Magome-juku

Historic Site
Prefecture
Gifu
Type
Historic Site
N/A
0 reviews
Restaurant Cafe

About This Destination

A beautifully preserved post town on the historic Nakasendo trail, featuring a steep stone-paved main street lined with wooden buildings, water wheels, and mountain views.
Magome-juku is one of the best-preserved post towns along the historic Nakasendo highway that once connected Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo). The town's steep main street is paved with stones and lined with restored wooden buildings housing shops, cafes, and museums, including the former home of renowned novelist Shimazaki Toson. The most popular activity is hiking the scenic 8-kilometer trail to neighboring Tsumago-juku through the Kiso Valley's forested mountains, a walk that takes approximately 2-3 hours. The trail passes through beautiful countryside with waterfalls, bamboo groves, and traditional farmhouses. Visit in spring for cherry blossoms, autumn for colorful foliage, or winter for a quiet snow-covered atmosphere.

Location

Prefecture: Gifu

Address: Nakatsugawa, Gifu, Japan

Nearest Station: Nakatsugawa Station

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Food Options: Small restaurants and tea houses along the main street serve gohei mochi, soba noodles, and oyaki dumplings

Official Website

Access

Gifu, Japan

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I hike Magome→Tsumago or Tsumago→Magome?

Magome → Tsumago is the standard direction and it's mostly downhill (Magome ~600 m, Tsumago ~420 m). 8 km, 2.5 to 3 hours at an unhurried pace; the first 30 min climbs gently to Magome-toge pass (790 m), then it's almost all gentle descent through cedar forest, past Odaki/Medaki waterfalls and old teahouses. Reverse direction adds ~200 m of net climbing and is meaningfully harder, especially in summer. Bear bells are stocked free at both tourist offices. Asian black bears live in the valley and the bells help. Trail open year-round but icy Dec to Mar (consider chains or microspikes). Both towns also have small loops worth 1 to 2 hours on their own; you don't have to commit to the through-hike.

Is the baggage forwarding service worth using?

Yes. If you're hiking through with anything bigger than a daypack, it's the single best ¥1,000 you'll spend. Both tourist information offices (Magome and Tsumago) operate a baggage-forwarding service that drops your bag at the other end the same day: drop by 8:30 AM (must use a sturdy bag tagged with the recipient), pick up after 1:00 PM. Service runs ~March 20 to late November (closed winter), ¥1,000 per bag, one bag per person max, cash only. The two offices coordinate via shared van. Reservations not required but recommended on autumn/Golden-Week weekends. Without it, the 2.5-hour hike with a wheeled suitcase is miserable, since the trail is stone-paved and stepped in places.

How do I get to Magome from Tokyo, Kyoto, or Nagoya?

All routes funnel through Nagoya → Nakatsugawa. **From Tokyo**: Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi (or Hikari w/ JR Pass) to Nagoya ~1h40, then JR Chuo Line Limited Express Shinano to Nakatsugawa ~50 min (JR Pass eligible); ~¥13,000 / ~3 h total. **From Kyoto/Shin-Osaka**: Tokaido Shinkansen to Nagoya ~35 to 50 min, then same Shinano to Nakatsugawa; ~3 h total. **From Nagoya**: just the Shinano, ~50 min, ~¥3,000 reserved. From JR Nakatsugawa Station: Hokutetsu bus #4 (or 'Magome' direct) ~30 min, ¥570, runs roughly hourly 7:30 to 18:00. Returning from Tsumago: Ontake Kotsu bus to Nagiso Station (~10 min, ¥300), then JR Chuo Line back. Don't try a day-trip from Kyoto/Osaka in the same direction; that's 6+ hours of travel for a 3-hour hike. Either base in Nagoya or stay overnight in Magome or Tsumago (the Edo-era ryokan are the best part).

Nearby Destinations

🏛️
Tsumago-juku 6.2km

🏛️ Other Historic Site in Gifu

Shirakawa-go Takayama Old Town Gujo Hachiman Hida Furukawa

More in kiso-valley

🏛️ Tsumago-juku

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