Nakasendo Walking Trail

If the Kumano Kodo trail was all about creating a spiritual route through the mountains, this Nakasendo Trail was more about creating a feudal one. At over 500km long, it was established in the 17th century to give feudal lords, samurai and merchants access between Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo) as the powers were being transferred from one to the other. The name refers to the topography of route, and translates literally as ‘central mountain route’. There are 69 ‘post towns’ or resting places en route, where you can stay in traditional ryokan inns, bathe in hot springs, and bask in mountain magnificence. Most vacations here cover small, easy sections, linking them with train journeys rather than taking on the whole thing.

There are some long days on this walking vacation, but usually well balanced out with shorter ones the next day. Such as the 18km from the post town of Tsumago to Nojiri, where you meet a train to take you to your bed for the night at nearby Kiso-Fukushima, complete with hot springs. Then the next day is only a 7km hike over the Torii Pass to Narai. This was traditionally the halfway point along the trail and the place where travelers’ documents were inspected and security measures put in place, to ensure that there were no revolts or insurrections planned against the feudal regime. Narai, the post town known as the ‘town of a thousand houses’ is a wonderful place to spend a day delving into the Nakasendo Trail’s history.

You can hike along the Nakasendo Trail throughout the year, although one of the most underrated times to do so is in winter when the trails are quiet, the air is crisp and skies are blue, and the traditional villages are beyond picture postcard pretty, dusted in snow. With expert local guides you can go winter walking or snowshoeing along the marked ways, and end your day simmering in a steaming thermal bath, with snowflakes falling all around.