Highlight

• A great excursion from Tsumago-juku or Magome-juku on the Nakasendo. Please consult with us about staying at Hirugami Onsen (not included in the tour price), the largest onsen resort in Southern Nagano and known for its beautiful peach blossoms in April.
• This is a route known only to those in the know, with very few people walking it. Enjoy the unique beauty of the Japanese countryside as the trail traverses through tiny hamlets and soothing forests.
• Feel the rich history of the area as you hike past ancient relics such as statues of the Buddhist figure Kannon (Goddess of Mercy), and ancient stone road signs that travelers of yesteryear would have seen.
• Lunch is locally made onigiri (Japanese rice balls) wrapped in bamboo leaf.

Story

This tour takes place in Achi Village at the southern end of the Ina Valley. Achi is famous for its night sky and is ranked no.1 for star-gazing in all of Japan. It also has several luxurious onsen ryokan accommodations in the hot-spring resort of Hirugami Onsen. The village is bordered on the north and west by Nagiso Town and Nakatsugawa City, which are home to Tsumago-juku and Magome-juku respectively. The start point of this tour at Hirugami Onsen is just 40 minutes from Tsumago-juku and 50
minutes from Magome-juku by car, and the area has a strong historical connection to the Nakasendo.

On this tour, guests will hike along the Seinaiji-kaido, a path that once connected Tsumago-juku, in the Kiso Valley, with the southern end of the Ina Valley. It traverses over Nashino Pass with stunning views
over the Southern Alps. The path is said to have been developed by local samurai for military purposes in the 16th century. After that, when the Nakasendo was developed in the early 17th century, the Seinaiji-
kaido started being used by governmental officials and pilgrims en route to the sacred Mt. Ontake and Zenkoji Temple, as well as for transporting daily commodities.

The hike starts at Shimo-Seinaiji, a small village nestled deep in the mountains, where a checkpoint on the ancient road used to be. There wasn’t very much farmland and so the locals used what land there
was to cultivate tobacco. In the winter they made wooden combs for a supplementary income. With abundant forests, timber was used to pay taxes instead of rice. The village of Seinaiji is famous for its handmade fireworks (designated as an intangible folk cultural property by Nagano Prefecture), a culture that has been handed down for about 300 years by the festival-loving villagers. These are the only locally handmade gunpowder fireworks in Japan and were used in the finale of the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

Today, the route is all but forgotten with very few people walking it. It is a relaxing day of hiking through
forests of cedar, cypress, and red pines while listening to the soothing sounds of mountain streams. The
route is full of ancient relics and local folk tales that travelers of yesteryear would have told one another.

Activity Level

• A gentle and comfortable walk.

Technical Level

• The route is mostly paved with a steady walking surface.

Price Per Person

20,000JPY/person for 4ppl;
17,000JPY/person for 5-6ppl;
14,000JPY/person for 7-8ppl

Clothing/Wha to bring

• Clothing and shoes suitable for hiking and matching the weather conditions.
• Items may include rain gear (coat/pants), backpack, drinks (1 liter), trail snacks, gloves, hat, sunglasses, down layers, hiking poles, etc.

Included in the fee

• English speaking guide fee, lunch (rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaf)
• Transportation fee during the tour.

Not included in the fee

• Transportation to/from the meeting point
• Insurance (please purchase travel insurance in your own country) Anything else not specified (The bank transaction fee shall be covered by the customer.)

Language

English

Event Duration

About 8.5 hours

Distance / Elevation

Distance: 13km
Elevation Climb: 340m

Age / Height:

12 yrs and above

Meeting Point

Hirugami Onsen Morning Market Parking Lot
（30 min. from JR Iida Station, 40 min. from Tsumago-jjuku, 50 min. from Magome-juku (all by car)

Disbanding Point

Hirugami Onsen Morning Market Parking Lot

Program Availability

Early-April ~ Late November

Participants

4 – 8 people

Application Deadline

30 days in advance

Agent Name

Minami Shinshu Tourism Bureau