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About planning a trip to Magome-juku
If approaching from Nagoya, JR Chuo Line has trains running to the nearby Nakatsugawa City approximately every 30 minutes. Those coming from Gero, Nagano, Matsumoto, or any other city with a connecting train to Nakatsugawa City, we recommend to take it. After arriving in Nakatsugawa, it is simply a matter of taking a short bus from Nakatsugawa Station to Magome, then walking about 10 minutes to our guesthouse. There are also highway buses that go straight to Magome from Nagoya, but the highway bus stop is a longer (30 minute) walk to our guesthouse.
Coming by rent-a-car comes with several advantages. First and foremost is not having to deal with potential train or bus delays, as can often happen in the larger cities. Second is not having to worry about making it on time for the last bus to Magome from Nakatsugawa City. Finally, and especially important during the off-season from mid-late December to March, is access to the convenience stores, supermarkets, and restaurants in Nakatsugawa City which are open when the shops in Magome are not. Those with international driving permits or a Japanese driver’s license are encouraged to arrange for a rent-a-car for the convenience it brings. IMPORTANT for guests who choose a rental car: the nearest highway exit, the Misaka IC exit is ETC card only so please ask for an ETC card when you make your reservation.
While most of our guests approach from Nakatsugawa, a “reverse-hike” from Tsumago-juku is also possible. Guests will arrive by train at Nagiso Station, hike approximately one hour to Tsumago-juku, do some sightseeing and eat lunch, then hike another 3 hours to Magome-juku. The advantage of this route is not having to worry about making the last bus to Magome, while the disadvantage being that three-quarters (3/4) of the hike is uphill.
An additional option for our hardier guests is the hike from Nakatsugawa Station, through the Ochiai cobblestone paths, up the mountain to Magome. It’s a 9km uphill hike, approximately 3 hours on foot. A number of local shops, cafes, temples and shrines are along this path and it is worth a try for those who would like a little more adventure and wish to experience more of rural Japan!
Guests who are coming to Magome Furusato Gakkou with the sole goal of walking the Nakasendo Trail to Tsumago-juku and continuing to their next destination can do so with just a single night's stay. However, due to Magome's location, guests travelling without a car often find themselves juggling several train and bus schedules just to arrive and depart from Magome-juku. To avoid unneeded stress, those planning to spend a single night are encouraged to plan accordingly and prepare their highway bus tickets ahead of time if leaving by bus, or to double-check the train departure times from Nakatsugawa Station or Nagiso Station.
For many of our guests, Magome-juku is their only destination outside of the major cities. For many, this means that their short stay in Magome-juku is the only time they can get away from the crowds and the noise of the city and actually get in touch with Japan's natural beauty. Guests hoping for a deeper exploration of Magome-juku, Tsumago-juku, and the nearby Nakatsugawa City, or intending to use Magome as a home base to visit Gero City and its famous onsens, experience the abundant natural beauty around Mount Ena, enjoy the many fantastic cafes in Nakatsugawa City, explore the nearby quaint mountain castle town of Iwamura, treat themselves to delectable Japanese sweets and cakes at the famous Kawakamiya, Gin no Mori, and Ena-Kawakamiya, or to try the local cuisine can spend 3-5 days here and always have something new to try! Guests who would like more information regarding local attractions or who require help making reservations need only message our staff via Booking.com.
For our guests planning on only doing the trail from Magome to Tsumago (or the reverse), the cheapest solution is to send your luggage through Yamato Kuroneko TA-Q-BIN BEFORE arriving, then sending it to your next accommodation after the Nakasendo. This is because Yamato typically takes one or two days to ship the luggage (dependent on location within Japan). This would require you moving clothes and other essentials to a small backpack or other pack that you would not mind bringing with you on the hike. You can order TA-Q-BIN at either a convenience store or with us at Magome Furusato Gakkou.
For same-day luggage transfer, both the Nakasendo Luggage Transfer Service and Walk Lite Nakasendo offer English-language service and same-day transfer to certain destinations on the Nakasendo trail. Please contact them to receive a quote.
Guests can also enquire at the Magome Information Center.
No, there are not any supermarkets or convenience stores in Magome. The closest convenience store is an hour hike downhill, and likely a bit longer on the return uphill. While we do have some essentials for sale at the front desk, we recommend our guests who are coming on foot or by bus to visit a convenience store or the Valor Supermarket closest to Nakatsugawa Station to buy essential supplies before coming to our guesthouse.
Guests who plan to buy food at a supermarket or convenience store and would like to cook it at our guesthouse are welcome to use our refrigerators/freezers in the kitchen and cook their meals using the available utensils, condiments, and cookware.
While we have 4 fully-private rooms registered on Booking.com, we have an additional 2 private rooms that we keep available for domestic guests who make reservations over the phone. Guests who already have a reservation on Booking.com can inquire through the Booking.com messaging service as to the availability of these private rooms, and request an upgrade to their reservation. As these rooms are on a first-come first-serve basis, we recommend guests looking for some extra privacy make their reservations and inquiries quickly.
For any of our guests who will be taking the bullet train (shinkansen) to their next destination, the most convenient way to get to the shinkansen station from our guesthouse is by taking a bus to Nakatsugawa Station, and then taking the Chuo Line up to Nagoya Station. As Nakatsugawa Station is the closest main stop on the Chuo Line to our guesthouse, it is the station the majority of our guests use to get to their next destination.
Guests whose next destination is on one of the highway bus lines that stop at the Magome highway bus stop can save a bit of money by taking a bus, with the added convenience of not having to worry about making train transfers.
The Kur Resort Yubunesawa is the closest public onsen to our guesthouse. It is approximately 8 minutes away by car or 15-20 minutes away by bus. Guests who have tattoos are encouraged to cover them with onsen-safe bandages or coverings or risk the possibility of being denied service.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This page has our answers and advice to many of the questions and concerns our guests have had over the years. Please read through it at your leisure!
About Magome-juku and the Nakasendo Trail
The most important thing you can bring are good hiking boots/shoes that are suitable for the weather you will be expecting. In the summer and late spring, there can be several days in a row of heavy showers. In the winter months, crampons or ice-grippers can be useful to ensure a quick pace through the snow and occasional ice.
Collapsible trekking poles are useful year-round, but not absolutely necessary for the trail from Magome to Tsumago. Guests planning on doing the reverse trail from Tsumago to Magome may find trekking poles more useful, as the first two-thirds of the trail are uphill. Those coming to Japan by plane and planning to bring trekking poles should have them in their checked baggage rather than their carry-on baggage, as trekking poles may be confiscated by airport security.
Finally, in the spring, summer, and especially in fall, it is recommended to have a bear bell attached to your pack. Those particularly worried about bears can buy bear spray at many Japanese home improvement stores or hiking shops. Though, bear spray is often quite bulky and cannot be brought on your return flight home.
We recommend hikers start the trail in the morning or, at the very latest, at noon. The estimated hiking time is 3 hours for the ~9km hike and the last bus departing from Tsumago-juku leaves at 16:42 (4:42 p.m.). Guests who leave too late may have to rush to catch the bus and will lose out on time they could have instead spent enjoying the sights and sounds of the trail. Guests who miss the last bus are not recommended to do the return trail in the dark due to the presence of wild animals in the woods. Taxis are available to return to Magome but can be quite expensive
Another option for guests who wish to leave a bit later is to take either the 10:55 or 13:25 bus to Tsumago-juku from the Magome Bus Stop and start their hike from there. While the "reverse trail" from Tsumago will be mostly uphill, the sight of the valley opening up once the final hilltop is crested is quite spectacular and guests who time their hike right can enjoy the sunset from the highest point of the trail.
As Tsumago-juku has far fewer guesthouses than Magome-juku, with much smaller capacity, they tend to fill up several months in advance. Guests planning to hike the Nakasendo Trail in the peak months of March-May or September-November and stay in Tsumago-juku are encouraged to book well in advance, to avoid having to make last-minute changes to their itinerary.
There is a panoramic view point at the top of Magome-juku that has a terrific view of both the town and the valley below. It's an excellent spot to view the sun as it sets behind the mountains in the distance. Please be aware that online sunset times do not account for the presence of the mountains, and those wishing to see the sunset should arrive 20-30 minutes in advance.
While it can be difficult to find seating on certain days of the week, it is exceedingly rare for there to be no restaurants available on any given night. With that said, as Magome’s restaurants are often run by small teams of 1-3 people, there is always the chance that they have to close due to illness or other pressing matters. In case of this, we keep our first floor lounge stocked with various food for sale to our guests.
Unfortunately, we cannot make a reservation for Ontaya, the izakaya. They only accept same-day reservations. When you check-in, we will provide a flyer with information about the restaurant and QR codes to view the menu/make a reservation.
Guests hoping to make a reservation for Haginoya are encouraged to message us through Booking.com. Before we can make the reservation, we first require some information:
All adult guests must first pick a course. Haginoya offers three different course menu options:
•3000 JPY course – an appetizer, soba in broth, grilled fish, tempura over rice, and dessert.
•4500 JPY course – includes everything in the 3000 JPY course plus sashimi.
•7500 JPY course – a larger 9-course special kaiseki, featuring dishes making use of seasonal herbs, vegetables, and fish.They have reservation slots open at: 6:00 or 7:00.
A reservation is required. If you can provide us with a name, as well as the time and date for the reservation, the number of people, which courses you would like, and any dietary restrictions you have, we would be happy to make the reservation for you.
Ontaya only accepts reservations made the same-day. When you check in, we will give you a flyer containing QR codes to make the reservation.
Guests who wish to make a reservation for Mikazukian's shabu-shabu must make their reservations at least two days in advance. They offer three courses:
The A Course (5500 yen per person) includes:
•Wagyu shoulder roast and Japanese pork, a vegetable arrangement, handmade soba noodles, udon, rice porridge (zosui), and ice cream.The B Course (7500 yen per person) includes:
•A5 Wagyu rib roast and Japanese pork, a welcome drink, a vegetable arrangement, duck salad, handmade soba, udon, rice porridge, and ice cream.The C Course (9500 yen per person) includes:
•A5 Wagyu rib roast and Japanese pork, a welcome drink, vegetable arrangement, duck salad, tempura, duck shabu-shabu, soba noodles, udon, rice porridge, and ice cream.
We can also make reservations to other restaurants in town. We ask that you try and make the reservations at least 3 days in advance to account for the restaurant's off-days as many restaurants do not answer their phones outside of business hours. Please understand that a cancellation of your booking will require us to cancel any restaurant reservations we have made as well.
The local kaiseki restaurant, Haginoya is able to prepare meals that are vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free/halal on request. They require advance reservations and are quite popular so, if you have any dietary restrictions and wish to make a reservation there, please let us know via Booking.com’s messaging system and we can help you make a reservation.
About our Guesthouse
We do not provide meal service at Magome Furusato Gakkou. However, we have simple items such as cup/frozen ramen, retort pouch curry and rice, and other various items for sale in our lounge, as well as the means for our guests to prepare and cook their own meals in our kitchen (formerly the home-economics classroom).
Guests who are booking our private classrooms can fit a maximum of six (6) guests in each room. The principal's office can accommodate two (2) guests on beds and an additional two (2) guests on futons. Due to the limited number of extra beds we have available, the maximum number of guests that can sleep on beds is twenty (20), dependent on room availability. For guests who are comfortable sleeping on Japanese-style futons, the number of guests we can accommodate is much higher.
The total number of available bunk beds in our dormitory is twenty-six (26), with an extra four (4) single beds in two curtained-off sections.
Unfortunately, we do not have alcohol for sale. Some local restaurants and souvenir shops will sell alcohol. Guests who bring their own alcohol are welcome to store it in our guest refrigerators in the kitchen.
Yes, we do! We typically keep vegan-certified curry, cup ramen, and nutrition bars in stock at our store in the lounge, as well as a number of vegetarian options. We also keep gluten-free nutrition bars, microwave rice, and miso soup in stock. Please note that the miso soup is labeled as not containing any wheat or gluten-containing ingredients, but is not certified gluten-free. Guests with strict dietary restrictions are encouraged to reach out to us on Booking.com regarding their options.
Check-in is available at our front desk on the first floor from 15:00 (3:00 p.m.). Last call for check-in is at 22:00 (10:00 p.m.). Guests experiencing train/bus delays or are expecting to miss the cutoff for check-in time are encouraged to message us through Booking.com ASAP that we can find a way to help you.
Our home economics room comes with a fully-equipped kitchen, furnished with gas burners and numerous pots and pans of all sorts of shapes and sizes. Microwave and toaster ovens are available, in addition to several rice-cookers and kettles. All kinds of utensils, measuring instruments, and serving ware are also available for use by our guests.
In the guest refrigerators and freezer, we typically stock ketchup, mayonnaise, soy sauce, okonomiyaki sauce, garlic paste, and ginger paste. Salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, olive and canola oils, and other assorted seasonings are available. We only request our guests clean after themselves and carefully wash their dishes after use.
Guests with clean shoes that can are safe to be worn indoors are welcome to use our gymnasium when not in use by local sports teams. Local teams reserve the gymnasium on a full or half-court basis. If a local team is using the gymnasium, guests are recommended to consult with the front desk regarding the possibility of using part of the court.
In the school gymnasium, we have equipment to play basketball, volleyball, table tennis, and badminton.
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