Hiking step between Matsumoto and Tsumago

Hello,

I'm planning to travel from Matsumoto to Tsumago to hike to Magome. Is it reasonable to leave early in the morning from Matsumoto by train, stop in Narai for a stroll (knowing we'll have our big backpacks, I hope there's a luggage locker at the station), and then continue to Tsumago to do the hike to Magome?

Or is it better to stop and sleep halfway in Kiso-Fukushima? (I looked for accommodations in Narai but couldn't find any.)

Thanks in advance for your advice.

A big backpack seems like a real handicap. It might be better to do a round trip from Matsumoto (or Nagoya) unless you find good accommodation in Nakatsugawa. As mentioned elsewhere, almost all trains in the Kiso Valley are express and don’t stop at Nagiso (for Tsumago) but at Nakatsugawa, where you can take buses to Magome. You should also consider which direction you want to hike (uphill, downhill, or a round trip, e.g., from Magome).

Hi there, jumping in on the discussion! I was wondering if it’s possible to start the hike on foot from Nakatsugawa station to Tsumago? We’d take the bus or train back to the starting point, Nakatsugawa.

Yeah, it's possible, but I'm not sure it's really worth it—you might end up walking along the road... Otherwise, walking to Nagiso is possible too.

We should check on a detailed map how many extra kilometers this adds TO THE HIKE. And also see what the access paths are like. I’ll look in my road atlas unless we find a good description online. We should also check the bus schedules for Magome and Tsuwano in relation to Nakatsugawa. But, as I already mentioned, very few trains stop at Nagiso, even though it’s the closest to Tsuwano.

Looking at a detailed zoomable map ( https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Nakatsugawa#eim=CAEQDBoSMzUuNDg3NDczNDAwMDAwMDA2IhIxMzcuNTAwNjI4Njk5OTk5OTY)

it turns out that Magome and Tsuwano are actually between Nakatsugawa and Nagiso. So there’s no need to head to Nagiso just to catch a train. The best plan is to base everything in Nakatsugawa and use the existing buses. But trying to do everything on foot seems a bit much.

from what I remember, I arrived in Nakatsugawa by train and took a bus to Magome. I stayed overnight in Magome, then hiked to Tsumago. In Tsumago, I took a bus to Nagiso, and from there a train to Nakatsugawa, Nagano... quite a long day

Thanks everyone for your replies. It’s planned for mid-July 2025.

Thanks for your tips. I was thinking of staying in Tsumago or Magome to enjoy the village atmosphere without the crowds, since these places seem to be really popular!

Yeah, it gets pretty crowded during the day. It's really nice to rediscover the village when the crowds have left or early in the morning. I was at Magoma Chaya—it’s great, halfway up the alley, with good meals.

I looked for accommodations in Narai but couldn’t find any In Narai, for example, there’s the minshuku Shimada... really nice. Have a great trip

Hi,

Thanks for the tip. Is the small town of Narai worth spending the night in?

Hi there, I’d like to invite you to take a look at my 2013 travel journal that might answer your questions: https://voyageforum.com/forum/21-jours-japon-entre-mer-montagnes-traditions-d5872344-2/ I think I was asking the same questions back then.