Walk the Nakasendo Trail

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11 Days From

~~$4700~~

$4477

Walk the Nakasendo Trail

11 Days Starting in Osaka and ending in Tokyo

Visiting: Japan

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

W10NK

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Physical rating:

Moderate

Age range:

8-99

From: $4700 $4477 Travel Club discount: -$223

NB: Prices correct on 19-Sep-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

The Nakasendo Trail or 'Road through the Central Mountains' was part of Japan's network of highways. Travellers moving between Kyoto and Tokyo took several days to travel the Nakasendo, staying overnight in Juku post towns. In the seventeenth century, the Nakasendo was crowded with travellers, including feudal lords, samurai, itinerant merchants, and pilgrims. Now largely forgotten and quiet, the road provides a pleasant trail through scenic countryside and the history of Japan.

Explore the fascinating city of Kyoto before starting the Nakasendo Trail, your trip ends in the sprawling city of Tokyo. Famous for its beautifully built Buddhist temples and traditional teahouses, Kyoto is a great introduction to your Japanese adventure. From here, you can visit the historical city of Nara, full of cultural treasures and tranquil gardens.

In Tokyo you can experience the whole breadth of Japanese arts and culture, not to mention the abundance of culinary treasures. An ever-evolving city, Tokyo is an explosion for the senses with a discovery around every corner.

Highlights

Village to village walking on the loveliest parts of the old Nakasendo Trail in the picturesque Kiso Valley and Karuizawa
See Matsumoto castle, one of Japan's best historic castles
Visit the exquisitely preserved villages of Magome, Tsumago and Narai
Bathe in the thermal waters at a hot-spring Ryokan

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrive In Kyoto

Take the express train from Osaka Kansai Int. Airport to Kyoto City (approx. 70mins), then a local taxi to your first hotel. (approx. 10mins).

Overnight Kyoto.

Day 2 : Explore Kyoto

Meals Included: Breakfast

Enjoy a rest day in the incredible city of Kyoto, famous for its Buddhist temples, tranquil gardens, and traditional teahouses. We recommend visiting the historical city of Nara, full of cultural treasures and expansive parks, located approx. 1hr from Kyoto city on the train.

Overnight Kyoto.

Day 3 : Kuramaa To Kibune

Meals Included: Breakfast

Take the train to the hills of northern Kyoto (included), on sacred Mount Kurama. Here, Samurai trained with mountain Buddhist practitioners in the 12th century. From Kurama Temple, walk to the Kifune Shrine, which is known for bringing good fortune to those seeking luck in love. The walk begins with a steep and long ascent up stone steps to the Kurama Temple. Stop to take in the beautiful scenery and spend some time at the shrines and smaller temples along the way. Return by local train to Kyoto (included). The remainder of your day is free for you to explore Kyoto.

Overnight Kyoto.

Day 4 : Magome To Tsumago

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Begin with a train journey from Kyoto to Nakatsugawa, including a ride on the world-famous Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Nagoya (included). At Nakatsugawa, you board a local bus for the short journey to Magome. Walk over Magome Pass to Tsumago, one of the best preserved and most evocative of the Nakasendo post towns. Spend the night at a family-run Minshuku in Tsumago or the nearby hamlet of O-Tsumago, with a delicious home-cooked Japanese dinner and breakfast included.

Overnight Minshuku Guesthouse, Tsumago.

Day 5 : Tsumago/Nagiso To Nojiri

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today is your longest day on the trail and is a beautiful and varied hike from Tsumago or Nagiso to Nojiri. The trail travels through small valleys and past forests of bamboo and Japanese cedar, through some of the least-developed scenery on the tour. Continue by train to Kiso-Fukushima (included). Stay at a lovely hot-spring Ryokan set in a peaceful valley above the town. Complimentary transfer from the station is provided by the Ryokan.

Overnight Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), Kiso-Fukushima.

Day 6 : Gongentaki Waterfall

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

If you have free time in Kiso Fukushima, you can take this optional walk from Kiso Fukushima Station to Gongentaki Waterfall. The trail combines a riverside path, a dirt trail leading up to the waterfall, and gentle descent back down through a quiet neighbourhood with good views over the town and the traditional buildings near the Nakasendo Trail.

Overnight Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), Kiso-Fukushima.

Day 7 : Yabuhara To Matsumoto

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

The Ryokan will drive you back to Kiso-Fukushima after breakfast if you're staying outside the village. From here, you take the train to Yabuhara (included) which is the starting point for your walk over the Torii pass to Narai. Explore this atmospheric village before you continue on today's journey to the small town of Kiso-Hirasawa, famous for its lacquerware. There are many small shops selling beautifully crafted tableware and furniture. From Kiso-Hirasawa, take the train to the castle town of Matsumoto for your overnight stay. Your hosts will serve a home-cooked Japanese dinner and breakfast.

Overnight Minshuku Guesthouse, Matsumoto .

Day 8 : Free Day In Matsumoto

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, you will have free time to explore the castle town of Matsumoto. This historic town is home to the iconic artist Yayoi Kusama and the largest collection of Ukiyo-e wood blocks. With many things to see and do Matsumoto is a destination in and of itself. Be sure to visit the well-preserved Matsumoto Castle also known as the 'Black Crow Castle'. You can enter the castle and enjoy the unique architecture, hidden nooks, and panoramic views of the castle town. This afternoon head onward to Karuizawa where you will stay this evening and enjoy a natural hot spring baths before your final walk to Yokokawa.

Your included luggage transfer ends here. To continue the service from Matsumoto to Tokyo, you can arrange this locally with your inn in the morning who will liaise with the long distance courier Takkyubin; this is paid for locally (approx. £16 per bag/20kg). Using this service, you will be without your luggage from the morning of day 8, until the evening of day 9.

Overnight Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), Karuizawa/Komoro.

Day 9 : Karuizawa To Yokokawa

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, your final walk on the Nakasendo Trail is from Karuizawa to Yokokawa. Leaving Karuizawa, the trail takes you over the Usui-toge Pass and down a gentle descent along one of the most beautiful sections of the Nakasendo, and certainly the least-developed. From Yokokawa, take the local train to Takasaki and change there for your ride on the Shinkansen bullet train to Tokyo (approx. 3 hours - included).

Overnight Tokyo.

Day 10 : Rest Day In Tokyo

Meals Included: Breakfast

You have a full day in Tokyo to explore this vibrant city. Visit the glittering Ginza area with elegant department stores and food halls crammed with all kinds of unfamiliar delicacies. Or spend time among the skyscrapers of Shinjuku and pass-through Shinjuku station, the busiest transport hub in the world. Eat and drink in one of the myriad small bars and restaurants which cluster around most railway stations or splash out on an elegant meal in an upscale restaurant.

Overnight Tokyo.

Day 11 : Depart Tokyo

Meals Included: Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before walking to Hamamatsucho station (approx. 10mins) to take the monorail directly to Tokyo Haneda Airport (approx. 15mins - paid locally).

What's Included

Meals
10 breakfasts, 0 lunches, 5 dinners.

What's Not Included

Lunches
Travel insurance
Single supplements
Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)
Visas and vaccinations

Food

Accommodation

Hotels: Modern western-style hotels are used. The rooms are generally smaller than equivalent hotels in the West. All have en-suite facilities, air-conditioning, TV, and fridges in rooms.

Ryokan: Ryokan are traditional Japanese-style inns. They may be in modern concrete or older wooden buildings, but the rooms are always in the Japanese style with tatami (straw) matting and futons laid out in the evening by the ryokan staff. Evening meals* are served together usually in the dining room and are exquisitely prepared multicourse meals. Many ryokans have both en-suite bathrooms (except for some older buildings) and communal hot spring style baths. They are the classic Japanese experience.

Minshuku: Minshuku are usually family-run traditional Japanese-style inns. They have tatami-mat rooms, with futons laid out in the evening for sleeping. Most minshuku do not have en-suite bathrooms as they are in older traditional wooden buildings. Compared with a ryokan, they are usually (but not always) slightly less formal, but the service and food* are just as good.

At these the inns and Shukubo, futon bedding on tatami mat is provided; toilet and bathing facilities may be shared.

*Most meals will be Japanese cuisine. Vegetarian options are available but limited. Strict vegetarian diets, vegan diets, or gluten free diets will be difficult to accommodate due to the pervasiveness of the fish-based stock dashi and the use of soy sauce and miso in Japanese cuisine. Tips are not required when dining in Japan.

Check out our Q&As

What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
How long has the tour company been trading?

Exodus has been trading since 1974
What documents will I receive before I travel?

Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
Can I join the tour once it has departed?

You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews of this operator

Gergana Racheva

Very helpful and prompt service

06-Jan-2023

Very helpful and prompt service. I called to check for an already booked trip and once we sorted this, the agent was ready to help me with another booking as well. He actually waited for me to book my flight tickets, answered all my questions, informed me of all my options. Exodus is a tour company I am using regularly due to the quality of their trips, ease of booking and helpfulness of their customer service team

Trustpilot

Tim Hardy

Stunning walking. Walking the Amalfi Coast

04-Nov-2021

This trip takes you through the most beautiful parts of the Mediterranean walking with a guide and also discovering the wonders of Pompeii and Vesuvius. The hotel had a nice feel as family run, spotless and comfortable rooms, we were well looked after for breakfasts and dinner each day, and the barmen fixed some mean cocktails for us.!

paul green (Google Reviewer)

Went on a tour of...

14-Jan-2022

Went on a tour of morocco in October and loved it ,mohamed the tour guide was excellent, probably go with exodus to India next year

Paul Green

It's amazing what you can do in a week! Cycling the Dalmatian Coast.

08-Oct-2021

This holiday was extremely enjoyable. The itinerary is well planned and the route takes you to a variety of destinations. Not having been to Croatia before I didn't know there were so many beautiful small islands and I loved the ferry and catarmaran rides. The coastal route we took was dramatic and the World Heritage sites in Split and Dubrovnik very interesting and worth visiting. The Adriatic Sea was warm, blue and inviting, good for swimming even in October. The hotels we stayed in varied in size from medium to large. I particularly liked the one just outside Dubrovnik as I had a sea view. Tourists were plentiful in Split and Dubrovnik but in the other places we stayed there was an end of season feel and it was quiet on the roads and in the resorts. The food was good and our guide was always able to recommend a nice restaurant for our evening meal. The weather in October was good for cycling - not hot, partly cloudy most days and one day it rained!

Mrs Y Morrison

Fabulous company and trip

06-Jan-2023

We went overland from Cape Town to Zimbabwe through Botswana and Namibia. What a fantastic trip. Our first time with Exodus although we have travelled extensively around the world. We would highly recommend this company for such a brilliant trip - we got everything and more all at a good price. Thanks to everyone involved. We are looking at our next trip!

Trustpilot

John Edwards (Google Reviewer)

I went cycling in Albania...

19-Aug-2023

I went cycling in Albania with exodus as my first holiday with them. Such a well organised and wonderful experience where I met multiple fellow travellers who have been advocates of them for many years. You can't argue with happy repeat customers and I'm planning my next adventure with them soon

Alison Payton (Google Reviewer)

I've done 8 trips in...

17-May-2023

I've done 8 trips in the last 14 years with Exodus, and have been rewarded with a 10% discount on all future bookings. I feel very confident that I'll receive pleasant, efficient service, and have the unusual holiday experience that I'm looking for each time. I've trekked to the top of snow-capped peaks, wild-camped in the desert, seen amazing spectacles of nature, visited 4 capital cities in a week, and learned about local culture and experienced local hospitality in a way that I simply wouldn't on a conventional holiday. The quality of the accommodation and guides can vary, but this is mainly down to cultural differences and things that Exodus can't control. I've only ever complained once, my complaint was taken seriously, and I was sent a discount voucher - you can't say fairer than that. I remain a loyal customer.

David (Google Reviewer)

Exodus are generally a good...

21-Aug-2024

Exodus are generally a good travel company. Things tend to run smoothly and trips well organised. Their customers tend to be at retirement age. Trips are a bit overpriced. I would also avoid trips in Europe, as these often focus on more coffee stops and meals, rather than walking. I would also recommend making sure your guide records any accidents you have, hopefully not applicable. I had one on Sierra de Aitana which the guide saw and knew about, but he and Exodus said it never happened when I followed up after the trip. I wasn’t putting in a claim, just suggested a safety improvement. They have since apologised and acknowledged this as an error. They are a good reliable option for outside of Europe trips.

Jacquelyn Moore (Google Reviewer)

Food came quickly. Staff very...

07-Mar-2024

Food came quickly. Staff very friendly and polite . However the chef or person preparing the food did not seem to read the menu! If it says a meal should come with vegetables, you should not have to ask for them. They served shepherds pie with garlic bread! The munchies ice cream sundae said it should come in a glass with a flake but came in a little bowl with just a few munchies! When asking the staff were happy to replace and correct but customer should get what they order and what menu says first time round!!

johanna leonor (Google Reviewer)

If you like to be...

07-Sep-2023

If you like to be mistreated Exodus is perfect for you. If you enjoy terrible choices for hotels and pseudo restaurants Exodus is perfect for you. Careless about their clients and loveless about their propositions. Exodus has been a dissatisfaction and disappointment about every dealing i and my group have had with him. Especially a man called Simone who just cares about the money he can get from you couldn’t care less about service.

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Travel Club discount: -$267

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Travel Club discount: -$267

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Travel Club discount: -$267

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Travel Club discount: -$267

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Travel Club discount: -$267

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Travel Club discount: -$267

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Travel Club discount: -$267

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Oct 13, 2024 - Oct 23, 2024

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Travel Club discount: -$267

Monday - Thursday

Oct 14, 2024 - Oct 24, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

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Oct 15, 2024 - Oct 25, 2024

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Travel Club discount: -$267

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Oct 16, 2024 - Oct 26, 2024

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Travel Club discount: -$267

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Oct 17, 2024 - Oct 27, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

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Oct 18, 2024 - Oct 28, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

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Oct 19, 2024 - Oct 29, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

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Oct 20, 2024 - Oct 30, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

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Oct 21, 2024 - Oct 31, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

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~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

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Oct 23, 2024 - Nov 02, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Thursday - Sunday

Oct 24, 2024 - Nov 03, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Friday - Monday

Oct 25, 2024 - Nov 04, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Saturday - Tuesday

Oct 26, 2024 - Nov 05, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Sunday - Wednesday

Oct 27, 2024 - Nov 06, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Monday - Thursday

Oct 28, 2024 - Nov 07, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Tuesday - Friday

Oct 29, 2024 - Nov 08, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Thursday - Sunday

Oct 31, 2024 - Nov 10, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Friday - Monday

Nov 01, 2024 - Nov 11, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Saturday - Tuesday

Nov 02, 2024 - Nov 12, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Sunday - Wednesday

Nov 03, 2024 - Nov 13, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Monday - Thursday

Nov 04, 2024 - Nov 14, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Tuesday - Friday

Nov 05, 2024 - Nov 15, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

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Nov 06, 2024 - Nov 16, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Thursday - Sunday

Nov 07, 2024 - Nov 17, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Friday - Monday

Nov 08, 2024 - Nov 18, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Saturday - Tuesday

Nov 09, 2024 - Nov 19, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Sunday - Wednesday

Nov 10, 2024 - Nov 20, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Monday - Thursday

Nov 11, 2024 - Nov 21, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Tuesday - Friday

Nov 12, 2024 - Nov 22, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Wednesday - Saturday

Nov 13, 2024 - Nov 23, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Thursday - Sunday

Nov 14, 2024 - Nov 24, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Friday - Monday

Nov 15, 2024 - Nov 25, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Saturday - Tuesday

Nov 16, 2024 - Nov 26, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Sunday - Wednesday

Nov 17, 2024 - Nov 27, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Monday - Thursday

Nov 18, 2024 - Nov 28, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Tuesday - Friday

Nov 19, 2024 - Nov 29, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Wednesday - Saturday

Nov 20, 2024 - Nov 30, 2024

~~$5615~~ $5348

Travel Club discount: -$267

Monday - Thursday

Mar 24, 2025 - Apr 03, 2025

~~$4700~~ $4477