Winter Nakasendo Trail

A small-group guided winter tour to the Nakasendō trail. Walk or snowshoe for 1-3 hours over five days

Winter Nakasendo Trail

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Tour details

Winter Nakasendo Trail
x1 traveller
USD 0
Single room additional charge
USD 245

Solo supplements guarantee solo rooms at the hotels on your tour. At inns, you will share with another member of your departure of the same gender.

TOTAL
USD 0

If you would like to do multiple tours in one trip or have a question about any of our tours, do not hesitate to contact us with the button below.

  • Duration: 8 days
  • Trip level:
    Active
    Level
  • Availability: December to March
  • Type:Guided tour with an expert bilingual guide
    Level
  • Price: USD 2,905(Price per person, based on 2 travellers sharing a room)
Highlights
  • Walk or snowshoe from village to village on the loveliest parts of the Nakasendō Trail
  • Visit beautifully preserved old post towns in the snowy Kiso Valley
  • Soak in natural thermal onsen hot springs – indoors and outdoors!
  • Enjoy hearty, warming seasonal cuisine at welcoming Japanese inns
  • Escape the crowds of busier seasons and enjoy a magical perspective on Japan
  • Ride the world-famous bullet train

Winter is a terrific season to visit Japan. Most winter days are crisp, clear and cold, with brilliant sunshine. Snow falls rather rarely in the cities of Tōkyō and Kyōto – but if you are lucky enough to catch Kyōto's Golden Pavilion dusted by fresh snowfall, it's a truly magical sight. Further into the mountains and towards the Japan Sea coast, snow falls deeply. There is nothing more enchanting than the winter landscapes of traditional wooden villages like Magome and Tsumago against a backdrop of snowdrifts. Imagine the comforting warmth of a steaming-hot Japanese bath after a day outside. Imagine the wonder of sitting in an outdoor thermal water pool known as a rotenburo as snowflakes glide gently through the air around you. There are endless reasons to choose winter for your Japan walking adventure: fewer visitors, special seasonal foods, and the stunning illumination of particular gardens, temples or shrines.

The Nakasendō linked Kyōto to Tōkyō during Japan’s feudal period. It was the ‘road through the mountains’ travelled by feudal lords and their retinues, samurai warriors, merchants, and travellers. Along the route were 69 post towns where weary travellers could rest before continuing on the next leg. We spend five days walking on the loveliest parts of the trail, enjoying the peace and serenity of the winter landscapes. Depending on the depth of snow, we may use our snowshoes to follow the route. We follow quiet village roads and unpaved hill trails through the picturesque Kiso Valley where there are some beautifully preserved old villages. We stay overnight in traditional country inns, enjoying exquisite, warming regional cuisine prepared from the freshest ingredients. We soak in natural thermal onsen hot springs and enjoy the warm hospitality of our hosts. A Japanese bath is the perfect way to end a day walking on the snowy trails!

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What is included
Full-time services of an English-speaking tour guide
7 nights in hotels and Japanese-style inns
Daily breakfast, 2 lunches, 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 4 occasions
Rental gear (a pair of snowshoes, over gloves, gaiters, and walking poles)
What is not included
Flights
Airport transfers
Pay locally for drinks with meals and for lunches
Entrance fees to museums, temples etc. not mentioned in the itinerary
A single room supplement is required for solo travellers at hotels
Itinerary
Map

 

Meet at the tour hotel in the centre of Kyōto. There will be a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

 

Accommodation: Western-style hotel
Meals: Welcome dinner

Today we travel by train to Nakatsugawa, one of the old post towns on the Nakasendō Trail. The original main road through the town retains its Edo Period heritage with traditional sake shops, restaurants in period wooden buildings, and old storehouses. We start our walk here and head towards the next post town of Ochiai.

 

From Ochiai we ascend through cedar forests and traverse a section of the trail whose cobblestones date right back to the Edo Period. Over the next four days we explore the best-preserved portions of the ancient Nakasendo Trail through villages and hamlets, all set against the magical winter scenery. Our lodging tonight is a charming family-run inn in the post town of Magome.

 

Walking distance: 8.3 km / 5.2 mi
Elevation gain: 400 m / 1,300 ft of ascent and 200 m / 650 ft of descent
Time required: 3 hours 

 

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

From Magome, we walk to Tsumago along one of the prettiest and best-preserved parts of the Nakasendō Trail. We’ll likely encounter snow over the Magome-tōge Pass with fine opportunities for photographs. After the walk, there’s time for lunch in Tsumago and then an afternoon to explore the many small shops along the picturesque main street, with its lovely old wooden architecture. Try gohei mochi, skewered sticky rice covered in a sweet paste of miso, sesame and walnuts.

 

Tsumago is a living museum, which is still home to residents whose families might have lived here for generations. We stay overnight in Tsumago or the nearby hamlet of Ō-Tsumago at a family-run inn with a real sense of history.

 

Walking distance: 8.3 km / 5.2 mi
Elevation gain: 325 m / 1,070 ft of ascent and 430m / 1,410 ft of descent
Time required: 3 hours

 

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

This morning we continue our exploration of Tsumago including a visit to the Wakihonjin Museum housed in a building which dates back to the 19th century. Today’s walk begins after lunch and is a short but enjoyable stroll from Tsumago to Nagiso along country lanes.

 

From Nagiso we board a local train for the brief journey to Kiso-Fukushima, a delightful post town which was once an important checkpoint on the Nakasendō. We stroll through the town before heading out to our comfortable ryokan. The ryokan prides itself on its wonderful cuisine and its terrific thermal baths – a perfect way to warm up on a winter evening.

 

Walking distance: 3.7 km / 2.3 mi
Elevation gain: 100 m / 330 ft of ascent and 120 m /390 ft of descent
Time required: 1 hour

 

Accommodation: Onsen ryokan (hot spring inn)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner

On our fifth day on the Nakasendō Trail, we walk from Yabuhara to Narai over the Torii-tōge Pass.  This section is likely to have the deepest snow on the tour and if the snow is deep enough, we’ll provide snowshoes to make the crossing of the pass easier. This is a rewarding journey through trees to the charming village of Narai. We arrive in time to explore Narai and have lunch at one of the small local restaurants. Our overnight accommodation is in Narai at a family-run inn in the village.

 

Walking distance: 6.2 km / 3.9 mi
Elevation gain: 345 m / 1,130 ft of ascent and 270 m / 885 ft of descent
Time required: 3 hours

 

Accommodation: Onsen ryokan (hot spring inn)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner

Our walk on the Nakasendō Trail ends today with a short stroll from Narai to Kiso-Hirasawa. Kiso-Hirasawa is famous for its locally produced acquerware. The walk takes around an hour and there may be a chance to see the craftsmen at work.

 

We then travel by train to Matsumoto, a castle town nestled in the Central Alps region. We visit Matsumoto Castle, one of four castles designated as National Treasures of Japan. Later, we head to our onsen accommodation for evening, with time to soothe our muscles before tomorrow’s travels.

 

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

 

Accommodation: Onsen ryokan (hot spring inn)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

After breakfast, we depart from our accommodation and travel by train to Tōkyō. We leave our luggage at the city-centre hotel and enjoy a half-day walking tour of Tōkyō, visiting Hama-Rikyū Gardens, located near the mouth of the Sumida River. There is a striking contrast between the gardens and the gleaming towers of the Shiodome business area beyond.

 

Next, we visit Nihonbashi (the ‘Japan Bridge’), considered to be the ‘centre of Japan’ and the zero marker point for all Japan’s main roads since the Edo period. This is where the Nakasendō Trail would once have finished.

 

In the evening, there is a farewell dinner with your guide.

 

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

The tour ends today after breakfast. 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 in Japan if you are extending your stay.

 

Meals: Breakfast