Winter Explorations through the Kiso Valley

The Kiso Valley is open to travelers throughout the year, with spring and summer being the most popular times to visit. Popularity during spring is of course because of the cherry blossom, and the summer because the climate is a lot cooler than other major places like Tokyo and Kyoto. Our favorite time of year to explore the Kiso Valley though, is in fact during winter, when the crowds are almost non-existent. This allows for a much more authentic experience, it’s just you and the beautiful surroundings of old Japan – no groups of tourists being herded from location to location, no selfie stick wielding teenagers looking for the ultimate selfie spot and very few families, as the kids are all at school!
Not only that, but if you’re lucky enough to catch some fresh snowfall during your visit you will witness breathtaking scenes that make for some of the best photography on any trip to Japan. With that being said, in the article we will introduce you to the towns of Narai, Tsumago and Magome (traveling north to south), and show you what you can expect during a winter trip to the area.

NOTE: Yes, this is a mountainous area and Nagano is generally considered one of the best regions in Japan for snowfall, but the Kiso Valley is fairly far south in the prefecture and can sometimes go entire winters with only one or two days of snowfall. Having said that, on average there’s a fairly good chance of snowfall during the months of December, January and February.

The town of Narai marked the halfway point between Kyoto and Tokyo for travelers along the Nakasendo Route. It was a town of great prosperity, crammed with a large number of rest houses and local merchant’s quarters. The long walk down Narai’s main strip will allow you to see a number of very well restored houses, as well as a handful of souvenir shops, restaurants and a total of five temples and shrines. There are also a couple of buildings that have been turned into low-key museums showing how life was inside a typical residence in Narai during the Edo period.

The main road through Narai is almost completely deserted during the winter months, compared to the summer when it is filled with tourists, shoppers and families

A wholesaler in Narai that has managed to maintain an atmosphere of Edo period Japan while continuing to do business in the 21st century

A wholesaler in Narai that has managed to maintain an atmosphere of Edo period Japan while continuing to do business in the 21st century

Tsumago is known today as one of the best-preserved towns in all of Japan. Its residents and local authorities have gone to great lengths to ensure the atmosphere and buildings closely resemble how the town looked during the Edo period, when the Nakasendo was at its busiest. Cars are restricted along the main street and power cables have been hidden underground, leaving little sign of modern life on display while wondering through the town.
The two main Inns during the Edo period, the Honjin and Wakihonjin, have both been carefully preserved as well allowing you to see where government officials and other people of status would have stayed while traversing the Nakasendo on foot.
The Wakihonjin in particular is a great place to visit during the winter months, when the sun sits low in the sky and floods the main room with its rays during the middle of the day, creating a majestic atmosphere that stuns anybody you witnesses it.

Looking down on Tsumago’s main street on a cold January morning

The wooden signpost of a traditional Japanese inn in the town of Tsumago

The wooden signpost of a traditional Japanese inn in the town of Tsumago

Our final destination along the Kiso Vally is the post town of Magome, which is located roughly 8 kilometers from Tsumago. There are buses that connect the two towns, but we highly recommend opting to hike between the two using the old Nakasendo route, which has been well maintained and makes for a great activity. It takes around 2-3 hours to complete and has various things along the way to see including (more) traditional inns, a teahouse and a couple of waterfalls.

The hike from Tsumago to Magome takes you through a series of forested areas, bamboo groves and along beautiful scenic pathways

The total route is approximately 8 kilometers

There are traditional inns dotted sporadically along the route, most of them are closer to the Tsumago end

Our final destination is the town of Magome, which is technically in Gifu Prefecture, not Nagano, as it sits just a stones throw across the border.
Magome has been beautifully restored with a lovely stone walkway that runs through the entirety of the town. Both sides of the walkway are lined with a number of shops, eateries and of course traditional Japanese inns. The preservation efforts have been masterfully executed, with serious attention having been paid to the smallest of details, giving Magome a cleaner and more polished ambience compared to the neighboring town of Tsumago.
A backdrop of Japan’s Southern Alps in the greater Gifu area add another layer of beauty to the town and also allow for some lovely photographing from the higher vantage points, especially if they are snowcapped in the winter.

A well maintained stone path leads you through the town of Magome

The buildings throughout the town have been beautifully preserved

Magome has many more commercial businesses than Tsumago and Narai, but has managed to keep a pleasant atmosphere of old Japan without much of a commercial feel