This is part four of our Nakasendo Way Trek. Go back to parts one, two, or three.
Nagiso to Tsumago
The hike from Nagiso to Magome is a bit different than the previous sections. This hike comes recommended in guidebooks like Lonely Planet, and as a result there are quite a few westerners around. The route is generally well signed.
From Nagiso station we headed south, towards an old steam engine. Here a track heads upwards into the forest.
After a short distance the trail enters a village. There are some excellent views around here. Note the waxing moon rising just above the ridge.
Walking through the village.
The trail leads past a shrine.
We crossed a bridge and entered some bamboo woods.
Diana hiking to Tsumago.
The trail leads upwards to a low a pass. At the pass there is a side trail leading to a hilltop, the site of a former castle. Nothing remains of the castle today, but there were great views of Tsumago below and the Tsumago-Magome pass in the distance.
Tsumago
Tsumago is an immaculately restored historic town. When entering Tsumago it feels like you’ve stepped back in time into the Edo period.
Here is Diana in front of a shop.
There is a bakery that sells lovely steamed buns. We got buns with a chestnut filling.
I enjoyed taking pictures in Tsumago.
It’s not just the buildings that make this town so pretty. Look a little closer, and the details present themselves, beautifully arranged.
People like to decorate their slatted doors.
Diana walking down Tsumago’s main street.
At our guesthouse we got some Kirin beers from the vending machine and we watched a sumo wrestling tournament on tv.
Sumo wrestling is quite a spectacle. Wrestlers weighing 300 pounds or more push and shove each other, trying to force their opponents down to the clay or out of the ring. They wear their hair in a topknot, and around their ample waists is the mawashi – the belt. Meanwhile the gyoji (referee), wearing a colorful silk robe, jumps around and shouts. Before the fighting the wrestlers slap their big bellies and stretch their legs high into the air. There is a lot of ceremony between the various steps, steeped in history and tradition.
Watching sumo is strangely addictive. Since my first time watching sumo at this guesthouse I’ve become a fan. Sumo tournaments are broadcast in Canada on NHK (up in the high channels), and also I’ve had the opportunity to attend a sumo tournament in person.
After bathing we donned our robes and made our way to the dining room where an extensive meal awaited us. There was miso soup, rice, hotpot, fish cooked in soya sauce, rice stick, sashimi, soba noodles, pickles, and more.
Continue to part five – the last installment of our Nakasendo hike.
Logistics
In Tsumago we stayed at Hanaya Ryokan. Our room was small, the bathrooms were shared between many rooms, and the staff wasn’t overly friendly. It’s very pricey for what you get. Tsumago is popular, and if other places are booked up you’ll be just fine here. It’s clean.
We hiked this section twice. In 2017 we hiked from Suhara to Nojiri (see previous blog post) and on the same day we hiked from Nagiso to Tsumago, staying at Hanaya Ryokan. In 2023 we started our day in Agematsu, took the train to Nagiso, and hiked through to Magome.
Nagiso to Tsumago post office is about 3.5 km.