Please make a reservation and purchase your ticket in advance, then board the bus from platform 6.

During the Edo period, the Nakasendo Trail was as bustling as the Tokaido, with countless people traveling along it.

The Nakasendo has been walked by people for centuries, and the section between Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku, in particular, retains a strong sense of its historical atmosphere. It has been preserved as the Old Nakasendo Shinanoji Nature Trail.

The approximately 9km (3-hour) hiking route connecting Magome-juku to Tsumago-juku (Magome-juku → Magome Pass → Tsumago-juku) allows you to enjoy a hike through the beautiful seasonal scenery of the Kiso mountains, valleys, and waterfalls.

As you walk through Magome-juku, the second masugata you encounter marks the corner where you’ll see the iconic watermill.

A masugata is a place where the road is bent at a 90-degree angle at two locations at the entrance and exit of a post town, designed to prevent enemy invasion.

It is said that in the early Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate ordered all post towns along the highways to install masugata.

Remarkably, this watermill is still in operation today as a hydroelectric generator.

The electricity generated is used to power the watermill’s lights, interior lighting, streetlights, and displays.

Located between the post towns of Tsumago-juku and Magome-juku, the pass sits at an elevation of 790 meters.

Located roughly halfway between the post towns of Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku, this building dates back to the mid-Edo period.

You can go inside, take a break, and enjoy a cup of tea.

Looking around the interior, you can get a sense of what life was like during the Edo period.

These waterfalls are said to be where Miyamoto Musashi trained.

“O-daki” (Male Falls) is a split waterfall on the O-daru River, a tributary of the Kiso River, with a drop of 10 meters.

“Me-daki” (Female Falls) has a drop of 12 meters and is a two-tiered cascade with steps along the way.

During the Edo period, Tsumago-juku flourished as a key transportation hub where the Nakasendo and Ina highways met.

Today, roughly 1 kilometer of the town is lined with inns, restaurants, souvenir shops, and more, bustling with visitors.

Tsumago was one of the first towns in Japan to undertake a townscape preservation movement.

In 1976, it was selected as one of the first Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings in Japan.

Local residents adhere to three principles – “Don’t sell, don’t rent, don’t destroy” – protecting their homes and land.

Even now, they continue their livelihoods while preserving the townscape, which vividly evokes the atmosphere of the Edo period, for future generations.

Thank you for using Nohi Bus. We look forward to serving you again soon.