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Discover Authentic Japan in Tsumago & Magome, Nakasendo

Visitors stroll around the traditional wooden-house street in Tsumago-juku

Gifu Private Tour - Waki-honjin was used to be a big inn for special travelers including the emperor. It is open for visitors to walk through rooms and japanese gardens seeing many antique goods.

Waki-honjin was used to be a big inn for special travelers including the emperor. It is open for visitors to walk through rooms and japanese gardens seeing many antique goods.

Gifu Private Tour - Family dining room in Waki-honkin. The morning-sunlight from the high-side-windows is making an excellent atmosphere in the old wooden house.

Family dining room in Waki-honkin. The morning-sunlight from the high-side-windows is making an excellent atmosphere in the old wooden house.

Gifu Private Tour - A female member of staff is explaining the record relating to the short stay of the Meiji emperor in English, which was written on the back of the table.

A female member of staff is explaining the record relating to the short stay of the Meiji emperor in English, which was written on the back of the table.

Guests are enjoying eating lunch; Hoobamiso, Goheimoch and Miso-soup.

A variety of local handmade goods are sold in a part of the veranda of a house.

You can easily walk through the properly paved highway to the next post-town.

Two waterfalls along the highway are nice view points for a short break.

Gifu Private Tour - Travellers take rest in the old cottage located in the middle of mountains along Nakasendo. They are enjoying chatting with other parties. They are served tea and sweets free by volunteer staff members.

Travellers take rest in the old cottage located in the middle of mountains along Nakasendo. They are enjoying chatting with other parties. They are served tea and sweets free by volunteer staff members.

The next post town, Magome-juku consists of many shops, restaurants museums and inns.

Magome-juku is a uniquely built-up post town along a slope.

Discover Authentic Japan in Tsumago & Magome, Nakasendo

Day Trip

Joined 2015

Tetsuji Y.

4.91 / 5

(55 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

Gifu

Japanese (Native), English

9 hours

Private tour (only you and Tetsuji Y.)

Up to 6 people

You hike an old highway Nakasendo strolling through two post-towns. Magome & Tsumago. Strolling around well-preserved popular post towns takes you back to nostalgic Japan. The moment you enter these towns, you will feel as if you are in a time warp back in the Edo period, where local people spend their daily lives as well as welcoming tourists, preserving buildings and the landscape. You also enjoy hiking an old trekking route through mountains.

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

08:00 AM

Meeting Point

At the hotel

- After arriving at the JR Nagoya station, guests buy tickets for both guests and guide.

09:00 AM

JR Nagoya station

You leave Nagoya by the limited express SHINANO No.5 arriving at Nakataugawa at 9:50.

10:30 AM

Magome-juku

Walk through Magome-juku and enjoy having a nice view from the observation point.

12:00 PM

Magome Mountain Pass

The pass is the highest point in the hiking route and you could take a short break.

12:20 PM

Ichikoku-shirakiaratame-bansho-ato(old checking point)

You could have a short break in the old farmer's house which was used to be a checking point of travelers..

12:50 PM

Male and Female Waterfall

This is an oasis with a romantic episode about a legendary sword-master Miyamoto Musashi.

02:10 PM

Tsumago-juku

After late lunch break, visitors stroll around a traditional town and see a nostalgic townscape which consists of wooden houses. Wakihonjin-Okuya is one of the typical buildings in which the Meiji emperor stayed. It is open for everyone to visit and enjoy walking through rooms and seeing valuable antique goods, while listening to a detailed explanation by a local guide in English.

03:30 PM

JR Nagiso station

You leave Nagiso station by Shinano No.15 at 15:56

05:00 PM

JR Nagoya station

Ending Point

At JR Nagoya Station

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

guide fee

hotel pick-up

What‘s not included

transportation fee about 7000yen/person (you and guide),

lunch about 2000yen/person (you and guide)

entrance fee 400yen/person for you

*It will cost about 10000yen/person in total.

Tour Important Information

As this hiking tour is moving through mountain path, we might have to change the itinerary or transportation depending on the conditions of weather;

Tsumago-juku is one of the traditional post-towns of the Nakasendo highway. In the 1960s, this small town was on the verge of deterioration and about to lose its unique features because of development in the wake of modernization. However, it revived through citizen’s preservation movement and was designated as one of the Important Traditional Buildings Preservation Areas by the government.

When you feel hungry or thirsty, some cozy restaurants and sweet shops will satisfy your appetite. My recommendations are Gohei-mochi with green tea or handmade buckwheat noodles, Soba, with Sake. Gohei-mochi is a soft rise-cake with sweet soy-bean paste. You might get hooked on its simple and delicious taste that you’ve never experienced before.

Important message from the supplier

I can guide in Kyoto in case you support transportation fee.

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time

Joined 2015

Tetsuji Y.

4.91 / 5

(55 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Tetsuji Y.

Hello everyone. I am Tetsuji. I worked as a public servant in the local government for 35 years. I belonged to the department of Redevelopment, Town-Landscaping, Preserving historical areas and Architectural Guidance. (I have a national 1st-class architect license.) I devoted myself to revitalizing the city by making plans and improving infrastructure for citizens.

Gifu is located in central Japan near Nagoya. As just being the crossroads of the West and the East, there are many unique attractions that are hard to discover in hectic big cities like Tokyo or Kyoto. I had a hand in restoring and preserving some of them throughout my career and want to introduce them to tourists from abroad. That’s why I became a guide-interpreter in Gifu.

I also enjoyed traveling around the world. My favorite part of each trip was walking around the city and talking with local residents. Traveling has taught me lots of things during my lifetime. Now, I would like to help others have similar experience in Japan. Shall we enjoy fantastic journey in Gifu?

Reviews

Ian B.

5 / 5

Sep 9, 2025

One-day-tour of Shirakawa-go

Sep 9, 2025

Shirakawago

6 hours 30 mins

“Enjoyable day in Shirakawago”

We very much enjoyed our day with Tetsuji. He guided us around the village and booked an excellent local restaurant for lunch. A fun and interesting day. Tetsuji’s English is good and we had pleasant conversation with him.

Tetsuji Y.

I also had a very happy time with you and your family. I am thankful to you for listening to my explanation with careful attention all the time. Now, I am happy again to get an excellent appraisal. I hope that you will enjoy traveling Japan to your heart's extent.

Aimee V.

5 / 5

Aug 31, 2025

One-day-tour of Mino & Seki, with watching Cormorant fishing in Nagaragawa river in Gifu

Discover Authentic Japan in Tsumago & Magome, Nakasendo

Itinerary

Want to personalize this tour?

Inclusions & Exclusions

Tour Important Information

Important message from the supplier

Cancellation Policy

About Tour Guide Tetsuji Y.

Reviews