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- Dates: 14th & 15th of June 2025
- Starting at: sakanomichi guest house (Magome)
Ending at: sakanomichi guest house (Magome) - Walking Difficulty: Easy
(Some ups and downs, but all skill levels will find it manageable)
*please be aware that this tour is offered exclusively to customers making a 3-night reservation at sakanomichi guest house in Magome (on 13th, 14th, 15th June 2025)*
You can contact them to make reservations here.
Day 1: An introduction to the history, culture, and nature of the Kiso valley
Magome to Tsumago Walking Tour
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Nagiso Traditional Woodworking Tour
On the first day we’ll take a guided walk along arguably the most beautiful stretch of the Nakasendo trail, weaving through mountain and valley on our way between the picturesque historical towns of Magome and Tsumago.
Then, after lunch at a local restaurant we’ll finish the day with a visit to a local woodworking workshop for a hands-on session. Here you’ll learn about how Kiso’s artisans to lathe your own wooden plate with traditional woodworker’s tools.
Day 2: A cultural exchange with local people over traditional food and drinks
On the second day, we’ll sit down with friendly locals born and raised in Magome, for a laid-back cultural exchange. We’ll enjoy conversation over tea, with the chance to learn about and get hands-on with a variety of local food traditions, such as making delicious plum wine, soba noodles, and hōba-zushi – a regional comfort food passed down by famers over generations, consisting of sushi rice and a variety of toppings wrapped up in magnolia leaves.
Among other activities, you’ll also get the chance to visit a local food market, eat at one of Magome’s finest restaurants, and corner Ken in the evening to try to take his crown of sakanomichi’s (almost undefeated) champion of the board game Othello.
Extra things to know:
・Unlike most of our other tours, this is not a private, single-group tour. Instead, we’re accepting a maximum of 7 customers to join this tour.
・Dietary restrictions: We offer vegetarian and vegan options as standard for all our tours. Please let us know if you would like vegetarian or vegan food on the tour, or if you have any other dietary restrictions/allergies. You’ll also need to let sakanomichi know when you make your booking with them.
・Possible changes to tour itinerary: in the interest of providing the best tour possible, we may alter the order of the days’ itineraries in the event of rain, unseasonable heat, or other factors. If this happens, we’ll update you on the changes as soon as we can.
・Ages 18 and up: Since sakanomichi is an adults-only accommodation, our tour is similarly only offered to those ages 18 and up.
・Cancellation policy: Due to the extensive planning involved, this tour diverges from our regular cancellation policy – cancellations within one month of the date (i.e. after 12th May 2025) will incur a fee of 100% of the cost of the tour.
Pricing:
- ¥22,000 per person for the 2-day tour
- +¥4,400 per person for the woodworking workshop visit
- This fee doesn’t include any of your travel costs, or the cost of lunch on the day of our Magome-Tsumago walking. All other meals will be covered as part of your accommodation booking with sakanomichi. Your reservation with sakanomichi will have to be made with them separately. You can contact them to make reservations here.
- Payment is required upon confirmation of your reservation – late payment may result in your tour date being cancelled. (also see our cancellation policy)
Travel Information:
Getting to sakanomichi:
You can find detailed information on getting to sakanomichi guest house on their website here.
Uncharted Nakasendo 