Nakasendo Magome & Tsumago in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

5.0 (25 reviews) 6 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

25 reviews

5.0

Nakasendo Magome & Tsumago in 1 Day with Licensed Guide — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Nakasendo Magome & Tsumago in 1 Day with Licensed Guide, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way toexplore both of the ancient post towns! You can travel between Magome and Tsumago by infrequent direct bus.

Nakasendo was one of the two highways during the Edo period connecting Tokyo with Kyoto, running through the Kiso Valley. Travelers at that time walked along the highway, stopping at "post towns" for rest. Some of those post towns have been well preserved and show tourists today exactly what Japan was like hundreds of years ago. Stunning forests, beautiful villages and traditions, we would love to recommend it to everyone interested in Japanese nature and history.

This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis may be used. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs.

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At a glance

Duration: 6 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–10
Guide: Japanese, English
Operated by: Japan Guide Agency

Ages: Infants (0–5 years) · Children (6–11 years) · Adults (12–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Meet up with guide on foot at a designated meeting point
Included: Licensed Local English Speaking Guide

Not included

Not included: Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
Not included: Private Vehicle
Not included: You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
Not included: Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Itinerary

Nakasendo Magome-juku

2 hours

While Magome and Tsumago served the same purposes for old-time travelers, the city has been preserved and restored in a very different way than Tsumago, with a broad stone walkway lined with trees and many traditional houses and craft shops.

Another difference is that it is on a slope, which leads to some beautiful views of the surrounding valley, and is home to several small museums that showcase the history of the town, the artists that lived there and their way of living.

I would recommend grabbing a drink or something to eat at the restaurants on top of the village and enjoy the views over the valley, or at the lower part to mix with the very interesting locals.
Nakasendo Tsumagojuku

2 hours

Tsumago is almost flat but also a very charming village that takes you back to the old Japan. The town was one of the first historical preservation projects in all Japan (if not the first) and it recreates the ambience with its unpaved streets and concealed cables.

It keeps many of the traditional houses, like the original inn (the Honjin) that welcomed the merchants that traveled the Nakasendo, and the secondary inn (Wakihonjin), the old notice board used to publish the decrees from the Shogun, the Buddhist temple (built during the XVI Century)…

But you’ll find it even more charming on it’s best enjoyed at night, when they lit up their lanterns and everything becomes quiet but, maybe, a drum beating.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Nagiso Train station

Bus Timetables: Nagiso Train station to Tsumago

https://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html
Tsumago Bus station

Bus Timetables: Nagiso Train station to Tsumago

https://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html
Nakatsugawa Train station

Bus Timetables: Nakatsugawa Train station to Magome

https://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html
Magome Bus station

Bus Timetables: Nakatsugawa Train station to Magome

https://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html

End point

Nagiso Train station

Bus Timetables: Nagiso Train station to Tsumago

https://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html
Tsumago Bus station

Bus Timetables: Nagiso Train station to Tsumago

https://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html
Nakatsugawa Train station

Bus Timetables: Nakatsugawa Train station to Magome

https://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html
Magome Bus station

Bus Timetables: Nakatsugawa Train station to Magome

https://www.japan-guide.com/bus/kiso.html

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

Good to know

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
This is not a hiking course. This tour will use local busses. Please book Magome & Tsumago Nakasendo Trail Day Hike with Government-Licensed Guide if you wish to hike the trail. Please be aware that hiking is not available with us from December until the end of February due to icy conditions.