Hiking the Nakasendo from Magome to Tsumago as a day trip from Nagoya: access, time, luggage and winter tips

Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku are post towns on the Nakasendo, the old road between Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto. Between them runs a mountain trail of about 9 km with stretches of old stone paving, which takes about 3 hours on foot. From Nagoya you can do it in a day: take the Limited Express Shinano to Nakatsugawa in the morning, a bus to Magome, walk over the pass to Tsumago, and come back by train from Nagiso Station.

How do you get from Nagoya to Magome and Tsumago?

The times from Nagoya to Nakatsugawa and from Nakatsugawa to Magome come from JR Central's official website. Nagiso is the station closest to Tsumago, and the Tsumago-juku website shows the route from Nagoya to Nagiso on the Limited Express Shinano. Check which Shinano trains stop at Nagiso in the JR timetable before you go.

How long is the walk from Magome to Tsumago?

According to the Magome Tourist Association, the trail from Magome-juku over Magome Pass to Tsumago-juku is about 9 km long and takes about 3 hours. Magome Pass is 790 m above sea level, on the border between Gifu and Nagano prefectures. The Tsumago-juku website explains that the climb from Magome to the pass is short and steep, while the climb from Tsumago is long and gentle, so starting from Magome keeps the uphill part short.

• Ichikokutochi Tateba Chaya: a mid-Edo-period rest house roughly halfway between the two towns, where you can take a break inside
• Odaki and Medaki falls: two waterfalls that appear in Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi
• Stone paving: old stone paths remain in several places. They become slippery after rain
• The Michelin Green Guide gives the Kiso Valley two stars, and Magome, Tsumago and the pass trail between them one star each

There are no streetlights on the trail. The Magome Tourist Association asks hikers to start by 3 pm in summer and by 2 pm in winter. Wheelchairs and strollers cannot use the trail, and children aged 3 and under need to be carried. There is nowhere to shelter from rain, so bring rain gear.

What about your suitcase?

A luggage forwarding service runs between Magome and Tsumago. In 2026 it accepts bags from 20 March to 30 November.

• Fee: 1,000 yen per bag
• Drop-off: 8:30–11:30 (Magome Tourist Information Center, Magome-juku BASE, Tsumago Tourist Information Center, or inns in Otsumago)
• Pick-up: 13:00–17:00 (same places)

From December the service is outside its season. If you stay several nights in Nagoya, you can leave your big luggage at your Nagoya accommodation and go with just a day pack.

If you don't want to walk the whole way

Nagiso town buses run every day between Magome, Tsumago and Nagiso Station. The Tsumago-juku website also suggests a shorter option: go up to the pass by bus or car and walk only the downhill part to Tsumago, which takes about 1.5 hours.

You pay in cash when you get off. IC cards (such as Suica) and credit cards are not accepted, and 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yen notes cannot be used. The Tsumago Tourist Information Center sells 300 yen and 1,000 yen bus tickets, which you can pay for by credit card (information as of 1 April 2026). Buses are not frequent, so check the Nagiso town timetable.

Tips for walking in winter

• Days are short, so start walking by 2 pm (Magome Tourist Association)
• Carrying a bear bell is recommended. You can rent one at the Tsumago or Magome tourist information center: pay 2,100 yen and get 2,000 yen back when you return it
• The luggage service ends on 30 November. From December you carry your own bags
• The Toson Memorial Museum in Magome is open 9:00–16:00 from December to March and closed on Wednesdays from December to February
• In both towns, cars cannot enter the post town between 10:00 and 16:00

Events in Tsumago this winter

• 23 November (national holiday): the 59th Bunka-Bunsei Fuzoku Emaki procession, in which locals walk through town dressed as Edo-period travellers. It sets off at 10:30 and is due to reach Tsumago-juku around noon
• 26 December (Saturday): Hyosetsu no Akari Matsuri (Ice and Snow Lantern Festival) 2026, lit at 17:30. It is usually held in mid-February, but in fiscal 2026 it moves to December because of construction work in the post town

Tsumago-juku was designated a national Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 1976, and its residents' townscape preservation movement of more than 50 years was selected for the 2026 Green Destinations Top 100 Stories.

Where to stay in Nagoya for this trip

The Limited Express Shinano leaves from Nagoya Station. Central Nagoya is a group of private stays in Nakamura Ward, just west of Nagoya Station. Central Nagoya House and Central Nagoya Residence are 7 minutes' and 2 minutes' walk from Nakamura Koen Station, 4 stops (about 7 minutes) from Nagoya Station on the Higashiyama subway line. Central Nagoya Stays is 4 minutes' walk from Taiko-dori Station, one stop from Nagoya Station on the Sakura-dori Line. Leave Nagoya Station in the morning and come back in the evening, and you can walk the Kiso Road without changing accommodation.

• Exploring central Japan from Nagoya →
• Small towns to visit from Nagoya →
• Nagoya in winter →

Frequently asked questions