The Most Popular Route of the Samurai Trail(Nakatsugawa to Tsumago)
This route is a popular choice among hikers on the Samurai Trail.
The walk between Magome and Tsumago offers a chance to experience both nature and history, and its moderate difficulty makes it ideal for a half-day hike, whether in the morning or afternoon.
Table of Contents
Route

1Bus to Magome
Take the bus from bus stop No. 3 at Nakatsugawa Station and head for Magome.25-minute bus ride.

2Walk to the Nakasendo Trail Start
Get off the bus at Magome and walk uphill to the start of the Nakasendo Trail.
brightness_alertThere are no places to eat or drink along the Nakasendo Trail. If you don’t have any drinks, buy some here.

3Waterwheels in Magome-juku
There are many highlights in Magome-juku. This waterwheel is one of them.

4Shimazaki Tōson Memorial Museum
This is a museum dedicated to Shimazaki Tōson, who is famous as a poet who helped pioneer modern Japanese poetry and as a novelist representing naturalist literature.

5Magome Viewpoint
When leaving Magome-juku, please take a moment to enjoy the view from here.

6Nature walk
You can walk along an old mountain path where you can hear the gentle sound of a small stream and experience the traditional landscape of old Japan.

7Pass Ichikokutochi Chaya
After leaving Magome-juku and walking for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, you will reach Ichikokutochi Chaya teahouse, a traditional old house with a rest area.

8Arrive at Tsumago-juku
From the teahouse, walk for about one hour through nature, and the goal is here at Tsumago-juku. Please enjoy the historic streets and the traditional scenery of Japan.

9Arrive at Nagiso Station
From the Tsumago-juku bus stop, it takes about 10 minutes to reach Nagiso Station.
Required Time
Approximately 4 hours and half hours
Cost
800 yen one way
Bus Stop Locations
・Nakatsugawa Station Bus Stop
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WNfFFE1GpFZRXaNu6?g_st=ipc
Bus Timetable
・Magome Bus Stop
How to Return to the Starting Point

To return to Nakatsugawa Station, the most common route is to walk from Tsumago-juku to Minami Kiso Station (a 20-minute walk) and then take the train back to Nakatsugawa Station.
There is also a bus route back from Tsumago, but be aware that buses stop running after 5:00 PM.