- Walking through rural Japan allows you to take in the striking landscape of Japan at a slower pace.
- Walking Japan’s Nakasendo Way follows a path through villages, stopping in traditional inns.
- This tour covers more than 300 miles and is suitable for all physical abilities, provided they can walk about six hours.
Over the centuries, nobles, monks and samurai have travelled throughout Japan. between Kyoto and Tokyo along the Nakasendo—the 330-mile “road through the mountains.” This ancient trail, once a bustling route for foot traffic and feudal dramas, is now a quiet, winding ribbon that winds through rural hamlets and forested hills, far away from Japan’s popular tourist routes.
Today, a new kind of traveler walks it—those seeking something slower, quieter, and more immersive. To follow the Nakasendo is to walk in the footsteps of merchants and warriors, poets and pilgrims—and to write your own story into its centuries-old landscape.
Walk Japan, a tour company known for its “off-the-beaten-path” routes through Japan, leads a remarkable 11-day, 10-night journey along the most scenic and storied stretches of the ancient trail. Their Nakasendo Way tour Winds through remote countryside, the Alps in Japan, and preserved villages.
Travelers will discover the importance of the Edo Period pathway and important battles that shaped Japanese history. At the end of every day, traditional Japanese inns remove their walking shoes and elevate your feet. They are known for their food and care.
Walking Nakasendo Way is, quite simply, one of the most peaceful—and spectacular—ways to see Japan. This route is known for its cherry trees that bloom from March to May.
Nakasendo Way may be an 11 day journey, but Walk Japan makes it clear that this is a walking trip and not a trek. This is for those who are able to walk comfortably for 4 to 6 hours. For those who require a rest day, transportation is available. Baggage is sent each morning to the next destination. Nakasendo Way has been rated as an Activity 3 and Technical 3 on a scale of 1–6 Walk Japan requires that participants can walk for four to six hour each day between 6.2 to 16 miles. The route is a mixture of pavement, loose gravel and forest trails. It includes some short climbs and descents. Walking poles are highly recommended.
The tour is for small groups with no minimum and a maximum of 12. It’s available from March through June and again between September and November. best done in the springWhen the cherry blossoms add a touch of color and beauty.
The tour company Walk Japan offers more than 38 guided and unguided tours in addition to Nakasendo Way. weave through rural JapanThe five-day Kiso Road This is a shortened version of Nakasendo Way.
Prices for the Nakasendo Walk start at 575,000 JPY, or just below $4,000 USD. You can find more information about the route and a map at nakasendoway.com.
