Disclosure: This post (probably) contains affiliate links. If you click on one, I may make a small commission. Of course, this will come at no extra cost to you and helps keep this site running.
Japan’s Kiso Valley is the perfect combination of traditional Japanese life and gorgeous natural scenery. The river valley runs from Shiojiri to Nakatsugawa across Nagano and Gifu Prefectures and is dotted with old-fashioned post towns that used to accommodate travellers taking the Nakasendo Way, a historic highway from the Edo Period.
Following my time in Matsumoto, not far from the region, I spent several days exploring the Kiso Valley. While I didn’t get to trek the Nakasendo Way – a new future goal of mine – I did visit a variety of places in the region, including some of the prettiest post towns in Japan.
Now, don’t get me wrong. What follows aren’t the only places to visit in the Kiso Valley (I sadly didn’t get to stop at Nezame-no-toko Gorge), but these are the popular ones to get you started. These Kiso Valley towns will definitely get you excited to visit the region yourself and show why the Kiso Valley is so worth visiting.
Narai-juku
Probably the most recognizable place in the Kiso Valley among tourists is the town of Narai-juku. Sitting at the northern end of the valley, Narai is an easily accessible and easily likeable place to go. Narai may be a small town, but this post town feels mostly unaltered from the Edo Period.
Visiting Narai-juku is not complicated. The Old Nakasendo Way runs right through the town and it only takes a minute or two to walk a from the train station to reach the main street. Right along this long street, you’ll see wall to wall wooden houses that have retained their traditional design. Walking through Narai feels like you’re in an open-air museum, albeit one where people still live and work.
Narai-juku sits deep within the Kiso Valley, meaning the town runs right along the Narai river and there’s no real incline to speak of. But head just one street back from the main street and you’ll find the valley’s hills. It’s there that you can visit various Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. In the forest there’s even the odd viewpoint if you go high enough.
A half day spent in Narai-juku is definitely long enough. Besides admiring the town’s scenery and taking photos, your main activities here are going to be shopping and eating at the town’s cafes and restaurants. There is the Narakawa History and Folklore Museum, but it only seems to be open on weekends.
Magome
Narai may have been the Japanese post town I saw the most photos of, but in terms of tourist crowds, Magome was the busiest. Stepping off the bus in town, it was a real surprise to find so many other visitors wandering through this small hilltop town.
Magome lies just outside the city of Nakatsugawa and is the only one of these towns in the Gifu Prefecture. Rather than being down in the Kiso Valley, it instead sits up among farmland in the hills overlooking the valley. This elevation means that Magome offers some fantastic views of the region, especially from the Magome-juku Lookout Point.
Magome sits along the Old Nakasendo Way and was my starting point for the Magome to Tsumago walk. But fair warning, you’re likely to begin your visit at the low end of town, whether you’re arriving by bus or car. This means it’s all uphill from there.
Fortunately the scenery makes the climb worth it. Magome centres on a pristine pedestrian street lined with large traditional homes and lots of greenery. As first impressions go, it definitely had me excited to explore what else the Kiso Valley had to offer.
Tsumago
Often combined with Magome as neighbouring stops on the Nakasendo Way is the town of Tsumago. Found on the far side of the Magome Pass much closer to the Kiso River, Tsumago is another extraordinarily well-preserved post town.
Entering Tsumago from the southern end, you’ll first cross the Araragi river, which itself has some pretty rural scenery to admire. As is typical of post towns in Japan, Tsumago is designed as a row of houses along one main winding street. What’s interesting here is that unlike Narai, the look of the town changes as you go.
Tsumago is perhaps the town with the most old-fashioned feeling of the ones I visited, especially around its southern end. This is the area where you’ll most see in photos. But continue going north and the town becomes more lively, as you start finding a lot of shops, kiosks, and restaurants.
The atmosphere changes again at the northern end of town, becoming quiet and more residential. Still, it’s also very pretty if you follow the Old Nakasendo road as opposed to going down to the Tsumago-juku North Entrance. Following the Old Nakasendo Way you can walk through forest to reach Nagiso, the next entry on this list.
Nagiso
The easiest starting point for visiting the towns of Tsumago and Magome is the town of Nagiso. Unlike those post towns, Nagiso is right on the Kiso River and has its own train station. From Nagiso, you can walk or take the local bus to both Tsumago and Magome.
But is Nagiso worth visiting on its own? I’d say that if you’re already passing through, why not spend a little time there. To me, the big appeal of Nagiso is the town’s riverfront. It’s there that you can see the immense Momosuke Bridge spanning the river. Head out onto the bridge and you’re treated to nice views of the valley and surrounding hills.
Unlike the other towns mentioned here, you won’t find a traditional post town at Nagiso. It’s just not that kind of place. Instead though, there are some neat spots, such as the SL Park with a steam train parked in it. Nagiso adds a nice bit of variety when visiting all the post towns of the Kiso Valley, one after another.
Kiso Fukushima
One last town that you may want to know about is Kiso Fukushima. It’s probably the least popular of the post towns here for sightseeing, because while Kiso Fukushima is a little larger than the other towns, only a small pocket reflects its traditional side.
The historic buildings and homes are located along a small street on a hill overlooking the meeting of the Kiso and Yaza rivers. You can walk around the area in 10 minutes without rushing. But while it may be compact, there’s no denying it’s a pretty spot, especially with a little viewpoint pavilion at its river end.
I’d mainly recommend checking out this part of Kiso Fukushima if you’re staying in town or passing through on a hike. The historic part of town is an intermediate stop on the Nakasendo Way, but didn’t feel as lively as places like Narai or Magome.
Beyond the Nakasendo Way, I’d recommend walking down to the town’s scenic riverfront. There you’ll get views along the valley, but there are also free public foot bathes, where you can soak your feet in warm water. I’d also recommend the Kumata cafe, mainly because of the sweet old lady who runs it.
Travel Tips for Visiting the Kiso Valley
Working out where to stay in the Kiso Valley is one of the biggest challenges of visiting. Not only are there multiple towns to pick from, but most accommodation is only bookable through their individual websites or even require a phone call.
To stay in more traditional ryokan, it’s best to look at Magome or Tsumago, while Narai-juku is home to a luxury option.
I stayed at Kiso Mikawaya in Kiso Fukushima for my time in the Kiso Valley. Kiso Fukushima seemed to have the easiest transport connections and this was the most affordable accommodation I could find. This is because I didn’t book accommodation far enough in advance, but if you do, you’ll definitely have a wider range of options.
Travelling around the Kiso Valley can be done by train using the JR Pass or Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass.
The Shinano Limited Express is only really useful for getting to Kiso Fukushima from Matsumoto, Shiojiri, and Nakatsugawa, as they rarely stop at other valley stations. For those stations (e.g. Nagiso and Narai), you want the local trains on the Chuo Main Line, which aren’t too frequent. Again, there’s also the local bus which is useful for getting to Tsumago and Magome from Nagiso station.
Have you heard of the Kiso Valley in Japan? Which of these post towns in the Kiso Valley do you want to visit most or first? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
