Described in Lonely Planet as an ‘off the beaten track’ hike: the 8 kilometer hike between Magome and Tsumago, two ancient postal villages in the Kiso Valley. It turns out to be the miniature of everything Japan has to offer: traditional Japanese houses surrounded by lushgreen countryside with vast rice fields, bamboo forests and small temples. So near the end of our holiday, somewhere between Matsumoto and Mt Fuji, off we go.
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The Kiso valley
The Kiso Valley is located in Nagano Prefecture and runs alongside the mountains of the Central Alps. In the Edo period, a 500 km long ’path through mountains’ (Nakasendo) was formed, an important trade route between Kyoto and Tokio. People traveled on foot or by horse, so ‘post towns’ developed every few kilometers to provide travelers with places to rest, eat and find accommodation.
These days, you can walk a part of the original trail between two post towns, Magome and Tsumago, a trail of about 8 kilometers. It’s one of THE hiking routes in central Japan.
The hike itself: from magome to tsumago
We start our hike in Magome on a hot summer day. We hike up to Tsumago and then extend our hike by 3 kilometers to the JR station of Nagiso.
Magome is a sleepy village. When arriving by bus from Magome, you immediately see several bright green rice fields.
In the village you can admire traditional houses, wooden mills, tourist shops and a small post office. There are a few musea too, but we came for hiking, so don’t visit them. There are only a few tourists when we visit, so we have ample time to wander around.
We follow the rather steep path through the village. At the end, up a hill, we reach the Magoma pass, a a look-out point, providing a splendid view on the surroundings. Time to take some pictures.
From there, we walk over small paths, cross a stream, stop near a small bamboo forest, walk through ancient forest, enjoy ricefields and countryside and admire traditional Japanese style houses. There are pots with flowers and plants on terraces, flapping laundry and tatch shelters to keep out the heat. It seems you are catapulted back in time.
Around halfway, we stop for a rest in a former rest place for exhausted travellers, Ichikokutochi. In the 300 year old traditional teahouse, a Japanese volunteer serves tea and candies to tourists, while telling some ‘nice to knows’ about the location and the history of the trail.
We also learn that only tourist seem to hike the path: Japanese find it too hot in summer and too cold in winter. On a signboard outside, tourist write the name of the country they come from. We missed some Duch and English guests … only a few 100 visitors a day … a luxury compared to the crowds in Tokyo.
The scenery changes while walking on the original ‘stone pavement’ through the ancient woods.
We also try the kuma-yoke-suzu, the so called bear bell. You just have to ring it to keep bears at a distance. The region is known for the Japanese black bear. We rang the bell and didn’t see any bear !
Near the end of the hile, close to Tsumago, we stop again at the ‘Odaki and Medaki’ waterfalls, the male and female.
In Tsumago, it seems time stood still. Here too, traditional house, quite streets and few tourists. We stop for an ice cream, a welcome treat in the heat.
We walk another 3 kilometer to Nagiso Station. This section leads through more populated areas but is still a nice hike.
The length of the hike
The hike is, all in all, short and easy.
The trail is well-marked in Magome and Tsumago. At the beginning, there is a signboard outlining the route. During during the hike we come across numerous signposts in both directions.
The path between Magome and Tsumago is approximately 8 kilometers. There are several viewpoints and restrooms along the way.
If you wish to extend your hike, you can do so before Magome or after Tsumago.
You can start on foot from Nakatsugawa station and walk 4 kilometers to Ochial Juku. This is a challenging stretch, as the hiking trail is said to be steep.
From Ochial Juku, it’s another 4 kilometers to Magome, with uphill sections. You can also start from Ochial Juku.
From Tsumago, you can walk an additional 3 kilometers to JR Nagiso station. The trail is easy and not steep, taking about an hour.
There are numerous possible combinations, as you can see below.
Is the hike worth it?
The hike is overall short, but it took us 4 hours. The heat – especially in the beginning when the trail is a bit uphill – and the various stops to rest or take photos slowed down our pace a bit.
I find the hike definitely worth it.
The entire trail ebreathes the traditional Japan of earlier times and offers a glimpse of what Japan has to offer, in a sort of a ‘mini’ version: traditional Japanese houses with crafts, flowerpots on terraces, flapping laundry, the lush green landscape with rice fields, fields, bamboo forests, and small temples in a green valley. Here, no neon or crowds, not even at the train stations. We only meet a few tourists, so it’s quiet and peaceful. The fact that cars are prohibited in Magome and Tsumago is also a plus, you feel even more immersed in the authentic Edo era.
How to get there
There are various ways to get to Magome or Tsumago.
1. By walking the route from Magome to Tsumago and vice versa
2.Magome: by taking a local bus from Nakatsugawa, a small town on the JR Nagano-Nahoya line, covered by the JR pass. It takes about 1 hour from Matsumoto to Nakatsugawa. The town doesn’t offer much, but it’s the ideal starting point to start the hike in Magome.
From Nakatsugawa, there are regular buses to Magome, it takes about 30 minutes.
You can then walk from Magome to Tsumago and continue to Nagiso Station take a taxi for the last stretch. From Nagiso, you can then catch a train to any village.
If you wish to extend the hike, you can take the bus or a taxi to the starting point.
3. Tsumago: by taking the JR train to Nagiso and from there you can go on foot or by taxi to Tsumago.
Where to stay
You can easily hike the Magome – Tsumago trip in a day.
However, I would recommend staying at least one night in this beautiful region so that you don’t have to rush and can fully enjoy the Kiso Valley.
We planned this trip towards the end of our journey, between our visits to Matsumoto and Mount Fuji.
We stayed in Nakatsugawa in the Ryokan O.
The Ryokan is just a few minutes’ walk from the station. It’s a typical Japanese inn, very clean, offering double rooms in Japanese style (futon beds). On the ground floor, there’s a cozy sitting area and a bar. The Ryokan provides only a limited (Japanese) breakfast. For a more Western-style breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you can explore the town. The hosts can provide you with tips. There’s also a large supermarket, just a 10-minute walk away.
You can also spend the night before or after the hike in Magome or Tsumago and then continue your journey. For accommodation, see the ourist Information Center in Magome and Tsumago.
More information
Nakatsugawa has a small tourist office more or less next to the station. There is a friendly lady who provides information about the town, the hike, accommodation and the bus connections. You receive, free of charge, a useful hiking map with the main historical landmarks, a brochure about the well-known trail, a restaurant guide, and an overview of the bus and train connections. You can also find this information at the Tourist Information Center in Magome and Tsumago.
Did you know that you can also obtain a ‘We have completed the Magome-Tsumago’ hiking certificate? We forgot to get ours … Just stop by the Tourist Information Center in Magome to get the certificate and a stamp. In Tsumago, you can then collect the second stamp. A great memento of this pleasant hike and bridge of the gap between the present and Japan’s rich past!
