Aug 20, 2013 - 1 min read

Magome to Tsumago

Walk the Kiso Valley's ancient Nakasendo

By Sandra Isaka

Community writer

This man welcomes those who walk along the ancient trail.

Walk past farms and homes along the route.

Along the path are two waterfalls, this is O-taki (male waterfall).

The trail meanders past lovely rice fields.

Stone Buddhist statues help you find your way.

For anyone interested in Japanese history, a visit to the Kiso Valley, and especially the post towns of Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku, is highly recommended. For those with time, the 8 kilometer hike between the two towns is a must. Start at Magome (elevation 600m) and make your way past farmland, forests and even waterfalls on your journey to Tsumago (420m). To commemorate the journey, pick up a 'Starting Point Ticket' at the Tourist Information Center (TIC) and show it at the other end's TIC for a cypress 'Certificate of Completion'—a nice memento of the visit.

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By Sandra Isaka

Community writer

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Anonymous 8 years ago

I want advice how to plan to travel for Magome to Tsumago trail and can we do as day trip from Kyoto please.

Sandra Isaka Photographer 8 years ago

Unfortunately, Magome & Tsumago are over 230 kilometers from Kyoto, with no direct train access, so it is impossible to do a day trip there. I do recommend a visit, however, as the area is one of Japan's finest. For advice, check out other articles on this website as they can provide a lot of the information you need. Hope you are able to travel there!

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