Hike day: Magome Pass-Nakatsu Trail
I hopped on a train (my first Japanese train ride!) to Nagiso, just up the Nakatsu Trail from Nakatsugawa in order to walk back over the Magome Pass. It's supposed to be quite scenic, although not that high...
Momosuke Bashi Bridge
Wood, steel and concrete. 143m span. The wood looks in better condition than some of the concrete supports!
Momosuke Bashi Bridge
20 May 2026 - 08:54
Momosuke Bashi Bridge
20 May 2026 - 09:12
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Views from former Tsumagojo castle
20 May 2026 - 10:02
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Museum at Tsumago-juku
Post office
This being an old Kyoto - Edo postal road, I took a quick look inside
20 May 2026 - 10:34
There was a 'natural monument' up here. My translation said it was a magnolia tree, although it wasn't a magnolia I would recognise . It had lichen on it making it appear to have silver bark.
20 May 2026 - 10:39
Edo era preserved street
20 May 2026 - 10:51
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Otaki & Metaki Waterfalls
Odaki is the larger, 'male' waterfall, Medaki, the smaller 'female' one.
Merged Cypress trees
Lunch & Tea room
I had a little lunch just before this tea room at a covered picnic area with weeping cherry trees. A Japanese man from Nakatsugawa joined me for a little - this is his favourite walking path. He liked fishing and showed me some photos of trout here caught nearby. He told me he'd caught a 1m long carp before from a fishing boat - it towed the boat for about 30 minutes before he managed to land it!
20 May 2026 - 12:52
Magome Pass
790m above sea level
Hot!
Outskirts of Magome-juku
An artist's open garden
20 May 2026 - 13:20
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Magome viewpoint
20 May 2026 - 13:39
Magome-juku
A picturesque town of many souvenir shops!
Magome-juku
Past the really touristy bit now
Just a nice, rural route now, although there's a lot less shade!
20 May 2026 - 14:28
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Ochiai paved road
20 May 2026 - 15:04
Hidden away town shrine
On a slightly smaller scale than Kyoto's Inari Shrine, but they had it in mind!
20 May 2026 - 15:33
Asahigaoka Park
The park has another mini Torii gate trail to its shrine