nakasendo 2024

Day 1: Our 1st day on the trail: Magome to Tsumago

Here’s how ChatGPT describes the Nakasendo trail, with humour.…

“Alright, strap on your virtual hiking boots! Imagine this: the Nakasendo Trail is a majestic, scenic route stretching from Kyoto to Tokyo.  But it’s not just a walk in the park; it’s like time traveling through 17th-century Japan. You’ll pass through post towns where the innkeepers still wonder if electricity is just a phase. The trail is a mix of cobblestone paths and dirt roads, so you’ll feel a bit like Indiana Jones minus the fedora and constant danger. As you stroll past lush forests and mountain vistas, you might find yourself dodging a ninja or two…kidding, or maybe not. At the inns, the food is so good it’ll make you forget about  your blistered feet and the fact that you’re sleeping on tatami mats. Along the way, keep an eye out for the local wildlife, though it’s more likely to be a shopkeeper’s cat than a wild boar. And just when you think you can’t take another step, you’ll be rewarded with an onsenbath so relaxing, it’s almost worth the entire trek” !!!!

And here’s how ChatGPT describes the Nakasendo trail, with historical accuracy…..

The Nakasendo Trail, which translates to “Central Mountain Route,” is a historic path dating back to the Edo Period (1603-1868). This trail was one of the five major highways, known as the Gokaido, connecting Kyoto (the imperial capital) and Edo (present-day Tokyo), the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. Stretching approx 534 kms, the Nakasendo Trail was a vital route for samurai, merchants, and travelers moving between the two cities
The trail passed through 69 post towns, where travelers could rest, eat, and replenish  supplies. Many of these post towns, such as Magome and Tsumago, have been beautifully preserved and offer a glimpse into Japan’s past.

So today we took three trains and a bus before arriving at Magome at around 1pm. Of course we needed some supplies for the trip which we got at Tokyo station….these are beautifully wrapped sandwiches (everything in Japan is beautifully packaged.)

Fire destroyed most of Magome in 1895 and it was then rebuilt. At the entrance to the village there is a Masugata (literally a ‘square shape’), a sharp turn, created at the entrance to post-towns and derived from a defensive measure used in castles. The Masugata was designed to prevent robbers and assassins from attacking the town. Not sure if this is the square shape at the entrance but for the purposes of my story, let’s say it is.

We walked uphill through the village for very seemed like a very long time.

At the top we were rewarded with a lovely view of Mount Ena.

Then we continued climbing to traverse the Magome-toge Pass. And this is where Lesley found our first bear bell. Small brown bears live in the mountains, though they are rarely seen. They will hear or smell you and move away long before you spot them. It is best to make some noise as you walk so there are bear bells all along the trail, and some hikers carry their own bear-bell.

Lesley also found a little cemetery tucked away in the forest

At the bottom of the forest was a lovely teahouse, staffed by volunteers and offering free tea (for a small donation), so we stopped and had a cuppa.

After leaving the forest, we returned to the road but had to detour because it looked like a retaining wall was about to collapse.

Then we walked along some cobblestoned paths until we could see the little village of Otsumago.

Finally we reached the village of Tsumago. Among notable buildings in Tsumago is the Waki-honjin, reconstructed in 1877 using Japanese cypress, whose use was otherwise prohibited at that time due to its scarcity.

And I couldn’t help but take this photo ( I would have liked to buy them but they wouldn’t fit in my backpack ( our suitcases left us in Tokyo and will be at our accommodation tomorrow night)

Very pleased to reach our ryokan which was called Onyado Daikichi, and was run by many generations of the same family. Very small…only around 6 guests, who were fed a sumptuous dinner. (Ange, you would have hated the food!)

And so to bed on a tatami mat and wheat pillow (interesting!)