Stage 1 of 1 · Nakasendō: Magome to Tsumago
Magome → Tsumago
Complete mapped route
Route tools availableThe Kiso Ontake Tourism Office gives about 8 km and three hours at a leisurely pace, easy to moderate and signposted in English, with short stretches on the road. OpenStreetMap maps the old road way by way but has no route relation for it, so the line here is our router's walk from Magome to Tsumago over the mapped paths and lanes (7.5 km, planet of 27 September 2026), checked to keep off the main road. The tourism office says walking from Magome involves less uphill than the other way. The tourist information centres of Magome and Tsumago forward luggage between the two towns from 20 March to 30 November: ¥1,000 per item, left 8:30 to 11:30 at either centre, at Magome-juku BASE or at an inn in Ōtsumago, and collected at the other end from 13:00 to 17:00; from 1 December to 19 March a special run takes up to three bags for ¥4,500 (Tsumago tourism association). Bears are seen around the towns every year: carry a bell or something that makes noise (the Nagiso tourism association rents bear bells), and take care on the stone paths, which are slippery after rain. From Tsumago, Nagiso station on the JR Chūō West Line is about 40 minutes on foot, or 10 minutes by taxi or the Nagiso town bus from the Tsumago stop (Tsumago tourism association).
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Where this stage starts and ends
Facts read from the guide's sources and OpenStreetMap on 29 September 2026. A page can change after we read it, so confirm with your accommodation before you rely on a date or a bed.
Stage start
Magome
Town
Magome (馬籠), the post town on its hillside at the start. The Kiso Ontake Tourism Office's day goes by train to Nakatsugawa on the JR Chūō West Line and on by bus to Magome; the Magome bus stop is about 300 m from the old centre. The tourist information centres of Magome and Tsumago forward luggage between the two towns from 20 March to 30 November: ¥1,000 per item, left 8:30 to 11:30 at either centre, at Magome-juku BASE or at an inn in Ōtsumago, and collected at the other end from 13:00 to 17:00; from 1 December to 19 March a special run takes up to three bags for ¥4,500 (Tsumago tourism association).
OpenStreetMap lists at least 4 places to stay within about 1000 m (read 29 September 2026). TrailSplits has not checked which are open.
Stage end · overnight
Tsumago
Town
Tsumago (妻籠), the preserved post town at the end; cars are kept out of its old street from 10:00 to 16:00. Its old houses hold many inns, few of them mapped in OpenStreetMap: the Tsumago tourism association lists them. Nagiso station on the JR Chūō West Line is about 40 minutes on foot, or 10 minutes by taxi or the Nagiso town bus from the Tsumago stop. The tourist information centres of Magome and Tsumago forward luggage between the two towns from 20 March to 30 November: ¥1,000 per item, left 8:30 to 11:30 at either centre, at Magome-juku BASE or at an inn in Ōtsumago, and collected at the other end from 13:00 to 17:00; from 1 December to 19 March a special run takes up to three bags for ¥4,500 (Tsumago tourism association). Bears are seen around the towns every year: carry a bell or something that makes noise (the Nagiso tourism association rents bear bells), and take care on the stone paths, which are slippery after rain.
OpenStreetMap lists at least 1 place to stay within about 1000 m (read 29 September 2026). TrailSplits has not checked which are open.
Walking time for this leg
- Magome to Tsumago: about 3 hr. Our estimate for this stage is 3 h. en.visitkiso.com, read 29 September 2026
Route briefing
What comes next
Climbs, descents, huts and access in route order. Not listed does not mean absent: it may not be mapped.
Start
0 m
Magome
Start
Route geometry · source 2026-09-29
About 0 min in
7.5 km remaining
+204 m remaining
Shelter
0 m
Shelter
Shelter
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-09-29
About 0 min in
7.5 km remaining
+204 m remaining
Shelter
0 m
Shelter
Shelter
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-09-29
About 0 min in
7.5 km remaining
+204 m remaining
Shelter
300 m
Shelter
Shelter
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-09-29
About 7 min in
7.3 km remaining
+180 m remaining
Climb
780 m
158 m climb
1.6 km at 9.9% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-09-29
About 19 min in
6.8 km remaining
+167 m remaining
Descent
2.4 km
374 m descent
5.0 km at 7.5% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-09-29
About 57 min in
5.2 km remaining
+3 m remaining
Finish
7.5 km
Tsumago
Finish
Route geometry · source 2026-09-29
About 3h 00m in
0 m remaining
Trail route lab
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Getting Here
Magome Bus stop 馬籠 (bus stop)
324m from trailhead · ~5 min walk
Getting Out
Tsumago 妻籠 (bus stop)
227m from trail end · ~3 min walk
Segment Breakdown
Auto-analyzed from the elevation profile. Each segment shows the dominant character for planning your effort.
| Segment | Dist | ↑ / ↓ | Time | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Magome → km 2.5 (790m) 625–798m | 2.5 km | +196m / -32m | 1h 14m | 📈 Climbing |
km 2.5 (790m) → km 5.0 (580m) 580–790m | 2.5 km | +1m / -211m | 53 min | 🔻 Steep Descent |
km 5.0 (580m) → Tsumago 424–580m | 2.5 km | +2m / -158m | 51 min | 📉 Descending |
| Total | 7.5 km | +204m / -411m | 3h 00m |
Pace & Fuel Calculator
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Terrain Analysis
Surface & Technicality
Gradient describes steepness, not exposure, scrambling, footing or current conditions. Technical difficulty is unknown where no mapped rating is available.
Current Conditions
Based on 1991–2020 climate averages, the weather on Nakasendō: Magome to Tsumago Stage 1: Magome → Tsumago is usually best from April to May and October to November. August is hot at low level; June to July and September are the wettest.
Weather this week
Loading the forecast for low point (419 m) and high point (808 m)…
Weather by month
Typical weather on this stage: at the lowest point (419 m) and the highest point (808 m). Select a month to see why it is rated as it is.
| Month | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Good | Good | Mixed | Mixed | Poor | Mixed | Good | Good | Mixed |
| High point, day / night | 6°/-3° | 7°/-3° | 11°/0° | 16°/5° | 21°/9° | 24°/14° | 28°/19° | 29°/19° | 25°/16° | 19°/10° | 14°/4° | 8°/-1° |
| Low point, day / night | 7°/-1° | 9°/-1° | 12°/2° | 18°/7° | 23°/11° | 26°/16° | 29°/20° | 31°/21° | 27°/17° | 21°/11° | 15°/5° | 10°/0° |
| Rain, mm | 60 | 76 | 127 | 157 | 158 | 202 | 235 | 194 | 227 | 181 | 88 | 66 |
| Snow at high point | Possible | Possible | Possible | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Possible |
| Daylight | 10 h | 10 h 53 | 11 h 54 | 13 h 03 | 14 h 01 | 14 h 33 | 14 h 21 | 13 h 33 | 12 h 27 | 11 h 21 | 10 h 19 | 9 h 46 |
Source: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages. Averages for the area at each point’s elevation (4 km grid, corrected for height). Not a forecast or a report of current trail conditions. Snow at the high point is estimated with a simple snowpack model from these temperatures and precipitation, not observed; steep islands and high summits can hold more snow than it shows. Daylight is for the 15th of each month. Hut, transport and park seasons are separate: check them for your dates.
Averages cannot establish current trail conditions. Check recent local reports, the forecast and restrictions before departure. Snow and ice can persist on shaded sections or arrive outside the usual season.
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Safety & Bailouts
We do not have a verified emergency exit plan for this route. A nearby settlement, hut or route endpoint is not necessarily reachable or open. Do not leave the trail based on a straight-line distance or compass direction.
Review possible exits against current local information before your trip. In an emergency, contact local rescue services; this page is not live rescue guidance.
Suggested Gear List
Auto-generated based on 7.5 km, 204m ascent, max altitude 807.6m, ~3h duration.
- 👟 Trail running shoes / hiking bootsRequired for any trail
- 📱 Phone (charged) + offline mapNavigation & emergency contact
- 💧 1L water bottleWater source information is incomplete; plan supplies before departure
- 🍫 Snack or energy barEst. 759 kcal burn
- 🧴 SunscreenBasic sun protection
- 🧊 Microspikes / light cramponsSnow risk in Jan, Feb, Mar
- 🦵 GaitersKeep snow out of boots
Logistics
This route runs from Magome to Tsumago (7.5 km by trail). You'll need to arrange transport back to your starting point.
Nearby Points of Interest
🚏 Transit stops along this stage
- 🚌 Magome Bus stop 馬籠 324m off trail
- 🚌 馬籠 335m off trail
- 🚌 横屋 638m off trail
- 🚌 荒町 973m off trail
- 🚌 清水 km 1.6 · On trail
- 🚌 馬籠峠 km 2.4 · On trail
- 🚌 庚申塚 km 5.5 · On trail
🛖 Shelters
- Shelter 512m off trail
- Shelter 1.8 km off trail
- Shelter km 0.3 · On trail
- Shelter km 0.3 · On trail
- Shelter km 0.4 · 50m off trail
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