1-Day Tour from Matsumoto: Walk the Nakasendo Trail

Inclusions / Exclusions

Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Transport to and from All Locations in a Dedicated Tour Vehicle
English Speaking Guide

Lunch

Overview

Prepare to experience Old Japan on foot with this exciting hike through traditional post towns, ancient forests, and dramatic mountain passes. Starting in Tsumago-juku post town, your guide will explain a bit about what kinds of people traveled the roads in Old Japan, where they were going, and how they lived. You will get a chance to enter some buildings including an old Inn and a horse-stable that perfectly illustrate what your guide has mentioned. Leaving Tsumago-juku post town, you will start out on an 8km trek to the next post town, passing by roaring waterfalls and quiet hamlets along the way. Keep an eye open for wildlife and wildflowers while you are led by your guide along what was once one of the main avenues of travel in Japan. Arriving at Magome-juku post town, you will be treated to far off views of fields and mountains as you descend to the bottom of this very vertical village. After having a little time for shopping, you will board the tour vehicle and head back.

Pickup points

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Pickup details

The pick-up point will be outside of the West Exit of Matsumoto Station at 9:45, at the bottom of the escalator. Look for the guide wearing a Snow Monkey Resorts tag who will help you to the bus. ... Read more ▼

Itinerary

Tsumago Post Office

Our tour will begin in earnest when you and your guide step off the bus at Tsumago-juku Post Town. Once a vital station on a road connecting Tokyo (then called Edo) and Kyoto, the town's appearance has not changed since its heyday. Here you can find streets lined with traditional wooden buildings that have been meticulously preserved by their residents. Some buildings are open to enter, and allow you a look into how people used to travel in Old Japan.

1 hour
Nakasendo Halfway Point

Departing Tsumago, the Nakasendo Trail trek will begin. Totaling around 8km, this trail is a must-see for people looking to combine an outdoor experience with a cultural experience. Along the way you will be treated to breathtaking waterfalls, quaint hamlets, and dramatic mountain views. The trail covers a wide range of elevations, so prepare to use your legs and get your blood flowing. Your guide will be there to make sure you don't get lost, and to help enhance the experience with timely anecdotes and knowledgeable trivia about the sights you will see along the way.

3 hours
Nakasendo Magome-juku

With the 8km Nakasendo trek complete, you will arrive at Magome-juku, another amazing town on the Nakasendo Trail. More vertical than Tsumago-juku, this town is located on a steep hill providing views over the roofs of buildings below you and out onto the plain that lies at the bottom of the village. There are some gift shops and places to have a quick snack here, and your guide will give you a chance to peruse these establishments at your own pace.

30 minutes

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Travel time is already included in the total duration of travel

Free Cancellation

April 25100% refund

April 26No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.8

18 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

5 stars

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We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 16 reviews with 5 stars

Traditional Nihon

Published on Nov, 2024

Guide and driver fantastic. Views and walk perfect. Quiet, self reflection opportunity, guidance given as required. Beautiful part of Japan.

Great day!

Published on Nov, 2024

This was a great experience! Our guide Kieron was very friendly, took the time to answer all our questions, and he knew a lot of info! The pace of the hike was very manageable for my 70 year old parents, the road was mostly paved with some inclines. We had time to shop and grab food throughout the day, and lots of restroom facilities. The scenery was beautiful and the hike was so peaceful. Thoroughly enjoyed. Very easy to find the meeting spot, and lucky for us it was a small group; just us and another couple. A bit pricey, but worth it for the transportation. We were picked up in a very comfortable van and drove for 2 hrs to get to the starting point. Thank you for a great day!

Must do!

Published on Nov, 2024

Shawn was a great guide and we were the only ones on the tour (so i guess it became a private your for us! Horray for us! ). Great trail walk. Not too hard. 2/10. Had fun stops at some post offices. Tourist offices and snacks of venison burger, wagyu sushi. (Note we were the only ones so we had a lot of time) beautiful towns on the edo road.

Amazing hike and tour guide.

Published on Nov, 2024

The Nakasendo Trail is a beautiful experience that I highly recommend. The 5mile hike, though gradually uphill, is very easy to complete. Our 6 year old who's been an avid hiker didn't have an issues but we did stop several times to check out sites or rest. There are plenty of bathrooms along the way. Our tour guide, Shawn, always made sure our group of 9 didn't get lost. We didn't feel rushed and the pace was great (on the slower side). We had about 45 minutes at the end to explore the cute shops and town. The stop on the way there was at seven-eleven and a clean pit-stop on the way back to grab food so we could eat in the van. The van was clean and our driver, Mr Tanaka, gave us a smooth and safe driving experience. The tour was booked through our tour guide. The only thing was we were informed our guide would be in a snow monkey hat and to look for that at the taxi station, which he wasn't, so unsure where that miscommunication was. Anyway, great times, highly recommend!

This tour was everything we hoped it would be.

Published on Nov, 2024

The Nakasendo Trail was a great experience and everything we had hoped it would be. We picked up the tour in Matsumoto and, while it was a bit of a ride to get there, the scenery was marvelous and the bus was on the smaller side and new, modern and comfortable. Our guide, Devin, was friendly and personable and shared a wealth of knowledge about the origins of the trail and post stop structures and history in general. My husband and I hiked at our own pace and connected with our small group at the end of the trail. The scenery was just gorgeous and the time allowed was completely adequate for the hike and browsing shops at the end. It was a great time!