Nakasendō

The Nakasendō was one of the five great highways of Edo-period Japan, an inland route of roughly 530 kilometres linking Edo, now Tokyo, with Kyoto through the central mountains. Sixty-nine post stations lined the road, where travellers, pilgrims and feudal processions rested on the long journey.

Its enduring draw is the Kiso valley, where the beautifully preserved post towns of Magome and Tsumago retain their wooden inns, water wheels and lantern-lit streets. The eight-kilometre paved path between them, over the Magome pass, is the most walked section and evokes the feel of samurai-era travel.

On the trail the Kiso section is an easy half-day walk between the two towns, with luggage-forwarding and traditional inns making it beginner-friendly; longer self-guided itineraries string several post towns together over multiple days. Cobbled stretches, forest, waterfalls and old stone markers punctuate the route, which asks for stamina rather than technical skill.

Practical notes: no permit is needed, and public transport connects the trailheads at Nakatsugawa and Nagiso, making day walks simple. Spring and autumn are ideal, with cherry blossom or blazing maple framing the villages; summer is humid and buggy in the valley, while winter brings snow and quieter, atmospheric streets. Staying overnight in a Kiso ryokan is part of the experience.