontake

Japan’s second tallest volcano at 3,067 meters high, Mt. Ontake stands tall on the western edge of the Kiso Valley. A pilgrimage trail called the Ontake Kodo leads up to the peak, and numerous shrines and religious statues litter the base of the mountain.

Forest Bathing in the Akasawa Recreational Forest

Akasawa Recreational Forest is known as the home of Forest-bathing, or shinrinyoku, in Japan. Eight walking trails meander along a river and through the forest of cypress and cedar trees. The old logging railroad has been repurposed into a tourist train ride—a popular option for the whole family.

See more places to go forest-bathing in Nagano

When to Visit

The Nakasendo Trail can be hiked any time of year, but some seasons are more comfortable for hiking than others. From April to May and from July to November are generally good seasons for hiking the trail. Less recommended are from June to the beginning of July due to frequent rains, and from December to March due to cold weather and slippery roads.

For seasonal scenery, consider visiting in spring or autumn. In early May, you can enjoy the sight of cherry blossoms contrasting against the dark wooden exteriors of post-town inns. In autumn from mid-October to early November, the forests come alive with fiery reds and yellows.

Where to Stay

Along the Nakasendo, you’ll find Japanese-style ryokan inns, small and sometimes old-fashioned minshuku inns and a few luxury accommodations in and around its major post-towns.

Many of the larger accommodations around the Nakasendo can be found in Kiso Fukushima, Kiso’s largest town centrally located in the valley. There are several ryokan here with hot springs, such as Onyado Tsutaya and Kisoji-no-Yado Iwaya.

Inns around the post-towns of Narai and Tsumago tend to be smaller and more traditional with some exceptions. Traditional inns around Narai include Oyado Iseya and Minshuku Shimada, and around Tsumago include Matsushiroya, Kooshinzuka, Tsutamuraya and Hanaya.

If you’d like a unique, upscale experience, consider staying at Zenagi outside of Tsumago or Byaku in Narai.

Other Useful Information

Same day baggage delivery between Tsumago and Magome is available from late March to late November (more expensive between December to mid-March).