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The birthplace of Shinrin-yoku, or ‘forest bathing‘, Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest is one of Kiso’s best-kept secrets (and in my personal opinion, one of Japan’s best-kept secrets). Bursting with new life in the spring and home to some of Kiso’s most beautiful autumn leaves, it’s also one of the absolute best places to escape the heat during the summer months.
This, more so than any of our other tours, is a chance to relax and take a well-earned rest. Alongside a qualified forest guide or forest therapy instructor, we’ll take a laid-back stroll through this peaceful forest, and learn all about its history, its culture, and its deep connections to Japanese religion and spirituality.
We’ll also get the chance to explore the world of forest bathing (also known as forest therapy)—a therapeutic practice focusing on relaxation and sensory immersion in nature. So, if you’re feeling drained by the modern world (or just drained by your action-packed trip across Japan), Akasawa might be just the place for you to take a break, rest, and recharge.
This tour has half-day and full-day options.
more details below
Recommended seasons to visit:
Due to its high elevation and long, cold winters, Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest is usually only open from late April to early November.
Spring
・Fresh, beautiful greenery like nowhere else.
Summer
・Cool and comfortable, even on hot summer days.
Autumn
・Some of the best autumn leaves in Kiso.
Tour Information:
- Starting & Ending at: Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest (bus access from Agematsu Station and Kiso-Fukushima Station)
(see detailed travel info) - Distance: flexible routes: minimum of 1.5km (0.9 miles), up to 6 km (3.7 miles). A full day exploring the forest can add up to even more, depending on your interests.
- Time Estimate: 3 hours (half-day course) / 6 hours (full-day course)
- Walking Difficulty: Easy
(While several of the trails involve some ups and downs, others are very flat – one is even completely wheelchair accessible. We can plan around the entire day around your needs to ensure ease and comfort.)
Accommodation – where to stay:
The most convenient areas for this tour are: Agematsu (limited accommodation) and Kiso-Fukushima, but Nagiso, Okuwa, or anywhere in the Kiso valley is just fine – it’ll just be a bit of a drive (up to an hour).
You can find more detailed suggestions for accommodation in and around the Kiso area here.
Highlights of the Tour:
・Laid-back walking along some of Akasawa’s picturesque hiking courses
・Conversation and guidance from a knowledgeable forest guide or forest therapy instructor
・An optional ride on Akasawa’s forest railway—the only remaining stretch of Kiso’s once-sprawling historical logging railway network
・Lunch at Seseragi-no-Sato – Akasawa’s own rustic little restaurant, right in the heart of the forest (alternatively, a delicious bento box from a local place)
・Cool, pleasant weather under the forest canopy all summer (possibly the best time to visit), vibrant new life in the spring, and stunning seas of reds, yellows, and oranges in the autumn
・A chance to learn about the area’s nature, history, and religion
Tour Options:
Full-Day Tour:
Our guiding fee: from ¥46,000
Additional fees: ¥15,000
(see below for more details)
The full-day version of this tour gives us enough time to do all the above, as well as explore several more of Akasawa’s fantastic walking courses (and, depending on availability, take a forest yoga session to help you truly find inner peace (inner peace not guaranteed)).
It’s also the only choice for those wanting to try out Forest Therapy, which is more in-depth, and takes a fair bit longer.
The following options (see below) can be chosen with a full-day tour:
・Forest Therapy Session (our recommended choice)
・Forest Bathing Session
・Roughly 5-6 hours total
Combined Full-Day Tour:
Akasawa Forest
&
Agematsu Town & River Tour
Our guiding fee: from ¥46,000
Additional fees: ¥8,000-¥10,000
(see below for more details)
This option combines the shorter version of our Akasawa Forest Relaxation Tour with a explore nearby Agematsu town. We’ll explore this little-known (and largely tourist-free) town – especially the scenic Nezame-no-Toko natural rock formations along the Kiso river.
Perfect for families (our younger guests always seem to enjoy clambering over the rocks along the river), or for anyone looking for a relaxing day away from the crowds.
・Roughly 5-6 hours total
Combined Full-Day Tour:
Akasawa Forest
&
Kiso Town Tour
Our guiding fee: from ¥46,000
Additional fees: ¥8,000-¥10,000
(see below for more details)
This option combines the shorter version of our Akasawa Forest Relaxation Tour with a trip to the historical Nakasendo post town of Kiso-Fukushima.
There, you’ll have a variety of options: an active day full of hiking, a relaxing day spent eating, drinking, and soaking in the onsen, or a mix of both—just ask, and we’ll tailor it to your interests!
・Roughly 5-7 hours total
Half-Day Tour:
Our guiding fee: from ¥36,000
Additional fees: ¥8,000-¥10,000
(see below for more details)
The half-day version of this tour involves a forest walk with a registered guide, as well as a visit to the forest’s museum and a ride on Akasawa’s forest railway.
The following options (see below) can be chosen with a half-day tour:
・Forest Bathing Session (our recommended choice)
・Guided Forest Walk
While it can be enjoyed by itself as a half-day tour, we’ve found that our customers really enjoy when this tour is combined with another local half-day tour to make a single full-day tour. You can find some suggestions for this below.
・Roughly 3-4 hours total
The half-day version of this tour can be combined with a variety of other half-day tours, including ones that are not listed here—feel free to check our other Walking Tours and Cultural Experience Tours.
Options for the Tour:
While it’s perfectly possible for us to show you around the forest (we’ve been here more times than we can count!), we think Akasawa is best experienced with a registered forest guide—or better yet an expert licensed forest bathing instructor or forest therapy instructor. In all cases, we’ll accompany and translate for you.
Here’s a breakdown of the different options for this tour:
Guided Forest
Walk:
・Lasts around 2 hours
・Accompanied by a local volunteer guide, who is knowledgeable about the forest, its nature, and its history
・+¥8,000 on top of our regular guiding fee
Forest Bathing Session:
・Lasts 2-3 hours
・Accompanied by a licensed Forest Bathing/Forest Therapy guide
・An emphasis on relaxation, and using all five senses to experience nature. But shorter and less in-depth than the full Forest Therapy session.
・+¥10,000 on top of our regular guiding fee
Our recommended choice for a half-day tour
Forest Therapy
Session:
・Lasts 3-4 hours
・Accompanied by a licensed Forest Bathing/Forest Therapy guide
・Everything included in the Forest Bathing Session, but with extra time and care for quiet mindfulness (as well as tea and snacks)
・+¥15,000 on top of our regular guiding fee
* maximum 5 people
Our recommended choice for a full-day tour
*Please note that 100% of the additional fees above go to the craftsperson (to pay for their time, etc.). We never receive any money from any of the instructors who run these sessions. We want these tours to be sustainable—both for us and for the local area—so we don’t believe in taking any money away from the local people who make these experience tours possible.
Pricing:
Full-day Course:
1-2 people: ¥46,000
3-6 people: ¥50,000
7+ people: ¥55,000
+¥15,000 for a licensed forest therapy instructor (3-4 hours))
Half-day Course:
1-2 people: ¥36,000
3-6 people: ¥40,000
7+ people: ¥45,000
+¥8,000 for a forest guide (1-2 hours)
or +¥10,000 for a forest bathing instructor (2-3 hours)
- +¥1,000 per person to ride the Akasawa forest railway (optional, but we highly recommend it).
- +¥700 yen (per car) for parking if you are coming by car.
- The above fees don’t include any of your travel costs, museum entrance fees, or any meals you may buy on the day.
- Payment is required upon confirmation of your reservation – late payment may result in your tour date being cancelled. (also see our cancellation policy)
Recommended Follow-up Tours:
Many of our customers string together several of our day tours for a guided multi-day trip along the Kiso valley. We’d generally recommend 3-5 days to get the most out of the area.
Any of our tours are accessible from either Agematsu station or Kiso-Fukushima station, but we think the following are especially good for a follow-up tour (or for a tour the day before this one):
Kakizore Gorge Walking Tour
(Full Day)
Hidden away in the mountains between Nagiso town and Okuwa village, the Kakizore gorge is a perfect option for anyone looking for a follow-up to the Magome-Tsumago tour. Not too steep, and not overly long, this route nevertheless boasts both stunning waterfalls and serene pools of crystal-clear water straight from the mountains.
Southern Kiso
Cultural Experience
Tour
(Full Day – combining
2 half-day tours)
This combination of two of our half-day Cultural Experience Tours provides the opportunity to not just see the southern side of the Kiso valley, but to experience it hands-on.
you can choose two of the following activities:
(1) Nagiso Traditional Woodworking Tour
(2) Natural Indigo Dyeing Tour
(3) Traditional Soba Noodles Making Tour
Kiso Town Tour
(Full Day)
Kiso town is another one of the Nakasendo’s most popular destinations, and for good reason—it’s one of the best places to see and learn about the Kiso area’s history, culture, and food.
This tour focuses exclusively on Kiso town itself, with a variety of options: an active day full of hiking, a relaxing day spent eating, drinking, and soaking in the onsen, or a mix of both—we’ll tailor it to your interests!
Travel Information:
This tour can be done as a day trip from Nagoya or Matsumoto, but we’d generally recommend staying overnight somewhere in the Kiso area—either before or after the tour (ideally both).
Where the tour starts:
This tour starts at the Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest entrance/car park. You can take a special forest bus there from:
・Agematsu Station (¥1,200 one-way, ¥2,000 return)
・Kiso-Fukushima Station (¥1,500 one way, ¥2,800 return)
(prices accurate as of autumn 2023)
Alternatively, our guide can meet you at your accommodation and accompany you to the forest (we’ll ask you to pay their travel costs in this case).
Our advice on getting to Agematsu station
Where the tour finishes:
The tour finishes at the Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest Tour entrance/car park. You can ride the bus back from here to Agematsu Station or Kiso-Fukushima Station.
Alternatively, our guide can accompany you back to your accommodation (again, we’ll ask you to cover their travel costs).
Agematsu Station:
– Some accommodation options nearby
Kiso-Fukushima Station:
– plentiful accommodation options nearby
You can find Google Maps information for Akasawa Forest, Agematsu station, and Kiso-Fukushima station below.
Extra Information:
Recommended places to stay:
You can find suggestions for accommodation in the Kiso area here. The most convenient spots for this tour are Agematsu and Kiso-Fukushima, but anywhere in the Kiso valley is just fine.
Cancellation policy & other info:
Please see our full cancellation policy, as well as other information, here.
How to get your luggage around:
You can find information on local luggage transportation companies here.
Travel insurance:
Please note that we do not provide travel insurance – we recommend you purchase your own.
Uncharted Nakasendo 