Nakasendo Trail 2025

Our travels through rural Japan begin with a journey from Tokyo to the remote Kiso Valley. Over the next three days, we will walk from village to village, staying in small, family-run country inns (ryokan and minshuku). After the opportunity to enjoy a delicious local lunch in the town of Shiojiri, we walk from Kiso-Hirasawa to Narai.  Kiso-Hirasawa is known for its locally produced lacquerware and there may be a chance to see the craftsmen at work. Stay in Narai, a beautifully preserved post town. Our lodgings will be an atmospheric traditional minshuku.

Walking distance: 2.5 km / 1.6 mi
Elevation gain: Negligible ascent and descent
Time required: 1 hour

Accommodation: Minshuku (family-run guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner

On our second day on the Nakasendō Trail, we walk from Narai to Yabuhara over the Torii-tōge Pass and then continue by train to Kiso-Fukushima, a historic post town that once flourished as a political and economic centre in the Kiso Valley. We stay at a lovely ryokan and enjoy kaiseki-style cuisine and hot spring baths.

Walking distance: 6.2 km / 3.9 mi
Elevation gain: 270 m / 885 ft of ascent and 344 m / 1,128 ft of descent
Time required: 3 hours

Accommodation: Onsen ryokan (hot spring inn) or Japanese-style hotel
Meals: Breakfast, dinner

We transfer from Kiso-Fukushima to Nojiri by train and then by a short taxi ride to the Nenoue-tōge Pass. We walk along a lovely section of the Nakasendo Trail through delightful small settlements and rice fields to Tsumago or the nearby hamlet of Ō-Tsumago. Only a few decades ago, Tsumago was neglected and falling into disrepair, but through concerted efforts by its residents, it has been saved and restored. Now this post town on the Nakasendō Trail is preserved by strict self-imposed rules that prohibit the sale, rental or destruction of the handsome houses. It’s a living museum, but one which is still inhabited by the residents. We will arrive in the afternoon.

Walking distance: 14 km / 8.7 mi
Elevation gain: 344 m / 1,129 ft of ascent and 723 m / 2,275 ft of descent
Time required: 4.5 hours

Accommodation: Minshuku (family-run guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner

From Tsumago we walk to Magome, our last stop in the Kiso Valley. The trail from Tsumago to Magome is the most beautiful and best-preserved part of the Nakasendō Trail. There will be time to eat lunch in Magome and explore the many small shops along the picturesque main street. You might also try gohei mochi, skewered sticky rice covered in a sweet paste of miso, sesame, and walnuts. We will travel by regular train and then bullet train to Kyōto, connecting onwards to Nara, where we check in to our Western-style hotel.

Walking distance: 8.3 km / 5.2 mi
Elevation gain: 430 m / 1,410 ft of ascent and 326 m / 1,069 ft of descent
Time required: 3 hours

Accommodation: Western-style hotel
Meals: Breakfast

In Nara, we have a guided walk in the morning. Many of Japan’s greatest cultural treasures are concentrated in and around the city, with eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Tōdai-ji Temple, Kōfuku-ji Temple, Kasuga Grand Shrine, Mount Kasuga Primeval Forest, Nara Palace Site, Gangō-ji Temple, Yakushi-ji Temple, and Tōshōdai-ji Temple. Many of these sites are in or near Nara Park, home to a thousand or more free-roaming deer. We will visit two of these World Heritage Sites, Kasuga Grand Shrine and Tōdai-ji Temple – its Daibutsu-den is the largest wooden building in the world, housing a 16-metre-tall image of the Rushana Buddha in bronze and gold. Prior to being rebuilt three hundred years ago, the awesome wooden structure was even larger than today. There will be some free time to relax, visit a Japanese garden, or wander through the old town.

Accommodation: Western-style hotel
Meals: Breakfast

From Nara, our journey takes us to the ridge-top village of Yoshino, and a comfortable ryokan. Yoshino is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most famous places in the whole of Japan for viewing cherry blossoms in the spring. We will visit Yoshimizu Shrine (connected to historical figures such as Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Emperor Godaigo, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi), and explore the area.

Accommodation: Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner

We take the scenic train to Mount Kōya, situated in a bowl-shaped valley filled with stands of cedar trees high in the mountains of the Kii Peninsula. Since the 9th century, Mount Kōya has been a place of religious devotion and ceremony. Today there are more than 100 monasteries, many of which have shukubo temple lodgings. We stay in one of the temples and dine on shōjin ryōri Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. We visit Kongōbu-ji Temple and walk through the vast Okunoin cemetery. Tomorrow morning, there is an opportunity to rise early and join the Buddhist morning service.

Accommodation: Shukubo (temple lodging)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner

We take the train to Kyōto and check into our hotel. Kyōto was Japan’s capital for many centuries and is still regarded as the country’s cultural heart. In the evening, we enjoy a walk in Gion, Kyōto’s geisha district, and there is the possibility of seeing a geiko (fully-fledged geisha) or maiko (apprentice geisha) making their way through the narrow streets.

Accommodation: Western-style hotel
Meals: Breakfast

There is a guided half-day walking tour this morning. We first visit Sanjō Bridge, the western end of the Nakasendō Trail. We continue to Nanzen-ji Temple, a tranquil Zen Buddhist temple whose history dates back to the mid-13th century. We then stroll along the Philosopher’s Path, with craft shops, cafes, shrines, and temples beside the clear waters of a small canal. The path ends near Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion. There is free time in the afternoon so you can explore the area further or shop for crafts. In the evening, there is a farewell dinner with your guide.

Accommodation: Western-style hotel
Meals: Breakfast, farewell dinner

Our tour ends today after breakfast at the hotel in Kyōto. Your guide will be on hand to offer assistance and advice for travelling to the airport if you have homeward flights, or on onward travel if you are extending your stay in Japan.

Meals: Breakfast

FLIGHTS DETAILS DO CHECK WITH US.

TOUR INCLUDES / EXCLUDES

What is included

	Full-time services of an English-speaking tour guide
	11 nights in hotels and Japanese-style inns
	Daily breakfast and 7 dinners
	All transportation between tour locations
	Entrance to museums, temples, and other sights on the group’s itinerary
	Forwarding of 1 item of luggage on 3 occasions

What is not included

	Flights
	Airport transfers
	Drinks and meals not included in itinerary
	Entrance fees to museums, temples, etc. not mentioned in the itinerary
	Single room supplement for solo travellers at hotels

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Reg. No. 201816267K
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