Nakasendo Trail

There are 3 or 4 days walking on the Nakasendo trail depending on the variant you choose. These are between 5 - 11 miles / 8 - 18km per day.

Before your tour, we recommend hiking regularly and incorporating some hilly terrain into your routine. Be sure to check the daily distances and elevation changes outlined in your itinerary.

The walking is mostly on paved village paths and unpaved mountain trails, with some gentle ascents and descents. It can be slippery when wet. There are some sections on quiet roads.

This route is graded moderate. Each tour variant has a grade, and within that tour individual days may vary in difficulty - some might be a bit tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests.

On the trail (and Nara if you are on the longer tour), the accommodation is in traditional, family-run Japanese inns - a mix of ryokan and minshuku.

Ryokan are known for flawless service and beautifully prepared food, while minshuku are more simply furnished and family-run with a less formal style.

Rooms in both are Japanese style, with tatami (straw mat) floors and futons laid out for you in the evening by the Ryokan staff - whether you've booked a double or a twin room, you'll sleep on two separate futons. There are a limited number of single rooms available.

Some ryokan rooms have private bathrooms, while minshuku typically offer shared bathing facilities along the corridor, sometimes as a communal bathing suite split by gender.

Because availability is limited, we can't guarantee in advance which type of inn you'll stay in on any given night. We'll give you plenty of guidance on the etiquette of staying in these traditional Japanese inns before you travel.

If you have nights in Kyoto and Tokyo, you'll stay in carefully selected 3 or 4-star western-style hotels. If you are visiting Mount Koya you will spend one night in temple lodging at a mountain monastery.

If you would like additional nights in any of the cities or smaller towns please inform us on booking so that we can arrange this for you.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

Please note that single rooms on this route are limited in number, so we'd recommend booking as early as possible to secure one.

Japanese cuisine is one of the highlights of this tour, especially on the trail itself.

Breakfast is included every day, along with several evening meals during your time on the Nakasendo Trail.

Most meals are Japanese cuisine, though breakfast in the western-style hotels in Kyoto and Osaka usually includes more familiar choices.

Dinner and breakfast at the ryokan and minshuku are set meals, usually a whole succession of different dishes. Alcoholic and soft drinks aren't included with meals, and tipping isn't customary at hotels and restaurants in Japan.

Because the inns prepare their meals in-house using local, seasonal produce, dietary requests such as gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan are difficult to cater for, and gluten-free in particular is still not widely understood in parts of Japan. Guests with nut allergies should also be aware that nuts, particularly walnuts, are used in many local dishes and sauces.

It is essential that all dietary requirements and allergies are communicated to us in detail at the time of booking.

Japanese Inns prepare their meals in-house and take great pride in their cuisine which showcases the best seasonal and local produce it has to offer.

Gluten-free is still poorly understood in some parts of Japan, and the base ingredients of Japanese cuisine contain a large amount of gluten or fish.

For vegetarians or vegans, whilst, in some cases you think it's easy for them just to make you vegetables and rice but this is not the case. The inns may be family-run and simply cannot make alternate meals due to resources at hand or more commonly that the meals and hot spring baths are the largest attraction to staying at an inn for domestic Japanese travellers and the innkeeper's sense of pride will cause them to simply decline these requests fearing the customer will be unsatisfied.

Guests with nut allergies should also be aware that nuts, particularly walnuts are used in many local dishes and sauces.

This means that dietary requests such as gluten-free, nut-free and strict vegetarian and vegan are very difficult to cater to – even if you are happy not to eat the provided food and bring your own substitutions.

It is essential that all dietary requirements and allergies are communicated to us in detail at the time of booking.

You may find that residents who have moved to the country have set up local businesses such as Japanese inns, cafes, and coffee roasters along the trail. These residents are more progressive in attitudes and many have opened a vegan cafe, or are willing to substitute the fish stock for mushroom or seaweed stock at their inns – these are far and few between, but we hope they will increase in numbers so that the food becomes more accessible to all.

This route is available on any day of the week from April to November.

Spring, in April and May, is hard to beat, and the fall colors in October and November are also wonderful. The summer months from June to September can be good too.

The rainy season runs from early June through to mid-July, when it can get very humid, though the rain does bring temperatures down a little, to around 25-26°C / 77-80 °F. Short tropical cyclones can also affect Japan between June and October. So if you are traveling during the wet season do remember a good waterproof or umbrella!

The route is (rightly so) very popular, and the numbers are restricted by the amount of accommodation available – so we strongly advice you to book as far ahead as you possibly can.

Japanese holiday periods such as New Year, Golden Week and the O-bon Festival, as well as the Cherry Blossom season (late March to early May) are especially busy, and prices can sometimes be higher than advertised due to demand.

Luggage transfer is not included as standard, but there are options. Whilst this is different to many of our tours, there are important reasons for this. Many of the smaller accommodations we use along the trails aren't set up to handle larger suitcases. They often have delicate tatami flooring and narrow hallways or staircases that can be easily damaged by heavy or large bags.

We would encourage you to pack light and bring only what you truly need for the walk. Accommodations provide amenities such as soap, shampoo, hairdryers, and cotton robes called yukata, which you can wear around the accommodation, so you only need to bring your hiking clothing. Additionally, many accommodations offer laundry facilities, so with just a bit of planning, it’s easy to pack a minimal amount of clothing and schedule in a washing day mid-tour.

There are two options for your luggage: Takkubin or Daily Luggage transfers. For the reasons detailed above we do highly recommend the Takkubin as the preferred option.

What is Takkubin (sometimes Takkyubin or Takuhaibin)?

You can use the Japanese Takkubin service to have access to your bag in the middle of your itinerary. Most walkers send the luggage on to the next large city (you can specify the exact date and time of delivery up to a week or two ahead) and walk with their day pack.

Takkubin is a luggage courier service which you can only book once you are in Japan. It is reliable and well-priced at approximately £15/$20 per journey (you will have 2 on this route). Your bags will not be moved each day. The price is based per bag under 25kg/55lbs. You pay per bag, so it is more economical to send one larger bag rather than several smaller ones. Do not send open bags or loose items.

You need the address to which you are sending your luggage, preferably written in Japanese- someone will help you with this! Delivery normally takes a minimum of 24 hours (but a minimum of 72 hours to an airport location). You cannot receive your luggage on the same day that you send it.

Luggage itinerary option 1 - Self-Booked with Takkubin

On the Nakasendo Trail, you have access to your luggage only when in Kiso-Fukushima. The other nights you have to carry your essentials with you. We recommend this method as you do not have to navigate the trains and buses with your main large suitcase.

With Takkubin, your Nakasendo luggage transfers and access would be:

• You send your luggage from Kyoto (or from wherever you are before you start your hike) to Kiso-Fukushima. You travel by train & bus with your overnight things (and no heavy suitcase) Magome and hike to Tusmago. No access to main bag.
• Hike/travel to Kiso-Fukushimo. Access to main bag.
• Send your main bag to the destination after your hike (Tokyo or other destination such as Nara). Hike/travel to Matsumoto. No access to main bag.
• Hike to Yokokawa (or sightsee in Matsumoto). Train to Tokyo or Nara or other destination). Reunited with luggage at hotel at end of day.

Luggage option 2 - Pre-bookable through Macs Adventure

This allows you to have access to your luggage until to you get to Matsumoto, but no further. You must pre-book with Macs (Please note - Must be booked at least 22 days before travel). You will have to take your suitcase with you on the trains and buses at the start and end, which can be difficult if cumbersome.

You can combine this with a Takkubin service from Matsumoto to your final destination (Tokyo or a city of your choice). With this combination there would be only 1 night that you would not be able to access your main bags.

With daily luggage transfers, your Nakasendo luggage transfers and access would be:

• You need to take your own luggage with you on the train from Kyoto (or from wherever you come from to the start of the trail) to Nakatsugawa – where you leave your main bags at the tourist office. You then take the bus to Magome and hike to Tsumago. Access to main bags.
• Hike/Travel to Kiso-Fukushima. Access to main bags.
• Hike/Travel to Matsumoto. Access to main bags.
• You have to carry your bags from here OR use Takkubin from Matsumoto to your end destination (Tokyo). You transfer to Karuizawa. No access to main bags.
• Hike to Yokokawa (or sightsee in Matsumoto). Train to Tokyo or Nara. Reunited with luggage at hotel at end of day if you have sent your luggage by Takkubin from Matsumoto.

The route is very well waymarked, in both English and Japanese, and you'll be given detailed route notes and maps on arrival in Japan. You should have no problem following the trail.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

Wherever your Nakasendo Trail tour starts or ends, you will most likely fly into or out of Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) or Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT). Both are international gateways, so the best choice depends on which city your tour starts and finishes in.

KYOTO AND OSAKA

Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) is the best international airport for Kyoto and Osaka. West Japan Railway Company (JR West) runs trains between KIX and both cities, with timetables and route maps on its website. The Haruka Airport Express (Kansai Airport Line) takes about 75 minutes from KIX to Kyoto.

Nakasendo Trail: Kyoto to Tokyo: fly into KIX. Nakasendo Trail, Tokyo, Kyoto, Mount Koya & Nara: finish in Kyoto and fly home from KIX. Nakasendo Trail (Walk Only): fly into KIX, or see Tokyo below.

TOKYO

Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) is the best airport for tours that start or end in Tokyo.

Nakasendo Trail, Tokyo, Kyoto, Mount Koya & Nara: fly into NRT. Nakasendo Trail: Kyoto to Tokyo and Nakasendo Trail (Walk Only): both finish in Tokyo, so NRT is the best airport to fly home from.

BETWEEN KYOTO AND TOKYO

If you land in one city and your tour starts in the other, you can take an internal flight or the shinkansen (bullet train). Flying into Tokyo Narita (NRT) and taking the shinkansen to Kyoto takes about 2-3 hours.

After your Kyoto to Tokyo or Walk Only tour, you can fly home from NRT, or take the shinkansen from Tokyo back to Kyoto and on to KIX. After the Tokyo, Kyoto, Mount Koya & Nara tour, you can fly home from KIX, or take an internal flight or the shinkansen from Kyoto to NRT.

For the Walk Only tour, we recommend booking an open-jaw ticket, flying into KIX and home from Tokyo, or asking your airline about adding the internal flight.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Trip Info will give you a complete packing list.

Traditional accommodation along the trail provides robes and indoor shoes for evening wear, and outdoor shoes aren't worn inside, so you don't need to pack anything extra for evenings at your ryokan or minshuku.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport. Information is provided on how to do this when you arrive.

Because the accommodations along the Kumano Kodo are small and family-run, it's worth booking as far ahead as you can, especially around the Cherry Blossom season in spring - availability can change from one day to the next.

Check your visa requirements with your home country's foreign office or the Japanese embassy before you travel.

No, you don't need to speak Japanese to enjoy this route. Our detailed Tour Info and a little effort on your part will get you by, and most signs along the way are also in English.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation