The Kiso Valley — Walking the Nakasendo Between Post Towns

In the footsteps of Edo-era wayfarers

At the heart of the Japanese Alps, the Kiso Valley holds one of Japan's best-preserved feudal treasures: the post stations of the Nakasendo, the ancient road that once linked Kyoto to Edo (present-day Tokyo) through the central mountains. While the more famous Tokaido followed the coast, the Nakasendo — literally "the road through the mountains" — crossed cypress forests, quiet mountain passes and villages where time seems to have stood still.

Today the most celebrated and accessible section is the one connecting Magome to Tsumago, eight kilometres of stone-paved trail through terraced rice paddies, waterfalls and hinoki cypress groves. A walk completed in three hours that offers a genuine immersion in rural Japan, far from the crowds of the great cities.

Magome: the village on the hillside

Magome is a terraced village built along a slope, with dark wood houses, traditional inns and craft workshops. The writer Shimazaki Toson was born here; his novel "Before the Dawn" tells the story of life along the Nakasendo during Japan's period of modernisation. His birthplace is today a museum.

The village was rebuilt after a fire in 1895, but faithfully following the original architecture. The cobblestone streets, the waterways running along the main thoroughfare and the stone lanterns create an atmosphere that instantly transports you to the past. Setting out from Magome early in the morning, when mist rises from the valley below, is an almost mystical experience.

The trail: from Magome to Tsumago

The path between the two post towns is well-marked and suitable for all. You climb gently up to the Magome Pass (801 metres), where a teahouse offers rest and complimentary green tea, then descend through a forest of Japanese cedar and cypress. Along the way you encounter waterfalls — the most beautiful being the male-female falls Odaki-Medaki — and small moss-draped Shinto shrines.

The trail is stone-paved for much of its length, a legacy of the route's historical importance. In autumn, the foliage transforms the woodland into a palette of reds, oranges and yellows. In spring, wild cherry trees blossom along the path. The elevation gain is modest and requires no trekking equipment, but comfortable shoes with a non-slip sole are essential.

The luggage forwarding service

One detail that makes this walk particularly convenient is the luggage forwarding service between Magome and Tsumago. By leaving your luggage at the departure tourist office before 11:30, you will find it waiting at your destination in the afternoon. The cost is 500 yen per item — a service that is quintessentially Japanese in its efficiency and courtesy.

Tsumago: the best-preserved post town

Tsumago is considered the best-preserved post station on the entire Nakasendo. In the 1960s, the residents collectively decided to protect the village by banning the construction of modern buildings, the sale of property to outsiders and the removal of historic façades. The result is extraordinary: walking along Tsumago's main street is like stepping inside an Edo-period woodblock print.

The Waki-honjin, the lodging reserved for lower-ranking officials, is open to the public and displays its original interiors. The inns along the street serve goheimochi (charcoal-grilled pounded rice with walnut sauce) and handmade soba noodles from locally grown buckwheat.

Beyond Magome and Tsumago: Narai

For those with more time, the post town of Narai deserves a detour. Located further north in the Kiso Valley, Narai was the most prosperous station on the Nakasendo — "Narai of a thousand buildings", as it was known — and preserves a kilometre of road lined with wooden houses housing lacquerware shops, boxwood combs and objects crafted from cherry bark. Narai sees fewer visitors than Tsumago and is even more peaceful.

Practical information for visitors

How to get there

From Nagoya, Nakatsugawa (the nearest station to Magome) is reached in 1 hour 20 minutes on the JR Shinano train. From Nakatsugawa, a local bus takes you to Magome in 25 minutes. From Tsumago, a bus leads to Nagiso station, from where you can return toward Nagoya or continue toward Matsumoto. The Japan Rail Pass covers JR trains.

Visa and documents

No visa required for Italian citizens for tourist stays of up to 90 days.

Budget

- Luggage forwarding Magome–Tsumago: 500 yen per item

- Minshuku (family inn) with dinner and breakfast: 8,000–12,000 yen

- Lunch along the trail: 800–1,500 yen

- Bus Nakatsugawa–Magome: 560 yen

- Average daily budget: €70–90

When to go

April–May for cherry blossoms and fresh greenery, October–November for autumn foliage. Summer is hot and humid. Winter can bring snow to the pass, making the trail slippery.

Cultural tips

Spending a night at a minshuku along the Nakasendo is an essential part of the experience. Dinner is prepared by the family using local ingredients — river trout, mountain vegetables, fresh tofu — and you sleep on futon laid out on tatami. Book ahead on autumn weekends. There are no rubbish bins along the trail: bring a bag for your litter, as the Japanese do.