5 Days Nakasendo Kamikochi Hiking Tour (Easy, Self-Guided)

Konnichiwa(こんにちは)！Welcome to Central Japan! This region is sandwiched between bustling Kanto (Tokyo) and Kansai (Kyoto and Osaka), but is famous for its traditional towns, villages, and stunning Alpine natural scenery.

We provide accommodation in Nagoya. Upon your arrival at Nagoya's Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) or Nagoya Station, you can head to your hotel to check in. Have a rest and you will have a healing central Japan hiking tour.

Free Time Idea:

If you have free time, consider a self-guided food tour in Nagoya. Miso Katsu (fried pork cutlet with miso sauce), Hitsumabushi (grilled eel served three ways), and Nagoya-style fried chicken wings are top choices among locals.

Alternatively, head to Midland Square, the tallest building in Central Japan. From the 46th floor, you can admire the shining night cityscape. You'll be captivated by city lights twinkling like stars on the ground.

Today, you will start classic Nakasendo trail tour from Magome to Tsumago.

We offer train tickets from Nagoya to Nakatsugawa. After a 1.3-hour train ride, you can take a bus to Magomejuku, the entrance to the Edo period Nakasendo Trail. This trail is about 530 kilometers (330 miles) long, it connected Tokyo and Kyoto, crossing mountains and basins in Central Japan. It was one of the main land routes used by ancient travelers, merchants, samurai, and daimyos. You'll hike the popular Magome-Tsumago section, a trail that is suitable for most visitors.

Hiking Distance: 8.3 kilometers (5.2 miles)

Duration: about 3 hours

Elevation Gain: 170 meters (558 feet)

Highest Point: 790 meters (2,592 feet)

Starting in Magome, you can walk along the one-kilometer-long main street, which has charming old houses and small shops. You will also see historical sites like Shimasaki Toson Memorial Museum and old shrines.

Follow the clear signs that guide you across streams and through forests to the Magome Pass. On the trail, you'll discover ancient stone markers, thatched teahouse ruins, traveler’s guardian god and old bridges.

Your destination, Tsumago, is Japan’s first fully preserved post station. Here, you can visit the ruins of a feudal lord’s inn before enjoying a bowl of soba noodles to recharge.

After hiking, you can take a 9-minute bus from Tsumago to Nagiso. Then, transfer to a 1.5-hour train from Nagiso to Matsumoto. (We offer train tickets.) Head to well-planned Matsumoto hotel for check-in.

Note: If you want more challenging hike, we can customize your tour to be longer than 3 hours, with stops at Nojiri and Narai, or a multi-day journey stretching from Magome to Kiso-Hirasawa. Contact us to design a custom itinerary with our many trail routes.

Today, you will visit the must-see castle in Matsumoto, then start hiking in Kamikochi. Stay overnight in Takayama.

After breakfast, visit Matsumoto Castle. It is a National Treasure of Japan and a must-visit to experience the architectural style of Japan's Warring States period. Built between 1592 and 1614, its black exterior appears majestic and solemn, earning it the local nickname "Crow Castle." It is unique for sharing, with the famous Himeji Castle, the rare "five-storied, six-leveled keep" structure—appearing five stories from the outside, but having six internal floors.

You can enter castle's main keep and climb its steep wooden stairs, encountering wartime features such as trap doors, armor, and robust construction along the way. At the top, enjoy panoramic views of Matsumoto Castle Park, the city, and surrounding mountains. Stand where feudal lords once surveyed their domains—the peak of power in ancient Japan. (P.S. Please climb carefully.) In spring, the castle becomes a prime spot for cherry blossom viewing, with the park and moat lined with blooming sakura trees.

Next, your journey takes you to Kamikochi, the official gateway to the Japanese Alps and a revered destination for hikers and nature lovers. With distant views of snow-capped peaks, lush forests, and crystal-clear green lakes, it is a true magnet for travelers.

We offer train ticket from Matsumoto Station to Shin-Shimashima Station. (about 30 min) Then, you can transfer to bus from Shin-shimashima Station to Kamikochi. (about 60 min)

Choose between three hiking routes based on your preference.

Route 1: Taisho Pond->Tashiro Pond->Kappa Bridge->Myojin Pond (9.6km, half day)

This route is ideal for people who enjoy deep hiking and have good stamina.

Start at Taisho Pond, a volcanic lake known for its mirror-like reflections, then admire the unique shallow wetlands of Tashiro Pond. Continue on to the iconic Kappa Bridge, a wooden suspension bridge with magnificent views of the Hotaka mountain range. Travelers love to stay here to enjoy the mountains, the drifting clouds, and the emerald river. Finally, a forest path leads you to the sacred Myojin Pond, a peaceful lake embraced by a lush forest and shrine.

Route 2: Taisho Pond->Tashiro Pond->Kappa Bridge (4.1km, 2 hours)

A quick, flat stroll for those short on time.

Route 3: Kappa Bridge->Myojin Pond->Kappa Bridge (5.8km, 3 hours)

A peaceful, uphill walk for a tranquil experience.

After the hiking, take bus from Kamikochi Bus Terminal to Takayama for hotel check-in. (1.5 hours, transfer at Hirayu Onsen)

Note: Kamikochi is closed from mid-November to mid-April.

Spend most of the day exploring Takayama to experience traditional Japanese town.

Start your morning at 300-year-old Miyagawa Morning Market, one of Japan's three great morning markets. Join locals as they begin their day. This traditional market stretches for about 350 meters along the riverside, featuring over 60 stalls. It's hard to attend this kind of traditional Japanese markets as many others gradually disappear. You can leisurely browse local fruits and vegetables, pickles, crafts, and snacks. Feel the warmth and vibrancy!

Next, 7 minutes walk to Sanmachi Suji District, heart of Little Kyoto in Takayama. It is the city's most iconic historic district. Its three ancient streets—Ichinomachi, Ninomachi, and Sannomachi—have preserved the essence of the Edo to Meiji periods. As you stroll, you'll admire buildings that still retain their original charm: black wooden exteriors, lattice windows, and noren curtains hanging under the eaves.

Take your time to wander and savor Hida beef (Self Pay), which melts in your mouth and rivals Kobe. Sake breweries, sweet shops, and more to check. This area isn't crowded. The ordinary people have lived here for generations. With blue sky overhead and black wooden houses below, you'll be gazing at the same timeless scenery as ancient Japanese people.

Then, 4 minutes walk to Takayama Jinya, the only surviving Edo-period magistrate's office in Japan. Established in 1615, this former Tokugawa Shogunate administrative center for Hida integrated offices, storehouses, a courtroom, and courtyards. Get inside, it's fascinating to observe the wooden structures, bamboo torture instruments, and even exposed nails crafted into rabbit patterns.

After that, we offer train ticket back to Nagoya from Takayama (2.5 hours). Make your way to hotel and check in.

This is the final day of your 5 Day Nakasendo Kamikochi Hiking Tour. After breakfast, you may proceed to Nagoya Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) or Nagoya Station for your next destination on your own.

Extend Your Central Japan Tour to Other Destination: Take a Shinkansen to Tokyo (2.5h), Kyoto (34 minutes), and Osaka (49 minutes).

We, Asia Odyssey Travel, are so glad to accompany you for 5 Day Nakasendo Kamikochi Hiking Tour, and are always prepared to design your destination in Asia. See you again!