Nakasendo Trail Walk: A Classic Japan Tour (14 Days Tour)

Tokyo – The City Is Your Oyster

Tokyo is a city of many faces. Walk only a half-mile in any direction and you may encounter ultra-modern skyscrapers, peaceful parks, or centuries-old shrines. From Tokyo’s highest observation deck at the Tokyo Skytree, you can see nearly 50 miles in every direction. The city seems to extend to infinity. If the weather is just right, you look to the west and discover the outline of the magnificent Mt. Fuji.

On the ground, Tokyo is a city that never stops.

Every minute, thousands of commuters pass through the famous Scramble Crossing just outside Shibuya Station. At night, the city is soaked in neon coming from the innumerable number of advertisements hanging overhead.

As you tour the city, finding delicious food is easy. For sushi lovers, the kaiten, or conveyer belt, sushi restaurants just outside Ueno Station are a treat, especially when the chefs pile on fresh plates during the lunch rush. Or stop for a bowl of noodles at one of the city’s innumerable ramen, soba, or udon restaurants. Perfect for an on-the-go traveler such as yourself, these hearty meals provide sufficient calories so you can explore Tokyo to its fullest. For fine dining, Tokyo is home to more Michelin star restaurants than any other city on Earth.

What’s Included: breakfast, accommodation.

Matsumoto to Narai – Life Behind Castle Walls

After a traditional Japanese breakfast at your ryokan, you depart by train to Matsumoto. In Matsumoto, you tour Matsumoto Castle, one of the finest example of Edo Period (1603-1868) architecture in Japan. If traveling during the hanami, or cherry blossom viewing season in mid-spring, the castle grounds are some of the best places to view the blooming cherry blossoms.

After lunch, you board a bus for Narai. During the Edo Period, Narai was one of the many post towns on the Nakasendo Trail. Travelers walking between Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo) rested at post towns during their journey. As Narai was the halfway point between Kyoto and Edo, it was one of the wealthiest villages in Japan. As you walk the preserved streets, the mountains that make up Japan’s backbone tower in the distance.

Your hotel this evening is a treat, a renovated Edo Period home. Besides containing all modern amenities, everything in your room is unique to the time period. This evening dinner is served in your room and features meat and vegetables from the surrounding Kiso Valley. As you fall asleep underneath your futon, you join the grand tradition of travelers making their way through Narai.

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer, dinner, accommodation.

Takayama – Delicious Cuisine

Today you say goodbye to the Nakasendo Trail and the Kiso Valley. You then take a train to Takayama, a city that was for centuries isolated from the rest of Japan. You soon realize why this was the case, as your train winds its way through a series of impossibly steep hills and valleys.

When it was opened to the rest of Japan during the Edo Period, Takayama became home to some of the finest artisans in the country. From sake to furniture, you find many treasures as you tour the streets of Takayama’s old city. Many of these stores invite guests to see how their products are made, so make sure to take advantage of their hospitality.

Your accommodation for your two nights in Takayama is a ryokan featuring many indoor and outdoor onsenbaths. On your first night, a kaiseki dinner is provided. This meal is extra special, as it includes Hida beef, known worldwide for its fine marbling and texture.

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer, dinner, accommodation.

Takayama to Shirakawa-go – Continuing Ancient Traditions

This morning is an excellent time to visit Takayama-jinya. Though at first glance Takayama-jinya appears to be a palatial estate, it was actually the city’s government office during the Edo Period. Within, you discover dozens of immaculate rooms where the shogun’s officials would receive guests and conduct business. Also inside is the old jail, where criminals or enemies of the shogun would meet their fate.

After lunch, you take an hour bus ride to Shirakawa-go. Since 1995, Shirakawa-go has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its gassho-zukuri houses. Some of the most unique architecture in Japan, gassho-zukuri refers to the thick thatched roofs that crown each house.

Many of the village’s structures are open to visitors, including Wada house, home to a preserved silk factory. For hundreds of years, silkworm farming was an important part of Shirakawa-go’s local economy. In the museum, see the tools of the trade and learn how residents harvested the precious silk.

This evening your hotel is a minshuku, a family run guesthouse, in Shirakawa-go. Dinner is provided this evening and features a variety of local produce harvested by Shirakawa-go’s farmers.

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer, dinner, accommodation.

Kyoto – Take a Walk Through the PastMt. Koya – Meeting Monks

Today you travel south by train, back into the Japanese Alps. You emerge from the mountains as you enter the Kansai plain, home to some of the largest cities in Japan. But they are not your destination today. Your train continues on into a new set of mountains which reveal greater natural wonders. Your destination, Mt. Koya, is considered to be one of the holiest sites in Japan.

1,200 years ago, the Buddhist monk Kukai chose Mt. Koya as the site for his monastery. To Kukai, the location was perfect, as the mountain’s eight peaks resemble the shape of a blooming lotus flower. Throughout the centuries, over 100 temples were founded on the mountain slopes. Each follows Shingon Buddhism, a Buddhist sect imported from Tibet.

For hundreds of years, these temples have offered to lodge pilgrims and travelers alike. Tonight, you become part of this tradition as you arrive at your accommodation, a functioning Buddhist temple. Expect your room to be modest, but comfortable.

Before dinner, get to know your surroundings by taking a walk on one of the many stone paths that link the temples together. At sunset, monks light the stone lanterns that line the path. The flickering lights turn your walk into a mystical experience. For dinner, dine on shojin-ryori, a vegetarian cuisine that respects the monks’ abstention from meat.

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer, dinner, accommodation.

Kyoto – A Tour Just for You

Many days before your journey to Japan, we give you a variety of options for a guided tour of Kyoto. Kyoto is home to many treasures, and we want to ensure that your time in this amazing city is tailored to your tastes. Some of the personalized experiences we offer include an authentic Japanese tea ceremony or a class in Zen meditation led by Buddhist monks. All tour options include stops at a variety of temples and shrines, and are crafted to avoid crowds of other travelers.

When the day begins, your guide meets you at your hotel. During your tour, you have the option to travel by subway, taxi, or bus. The tour is all day and wraps up around 5 pm. The tour can end either back at your hotel, or a site in Kyoto if you wish to explore on your own.

What’s Included: breakfast, tour, accommodation.

Kyoto – Sayonara for Now

There are many ways to extend your tour in Japan. Yet for most travelers, you head home today. In the morning, you transfer by train to Kansai International Airport, where your flight home awaits. As your plane takes off, you reflect on your time in Japan. You have seen so much, eaten a plethora of delicious food, and made a lifetime of priceless memories.

What’s Included: breakfast, airport transfer.