THE NAKASENDO TRAIL - FROM KYOTO TO TOKYO

Walk the Nakasendo Way through rural Japan from Kyoto to Tokyo. A route used since feudal

times the Nakasendo Trail, one of a network of ancient highways, linked Kyoto and Tokyo through

the central mountains. Travellers would rest each night at juku - post towns - and today it is still

possible to walk the route and stay in small local minshuku - guest houses - by night.

Your journey begins with three nights in Kyoto, Japan’s traditional heart. Here your local guide will help

you discover the Japan of your imagination for one day and you have a free day to explore. On day 4 of

your trip you catch the train and bus to Magome, where your 5 day walk on the Nakasendo Trail begins.

Following ancient paved village paths and mountain trails you walk between perfectly preserved

Nakasendo post towns such as Tsumago, Nojiri, Yabuhara and Hirasawa. Each night you will stay in small

local minshuku where you will be welcomed as one of the family. Impeccable service, beautiful rooms and

delicious food are the hallmark of these charming establishments, which will no doubt be a highlight of

your trip. Your walk ends in Yokokawa where you catch the train to Tokyo for your final two nights.

Our Nakasendo Trail self guided tour includes 9 nights accommodation in hand picked accommodation of

character, 9 breakfasts, 4 dinners, Train tickets from Kyoto to Nakatsugawa, trains on day 5 & 6 and on

day 8 from Yokokawa to Tokyo, a detailed day by day itinerary and walking route notes, a waterproof map,

local phone support and a guided tour of Kyoto. If you would prefer you can also book this trip on a “walk

only” basis as a 5 day and 4 night package from Magome to Yokokawa.

Kyoto, the heart of Japan’s traditional culture.

The beautifully preserved Nakasendo post towns such as Tsumago & Narai.

Walking through the beautiful Kiso Valley on the Nakasendo Trail.

Following in the footsteps of the Tokugawa Shoguns on the road through the mountains.

Staying in small beautiful traditional ryokan and minshuku.

Sumptuous evening meals beautifully presented at the family table.

Discovering the beauty, tradition and hospitality of rural Japan

Feeding off the manic energy of Tokyo.

WHY WALK THE NAKASENDO TRAIL FROM KYOTO TO TOKYO WITH US?

Macs Adventure specialises in self guided walking holidays as we believe that there is no better way to

discover a new destination than on two feet at your own pace. Nowhere is this more true than in Japan!

You will gain a unique insight into the culture, tradition and hospitality of rural Japan as you follow the

ancient Nakasendo Trail through the mountains, staying in traditional guest houses each night.

Working with our local partner in Japan we have designed an itinerary which incorporates the best of

Japan where every last detail is taken care of. You can relax and enjoy your walk in the knowledge that

your route notes have been carefully prepared, a warm welcome in beautiful surroundings awaits and in

the event of a problem our local English speaking team will be just a phone call away. Each trip we offer

is unique so don’t hesitate to get in touch of you would like us to tailor make a trip just for you.

NAKASENDO TRAIL

VILLAGE TO VILLAGE WALK FROM KYOTO TO TOKYO

SUMMARY

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Accommodation: 3 nights in Kyoto and 2

nights in Tokyo in carefully selected 3 or 4*

hotels, 4 nights on the Nakasendo Trail in tradi-

tional small minshuku or ryokan (guest houses).

Meals: 9 Breakfasts and 4 Evening meals on

the trail included.

Baggage Transfer: Not included

Guided Tour: 1 Day guided tour of Kyoto

Information Pack: Detailed information pack,

day by day itinerary, turn by turn route notes,

waterproof map,

Travel: Train tickets from Kyoto and to Tokyo.

Local support: English speaking local sup-

port by phone.

Tour: Nakasendo Trail - Kyoto to Tokyo

Code: WJSNT

Type: Self-Guided Walking Holiday

Price: See Website

Single Supplement: See Website

Dates: April to November

Walking Days: 5 (2 - 6 hours daily)

Nights: 9

Start/Finish: Kyoto / Tokyo

Grade: Moderate

HIGHLIGHTS Is the Nakasendo Trail for me?

There really is no better way to discover rural

Japan than on foot at your own pace. Won-

derful scenery, rich tradition and culture,

beautiful lodgings and amazing food make

the Nakasendo Trail a unique experience.

With the tradition of Kyoto and energy of

Tokyo thrown in you can look forward to an

amazing trip.

Days: 10

Nights: 9

Walking Days: 5

DAY 1

Arrive Kyoto

Arrive in Kyoto and check-in to your hotel or

ryokan in central Kyoto.

Kyoto is one of the world’s most culturally rich

cities scattered with hundreds, if not thousands,

of pockets of incredible beauty. The city has 17

UNESCO World Heritage sites, 1600 Buddhist

temples, over 400 Shinto shrines and 24

museums. As home to the Japanese Imperial

family from 794 to 1868 it has been central to

Japanese history and is a city that must be on

your list.

Overnight: Kyoto hotel or ryokan

DAY 2

Guided tour in Kyoto

Today you will fall in love with the Japan of your

imagination as you discover the secret gardens,

hidden courtyards and floating temples of Kyoto.

Perhaps even catching a glimpse of an elusive

geisha.

A local guide will meet you at your hotel in the

morning, and you will have a full-day tour using a

mixture of public transport and walking. We have

several suggested itineraries from which you can

choose, or you can choose your own itinerary.

Overnight: Kyoto hotel or ryokan

DAY 3

Sightseeing in Kyoto

A free day in Kyoto to explore. We will provide

some suggested itineraries for you to use and

you should have plenty of ideas from your initial

exploration yesterday.

Overnight: Kyoto hotel or ryokan

DAY 4

Travel to Magome and walk to

Tsumago

Travel by train to Nakatsugawa and onwards by

bus to Magome, where you begin your walk on

the Nakasendo Trail to Tsumago over the

Magome-toge Pass. This is one of the most

challenging parts of the Nakasendo rising to

801m above sea level.

The Nakasendo Trail had 69 post towns,

numbered from Edo (Tokyo) and Magome is the

43rd. Tsumago is the 42nd Nakasendo post

town. It is beautifully preserved and truly

evocative of a traditional Nakasendo post town

from the late Edo period.

Walk: 8.3km / 5.2 miles, 239m ascent, 415m

descent, 3 hours

Dinner & Overnight: Family-run minshuku in

Tsumago.

DAY 5

Tsumago to Nojiri

Leaving Tsumago, the trail travels through small

valleys and past forests of bamboo and

Japanese cedar, through some of the least-

developed scenery on the tour. At six hours this

is the longest day of walking on the Nakasendo

Trail and from Nojiri you continue by train to Kiso

-Fukushima.

Walk: 18.4km, 820m ascent, 1060m descent, 6

hours (shorter option available to reduce walkto 1

hour)

Dinner & Overnight: Lovely hot spring ryokan

set in a remote valley above the town (pick-up

from the station is provided).

DAY 6

Yabuhara to Narai

Your journey continues first by train from Kiso

Fukushima to Yabuhara, where you start today’s

walk.

Between Yabuhara and your destination, Narai,

the trail climbs the Torii-toge Pass, one of the

hardest parts of the Nakasendo. Narai was once

known as “Narai of 1000 inns,” as this was the

most prosperous of the 69 post towns along the

Nakasendo Trail. Travellers prepared or

recovered in the many inns here before and after

tackling the steep Torii-toge. The residents of

Narai chose to renovate their historic houses and

impose strict rules on ownership and use so the

town remains a real gem on the Nakasendo.

Walk: 6.2 km, 270m ascent, 270m descent, 3

hours

Dinner & Overnight: An Edo-period house

converted into a minshuku (family-run travellers’

inn)

DAY 7

Narai to Hirasawa

From Narai you walk the short distance to Kiso

Hirasawa, then continue to Karuizawa by train

via Matsumoto and Nagano. Kiso Hirasawa

flourished on the Nakasendo Trail as a centre of

lacquerware production and today you will find

many small shops selling beautifully-crafted

tableware and furniture. Continue by train (2

hours) to Karuizawa, a former post-town which is

Day Route Hrs

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Arrive Kyoto Guided tour Kyoto Sightseeing Kyoto Magome to Tsumago Tsumago to Nojiri Yabuhara to Narai Narai to Hirasawa Karuizawa to Yokokawa and

by train to Tokyo

Sightseeing Toyko

Onward Travel

3.5 6 3.5 2 5-6

NAKASENDO TRAIL

VILLAGE TO VILLAGE WALK FROM KYOTO TO TOKYO

DETAILED ITINERARY

now famous as a summer resort.

Walk: 2.5km negligible ascent and descent, 2

hours (from Narai to Kiso-Hirasawa and in

Karuizawa)

Dinner & Overnight: Tsuruya Ryokan,

Karuizawa is a venerable, Meiji-era ryokan

DAY 8

Karuizawa to Yokokawa and by train

to Tokyo

Start by hiking up to Touge, and then a long,

gentle descent through beautiful forests to the

town of Sakamoto-juku, and continue on to

Yokokawa. From there, board your train for

Tokyo (2 hours). Check-in to your city-centre

hotel.

DAY 9

Tokyo sightseeing

In Tokyo, another of the world’s great cities, life

in Tokyo moves at a lightning pace. You will have

a full day in Tokyo to explore the old and new of

this vibrant city.

DAY 10

Onward Travel

Your trip ends today, and you may choose to

stay a few days longer in Tokyo, continue your

travels elsewhere in Japan or head home.

We can arrange extra days at the beginning or

end of the trip in the following destinations:

Asuka-mura

A lovely town south of Nara with some of Japan's

earliest Buddhist temples, as well as kofun burial

mounds from the 5th century. Asuka is a lovely

town to explore on foot or why not rent a bicycle

from the train station and explore at a relaxed

pace? We will arrange a night at one of the small

minshuku in the town.

Mount Koya

This atmospheric temple complex south of Kyoto

is home to around 100 temples and shukubo

(pilgrim's lodging). Founded by the monk Kobo

Daishi in the 10th century, Mount Koya is the

spiritual centre of Shongon (True word)

Buddhism, and he is enshrined at Oku-no-in.

Located at 800 metres altitude in the Wakayama

mountains, you reach Mount Koya via the scenic

Nankai railway. There are many optional local

walks.

Nikko

The mountains of Nikko have been revered for a

thousand years and it was a fitting place for

Shogun Takugawa Ieyasu to be enshrined. The

lavishly-decorated Toshogu shrine is now a

UNESCO World Heritage site. Take a bus

afterwards to Yumoto Hot Spring, and relax in

the baths at your luxury ryokan. There are

numerous trails through the surrounding forests

and the Senjo-ga-hara marshland to enjoy.

If you would prefer to make your own

arrangements before and after your walk we offer

a 5 day/4 night itinerary on just the Nakasendo

Trail. This itinerary runs from day 4 - day 9 of the

above itinerary excluding night 9 in Tokyo.

Accommodation In Kyoto and Tokyo we use carefully selected 3

or 4* hotels. We use local family-run

accommodations on the walking section. They

are generally simply furnished and less formal,

but have excellent food and a wonderful personal

service.

Meals

Japanese cuisine is the highlight of many

people’s visit to Japan and this is especially the

case on the Nakasendo Trail. Your trip includes

all breakfasts and 4 evening meals whilst on the

trail.

Most meals will be Japanese cuisine, though

breakfast in western-style hotels usually includes

more familiar choices. Dinner and breakfast in

ryokan and minshuku are set meals, usually with

a whole succession of different dishes which will

delight you. Alcoholic and soft drinks are not

included with meals. Tipping is not customary at

hotels and restaurants in Japan.

Luggage Transfer Luggage transfer is not included during your

walk. Your accommodation during the walk

provide robes to wear in the evening and shoes

are not worn inside, so you only need your hiking

gear and can travel very light.

In Japan there is an overnight luggage

forwarding service which is cheap, reliable and

costs about £12 per bag per day.

On the Nakasendo trail we recommend

forwarding your luggage from Kyoto (or wherever

you are staying before the walk) to Kiso-

Fukushima. You carry overnight essentials in

your daypack for your night in Tsumago. You

then forward your luggage from Kiso-Fukushima

to Tokyo (or wherever you are staying after the

walk); you carry your overnight essentials for

your nights in Narai and Karuizawa. Our

WALK ONLY ITINERARY

NAKASENDO TRAIL

VILLAGE TO VILLAGE WALK FROM KYOTO TO TOKYO

HOLIDAY INFORMATION

Day Route Hrs

1 2 3 4 5

Magome to Tsumago Tsumago to Nojiri Yabuhara to Narai Narai to Hirasawa Karuizawa to Yokokawa

3.5 6 3.5 2 5-6

OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS

information pack has full details of how to use

this service, which is really easy.

Navigation The route is way marked (in English and

Japanese) and we provide detailed route notes

and topographic maps so you should have no

problem following the trail.

Equipment Your information pack has a detailed equipment

list which includes standard walking gear such as

good walking boots or shoes, lightweight clothes,

waterproofs and a day pack.

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms This trip is available to solo walkers and a limited

number of single rooms are available, although a

single/solo supplement is payable.

Availability

You can start the Nakasendo Trail on any day

that suits you although we recommended the

best time to walk is from April until November.

Accommodations are busy and may charge extra

during the following Japanese holiday periods:

New Year (29 December to 04 January), Golden

Week (29 April - 05 May), and O-bon (09 - 17

August). Please enquire for availability and

pricing if your trip falls within those dates.

Price

Please see our website for current prices.

Included

3 Nights 3 or 4* hotel accommodation in Kyoto

4 Nights minshuku (guest house) accommodation on the Nakasendo trail.

2 Nights 4* hotel accommodation in Tokyo

9 Breakfasts

4 evening meals (on the Nakasendo Trail)

Train tickets from Kyoto to Nakatsugawa, trains on day 5 & 6 and on day 8 from Yokokawa to Tokyo

1 Day private guided tour of Kyoto

Detailed information pack with local travel information, detailed route notes, topographical maps and hints and tips.

Telephone support from our local, English speaking, representative.

Not Included

International flights.

Travel to Kyoto/from Tokyo

Drinks with meals

Lunches

Evening meals in Tokyo and Kyoto.

Local bus is on day 4, and should be paid locally (around ¥800, £5 or $9).

Baggage forwarding is not included, though we provide instructions for how this can be easily

arranged.

Getting to and from Japan

By Air: The best airport to arrive at is Osaka

Kansai Airport (KIX), which has flights from

international destinations. Ideally you should

book an open jaw ticket departing from Tokyo or

alternatively try and get your airline to throw the

internal flight in.

You can also fly into Tokyo Narita (NRT) and

take an internal flight or the shinkansen (bullet

train) to Kyoto (3h30).

Getting around

Your package includes train tickets from Kyoto to

Nakatsugawa on day 4, trains on day 5 & 6 and

on day 8 from Yokokawa to Tokyo. The public

transport system in Japan is world class and your

pre-departure information pack has detailed

information tickets, trains and how to travel

internally. It really is a piece of cake.

Visas

Please check your visa requirements with the

foreign office or the embassy in your country of

residence before travelling to Japan.

British nationals wishing to visit Japan for three

months or less for business, tourism or family

purposes etc (but not to work for a local

employer) may do so without a visa. You must

have a valid passport and an onward/return

ticket. Please visit www.fco.gov.uk for up to date

information.

When you are ready to book you can book

securely online at www.macsadventure.com or

by phone on +44 (0) 141 530 8886.

Financial Security

In accordance with "The Package Travel,

Package Holidays and Package Tours

Regulations1992" all passengers booking with

Macs Adventure Ltd are fully protected for the

initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all

monies paid to us, including repatriation if

required (this insurance will not cover repatriation

to the country of origin for the passengers

outside of the EU), arising from cancellation or

curtailment of your travel arrangements due to

the insolvency of Macs Adventure Ltd

ABTA Member

Statement

Macs Adventure Holidays is

a Member of ABTA. ABTA and ABTA members

help holidaymakers to get the most from their

travel and assist when things don’t go according

to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high

standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of

Conduct.

NAKASENDO TRAIL

VILLAGE TO VILLAGE WALK FROM KYOTO TO TOKYO

HOW TO BOOK

AVAILABILITY & PRICES BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE

TRAVEL INFORMATION