Nakasendo Trail pt.3 – Journey through the Heart of Japan

~ Breakfast in Tsumago ~

I awoke with the birds at sunrise, beneath the warm yellow canvas of the tent, somewhere in the woodland surrounding the ancient Japanese post town of Tsumago. It had been the first night camping so far that I hadn’t woken up shivering in the night, and the quietness of the castle ruins was unreal underneath the clear stars, surrounded by mountains.

Mic, my travel partner, had a noticeable spring in his step as we began to pack up camp, and we both felt fresh and excited to complete the final (and most historical) leg of the Nakasendo Trail. Ensuring we’d left no mess or litter in the ancient countryside, we made our way into Tsumago-juku for breakfast.

Tsumago-juku was just as bustling in the early morning, with fresh tourists and hikers just arriving off the first shuttle bus from Nagiso station, bright eyed and ready to sight see. We went to a tea house, taking off our shoes at the door, and sitting down crossed-legged on the tatami mat floor next to the fire. The lady who lived there brought two strong coffees, placing them on the little table, before scurrying off back to her living room, from which we could hear the radio.

Traditional Japanese Tea Room

Suddenly, the radio program was intersected by a loud instructive voice, which was also echoing outside in the street. Mic and I looked at each other, concern crossing my mind and his face, but we couldn’t understand the words (and even if we did speak fluent Japanese, I think we’d have struggled through the fuzz and crackle), and there was no reaction from the residents.

I remembered hearing something similar in the mornings when I was living in Hakuba – at the time I put it down to the local train station, but in hindsight, it was probably too far away to hear, and I’m not sure they even made announcements. I read about the “5pm Bell”: a nickname for what is formally known as Sichoson bosai gyosei musen hoso, which is just as much of a mouthful in English – “Local government disaster administration wireless broadcast!” This is a daily test of an emergency broadcasting system, which is blasted out of old-fashioned loud speakers attached to poles in the streets, at the same time everyday. It was introduced in the late 1960s, following a deadly earthquake, and has run like clockwork ever since, with each town having it’s own broadcast, tune and time schedule. Although this is an efficient safety measure in a land of earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and potential Korean missiles, it still sends shivers down my spine, as it reminded me that for such a beautiful, kind-natured culture, it has such a dark and harrowing history, and still has so much to fear. I find it quite boggling that a country that excels in advanced technology, still uses old fashioned, traditional methods, and will continue to until they stop working. It is like something out of a futuristic, sci-fi apocalypse war movie!

Mochi Skewer (or Dango) – sweet snack made of rice starch

With this revelation, we drank our coffee, paid the lady, and went to the next shop to sit in its little ornamental garden in the morning sun, and eat beef skewers and mochi while watching the koi swim around in a pretty fish pond.

~ The Original Nakasendo ~

Leaving Tsumago-juku on the Nakasendo

The Kanji symbols for Nakasendo literally translate as 中 = central; 山 = mountain; 道 = route. Following the roaring river out of Tsumago, we passed through more Edo style villages, fully inhabited, with pretty gardens making use of the water flow in many creative and useful ways. Some had little fish farms in their gardens, and there were quirky, homemade water features incorporating the ancient stream, along with more original, wooden water wheels.

Original Nakasendo Way

Climbing into the mountains towards the river’s source, we began the ascent up the original cobbled path into the forest. Part way up the incredibly steep incline, we came across an Ishibotoke – a ‘rest-in-peace pagoda’ dedicated to the black cattle that used to carry the merchants’ heavy loads up the steep hills of the Nakasendo. And here we were lugging our own heavy packs!

~ Bear Bells ~

First Bear Bell

Every few hundred metres you come across a bell at the side of the path – these are bear bells – you are supposed to ring them to scare off any nearby bears… (apparently there are brown bears, and black grizzly bears in Japan, and all reliable sources confirm this… but I’m still skeptical!) I counted 12 bear bells between Tsumago and Magome, which are fun to ring loudly and deafen your fellow hikers!

~ Odaki & Medaki Waterfalls ~

Odaki Waterfall

On the border between Nagano and Gifu, a little road takes you down towards the roaring sound of the Odaki and Medaki waterfalls. Legend has it that the larger, more impressive fall is male, and the serene and modest one is female. It is said that travellers in the Edo era would bathe in the falls for good fortune before continuing their journey to the next post town. This was a beautiful place to pause and take in the nature, especially as we were lucky enough to get a moment without any other tourists. The light beams through the woodland, while birds twitter somewhere above, to the sound of rushing, bubbling water, trickling over rocks and swirling into the river.

Medaki Waterfall

Soon we came to an ancient rest house, with a 200 year old weeping cherry blossom beside it. As I stood admiring the beautiful drooping blooms, an old man wearing traditional robes and a rice farmer’s hat invited us into his traditional house, which was open to the public. He was giving out free Ocha tea for tourists hiking the Nakasendo.

We welcomed the break, and the opportunity to get out of the scorching valley sun for ten minutes, and sat down enjoying the refreshment, chatting with some fellow English and Aussie travellers who were doing the route in the opposite direction. They warned us of a big climb to come, and they weren’t lying!

Pouring Ocha in the Traditional Rest House

The hike up to the ridge continues along the original cobbles, which are rugged and warn, and don’t necessarily make the trek any easier on your feet. The path follows through thick, ancient woodland, with enormous trees, some of them protected and even worshipped. The river still flows down in the opposite direction beside the path, babbling rockery and green moss bringing music and colour to the scene.

Following the River

~ Magome-juku ~

Following the long road winding down from the ridge, we finally reached the iconic post town of Magome-juku, with its dramatic mountain backdrop. The little winding street etches down the hill; paved with wooden buildings either side, trees and flowers decorating the edges, and between houses, you can look down over crops and rice paddies, Mt. Ena looming impressively over the scenery. To me, Magome appeared slightly more modern than Tsumago, which could be due to its location – closer to the main highway, and only a short drive from Nakatsugawa, therefore easily accessible and closer to modern civilization.

Magome-juku

We followed our noses towards a tantalising smell coming out of a busy restaurant. The board outside boasted of ‘Chef’s Special Hot Curry Soba’, and we were sold! Taking our shoes off (gladly, and a little self-consciously) we sat down on the tatami mats and ordered two well-earned beers, and Mic finally got his Soba noodles!

Mt. Ena

After basking in the sun and making use of the local wifi -researching where to camp and browsing the local shops, we bought a couple of deliciously malty, local dark beers – Kisoji Beer – and cracked them open for our final hike of the day. There was a river with an onsen complex down in the valley, about an hour away on foot. The walk was pleasant, following along the Old Nakasendo, which has been converted into the main highway, carving through the stunning Ena-Yama mountains, the evening heat reaching 24 degrees celsius. We came to the small village of Misaka on the Ochiai River, about a 20 minute drive from Nakatsugawa, where we set up camp on the river bank, and spent our evening relaxing in the onsen of the nearby ‘Kua Resort Yuzawa’ complex.

~ The Shinkansen Bullet Train ~

The following morning was bright and warm once again, and we were able to catch the free shuttle bus from the ‘Kua Resort Yuzawa’ complex to Nakatsugawa Station. From here we caught a train to Nagoya: Chubu region’s largest city, where the sun was unbearable, and we realised it was time to change out of our winter attire for good, and dig out the summer clothes from the bottom of our backpacks!

Shinkansen Ticket – Nagoya

Nagoya station is an underground network of ticket machines and passages leading to various platforms. Mic and I joked about catching the Shinkansen – the Japanese Bullet Train – and then both realised there was nothing actually stopping us! But where to? We knew we wanted to head for Kyoto, and it was the cheapest and quickest route from Nagoya, so we went to the nearest ticket machine and bought two tickets. Only, they weren’t complete tickets. We couldn’t get through the barrier; the train was going to leave without us! So, to prevent a terrible Harry Potter parody, Mic went straight to the ticket office to sort it out.

If you are buying a ticket for the Shinkansen, and aren’t machine savvy, I’d recommend cutting out the moment of panic, and going straight to the ticket office, as they are usually English speaking and very helpful.

Notably, the Shinkansen is definitely the more luxurious way to travel, with our short trip costing 6,000yen each – that’s £42 at the current exchange rate.

At 200mph, the Japanese Bullet Train pushes you into the back of your seat, and blurs your eyes as it accelerates across the country. It is incredibly smooth for something so fast, and the journey from Nagoya to Kyoto only takes 30 minutes. That’s 84 miles, the equivalent to a 2 hour drive, past towns and mountains and the south side of Lake Biwa.

We were soon arriving in Kyoto, at the end of the Nakasendo, where Gerry, Cam and Zac were already staying. After quickly finding a very reasonable Air BnB, it was time to reunite with our friends and compare our stories of tough climbs and freezing nights in tents, before falling asleep in a comfortable bed above the warm glow of down town Kyoto.

Jun 17

Nakasendo Trail pt.2 – Walking the Way of the Water Wheels

Have you ever woken up with a layer of ice on the inside of your tent? It had been another below-freezing night on the Yabuhara river bank, deep in the Kiso Valley in the heart of Japan, and even our sleeping bags were a tad frosty. But we’d slept, and after completing the first leg of the Nakasendo Trail the day before, I don’t think anything would have prevented sleep. The ‘samui’ (cold) nights we’d experienced while camping so far weren’t letting up, but at least the day temperatures were reaching the high-teens.

Frosty Lodgings

~ Breakfast of Champions ~

After thawing out the tent in the rising heat of the morning sun, my travel companion Mic and I washed and drank from the river, packed our backpacks and set off to the nearby Yabuhara train station. Breakfast was a great and unexpected find. I’d remembered seeing a sign in a window for fresh bakes the night before, (Japan has really mastered the art of delicious pastries) and we headed back there on the off-chance it was open. It was, but when we stepped inside, it seemed to be a craft shop, selling unique, handmade trinkets, but no food. We were just about to leave, when I noticed it was connected to what looked like a community centre, where a group of ladies were sitting around a large table doing an origami workshop. They all cheerfully called, “Konnichiwa” as we edged in, spotting a stand at the side of the room, covered in fresh breads and pastries, and also coffee! We paid and took our bag of loot, and our coffee in paper cups, the origami ladies waving goodbye as we left, and ate the lot while waiting for our train.

Breakfast of Champions

~ Nagiso ~

A 50min train ride through pictoresque scenery; window seats; a kindle in Mic’s lap, a notebook in mine, we enjoyed the opportunity of soft chairs, prior to embarking on the second leg of our hike, from Nagiso to Tsumago-juku.

Nagiso was another sleepy little town, a little more equipped for passing hikers and tourists, with a handful of little shops and cafes by the station, their keepers perched outside on fold up chairs, watching the world go by. This is the base for most tourist companies running shuttles between Tsumago and Magome – the two most touristic Post Towns on the Nakasendo Trail, which book-end the last remaining original part of the ancient road. It is also a starting point to the old Nakasendo Pass, which follows closely where the original road would have led to Tsumago – this is what we were doing.

~ Nakasendo ~

We bought lunch in a local grocery store, repacked our backpacks, ensuring the weight was evenly distributed, and began the trek. The Nakasendo Pass to Tsumago begins just metres away from Nagiso station, and ascends beside the river, past a mini shrine on the left, and an old steam engine on the right. Blue skies added enhanced colour to our beautiful surroundings, with the river and gorge fading off into the distance behind us, and the temperature was rising, so we were soon changing into our shorts.

This part of the trail joins up with a country lane, passing through rural residential areas. The incline is small compared to the Torii Pass between Narai and Yabuhara, and the scenery is less dramatic, more serene, with pretty farmland and hills. We passed hillside shrines, which reminded me of the tiny worship houses built into the Catalonian mountains of Spain, and small villages with the authentic Edo era wooden houses, and wooden water wheels turning.

A Working Water Wheel

Every now and then, between the farms and old villages, we’d pass a great big modern new-build, with lots of land and fancy cars parked on the drive, in contrast to the ancient history etched into the landscape. A few cherry and plum blossoms were already in full bloom, dappling pink sunlight on the grass below, and teasing at what the following few weeks in Japan had to offer.

Early Cherry Blossoms

~ Tsumago-jo Castle ~

We reached a fork in the road; the right leading up hill to Tsumago-jo Castle remains, the left leading to Tsumago-juku. Leaving our backpacks trustingly against the sign post, we took the right-hand fork, up a steep incline, passing through dense bamboo forest, from which a wooden bridge once connected the castle grounds, and is now filled with earth. The sound of the birds twittering and echoing through the bamboo was incredible, and Mic was forced to patiently endure my excitement about being in my first bamboo forest! Not another human in sight; just endless bamboo, quietly creaking and making the light fresh and green.

Filled-in-bridge curving round the bamboo forest

We passed the place where the ‘Hori-Kiri’ (moat) once was, and up through the woodland past the ‘Obi Kuru Wa’ (defensive stone wall). The top of the mount was a large, circular plateau, with big rune stones strewn about, commemorating the wooden, Edo era castle that once stood there. It offered 360degree mountain views, leading our eyes down through the valley, with Tsumago-juku ahead. Behind us lay the Central Alps, snow peaks bright in the afternoon sun.

Kiso Valley & Central Alps, from Tsumago-jo ruins

Back down to the road, we collected our backpacks and descended to the little post town of Tsumago-juku – soon to be my favourite place on the Nakasendo Trail.

~ Tsumago-juku ~

Entering Tsumago-juku

Turning the corner leading down along the narrow road, following the stream on the left, and the classic Edo era wooden houses along the right, the view zigzags down the valley before you.

Tsumago Water Wheel

A wooden water wheel turns, splashing the stream part way down, while miniature ornamental gardens decorate the courtyards, with flora and forna filling each available space between. The green mountains surrounding the post town create a lush frame for the picture-perfect foreground.

Ornamental Courtyard

Tsumago was the 42nd of 69 post towns on the original Nakasendo between Kyoto and Tokyo, and is now one of the best preserved Edo era post towns, and a popular tourist destination. You can reach Tsumago by travelling to Nagiso on the Chuo Main Line railway, and catching one of the shuttle buses, or hiking the old Nakasendo. Ironically, it was the building of this railway line that caused Tsumago to fall into poverty, until it was revamped for tourism in the 1970s. I think the best thing about this town is that even though it thrives purely on tourism, none of it is staged. Tsumago is fully inhabited, and therefore completely authentic, as the locals you meet selling their goods actually do live there, and make their living by making and selling traditional products to travellers, just as they would have in the Edo era.

Tsumago-juku

There are lots of Ryokan guest houses in Tsumago, where you can get the full experience, with tatami mat rooms, onsens, and traditional meals. You can also get your luggage shuttled between towns, so you can enjoy a leisurely hike, but if like us, you enjoy a challenge and want to save a bit of money, I’d fully recommend going off the grid!

Tsumago-juku

A beautiful afternoon was spent wandering up and down, exploring the shops with different foods, coffee and tea houses, groceries stores, souvenirs, and of course, bottle shops filled with expensive sake. Beside the last house at the very end of the town, where the road continues onwards along the Nakasendo towards Magome, there is a life-size straw horse, apparently a symbol for good fortune, which is the first thing you’d see if you’re walking to Tsumago from Magome, as most people do.

Straw Horse for Good Fortune

Another little statue we began to notice outside a lot of buildings was the Tanuki – a sort of raccoon – wearing a straw hat and a dappy smile. They seemed to be outside all the ryokans and restaurants, so we guessed they were a symbol of hospitality, and once you notice them, you realise they’re everywhere! On some research I’ve discovered that they were originally Chinese evil spirits; shape shifters and tricksters. The Japanese, with their imaginative compassion, adapted this folklore, and the Tanuki is seen as benevolent and cheeky: a welcoming and wealth-bringing icon.

Tanuki

With the evening sun turning the wooden houses red, and the shadows growing long on the ground, our stomachs were beginning to rumble. Once again, there was no place in Tsumago to pitch a tent, and a last minute ryokan would have cost the earth, so we decided to back track a little way. We passed an old chap wearing a woven hat, and selling something from authentic bamboo steamers with delicious aromas coming out. Steamed buns! We purchased six with different fillings, which he wrapped in bamboo paper and bid us farewell with a smile, and we hiked back up towards Tsumago-jo ruins.

Traveller’s Supper

~ Camping in the Castle Ruins ~

The sun was setting, painting the valley with vivid colour, and we ate our steamed buns while they were still hot and delicious – my favourite had a walnut filling; Mic’s was eggplant. We pitched the tent on some nearby scrubland with valley views – previous campers had used this spot, and their was a ready-made fire pit. The sun set, and the flames rose, and the temperature didn’t drop! Finally, spring breathed in the night sky, and it was going to be the first comfortable night’s sleep in a long time.

Jaimie's Travels

Photographic travel journals from first hand experience

Tag Archives: nakasendo

Nakasendo Trail pt.3 – Journey through the Heart of Japan

Nakasendo Trail pt.2 – Walking the Way of the Water Wheels