Trip to Tohoku, Chubu and Chugoku in 2016 winter – Part 4, Nagoya to Matsumoto via Magome

2016 winter Tohoku, Chubu and Chugoku
It was a beautiful day when I left Nagoya station.

It was a beautiful day when I left Nagoya station.

This post is continued from Trip to Tohoku, Chubu and Chugoku in 2016 winter – Part 3, Kakunodate to Nagoya via Sendai and Yamadera.

On 4th day of my trip, my trip was getting crazier and crazier. I visited the places as many as I could. Please do not copy my trip plan but I am sure I can share tons of information from my trip. I made a trip from Nagoya to Takaoka in Toyama prefecture. I dropped by Magome, Matsumoto, Shinano-Omachi, Itoigawa and Toyama on the way to Takaoka. I will show you the first half of 4th day of my trip.

Nagoya to Magome

Nagoya 8:00 (Shinano 3) 8:50 Nakatsugawa 9:10 (Local bus) 9:35 Magome

I got on Limited Express Shinano. It was about one hour trip to Nakatsugawa where is the gateway to very popular post town, Magome.

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Nakatsugawa station is very small. There are two platforms and three tracks. There is only one ticket gate and you cannot miss it.

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The bus to Magome depart from the bus stop just in front to the station.

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Local bus to Magome is very common commuter bus.

Local bus to Magome is very common commuter bus.

Walking in Magome-Juku

Magome is one of 69 stations on “Nakasendo”. Nakasendo is one of five ancient main route in Edo era. Now Magome is restored and it is a preserved post town now. We can see many of historical buildings.

The bus stop of Magome is located at the lower side of main street. You can start walking through the street to upper side.

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You may find this building near the bus stop. You can enter the street by this building.

You may find this building near the bus stop. You can enter the street by this building.

When I visited there, it was early morning and most of shops were still closed. It was very very quiet. Nobody was there when I got there.

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It was a nice day but cold.

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Many travelers hike to next post town, Tsumago. You can access to the trail to Tsumago from upper side of Magome easily.

Tsumago is 7.7 km away from Magome.

Tsumago is 7.7 km away from Magome.

Magome to Matsumoto

Magome 10:15 (Local bus) 10:40 Nakatsugawa 10:50 (Shinano 7) 12:04 Matsumoto

After visiting Magome, I went back to Nakatsugawa to take another Limited Express Shinano to Matsumoto.

Bus stop at Magome. It is written in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese. Most of you can understand the timetable very easily.

Bus stop at Magome. It is written in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese. Most of you can understand the timetable very easily.

It was very mild winter but there were some snow on the way to Matsumoto.

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I enjoyed 1 hour train ride and arrived in Matsumoto station.

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Even though I stayed in Matsumoto for just one hour, I could not skip Matsumoto castle. It was 15-20 minutes away from Matsumoto station.

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This castle is one of four castles that have original building. Matsumoto castle is also register as National Treasure. I could see Matsumoto castle and Japanese Alps Mountains in the distance. It was such a gorgeous view.

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I did not have enough time but I needed to eat something. Because I did not have any chances to eat until I got Shinano-Omachi around 14:00. I had Soba (buckwheat noodle) at the noodle stand in front of Matsumoto station.

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In the next post, I will show you the second half of the trip on day 4 at Shinano-Omachi, Minami-Otari, Itoigawa, Toyama and Takaoka.

Continue to next post, Trip to Tohoku, Chubu and Chugoku in 2016 winter – Part 5, Matsumoto to Takaoka via Toyama.

Comments

  1. Patricia Tan says:

    Nakasendo trail hike

    4. Monday 23/9

    Dear Takeshi San,

    Can you kindly take a look at my itinerary and advise the transport and the rail passes?

    We are staying in the Swisshotel Nankai Osaka

    We are arriving on 20/9 but airport transfer is provided by the company. Our Nakasendo hike starts on 23/9. We have not planned what to do in Osaka from 20-22/9 – very likely just traveling around Osaka (my husband is on conference so I will be on my own) –
    I have visited the main sights in Osaka previously. I may visit Kuramon market and the outlets like Rinku ( I can’t visit Rinku on the way from or to airport)
    or Mitsui. – should I use the ICOCA card?

    Nakasendo hike – we use the JR rail pass
    Mon 23/9
    Leave for Shin-Osaka station to take the Shinkansen Hikari train to Nagoya station

    Namba Nankai station via Midosuji line to Shin Osaka station
    Shin-Osaka station via Shinkansen Hikari (JR rail Pass) to Nagoya Station

    Nagoya station via JR express train # to Nakatsugawa station
    Take local bus #to Magome
    Walk to Tsumago (8km)

    Tues 24/9

    Walk to Nagiso station (5km)
    Nagiso station via JR local train #to Kisofukushima station

    Lunch

    Take local bus #to Kaidashisho
    Walk thru Shiroyama pass (8km)
    Return back to Kisofushima

    Wed 25/9

    Kisofukushima station via JR local train #to Yabuhara station
    Walk thru Torii Pass to Narai (8km)

    Lunch

    Narai via JR local train # to Kisofukushima
    Kisofukushima via JR express train # to Matsumoto
    Take Alpico limousine bus to Takayama
    Take hotel bus to ryokan

    Thurs 26/9

    Take hotel bus to Matsumoto station
    Visit Matsumoto castle
    Explore Matsumoto city
    Take Alpico express bus to Takayama bus terminal
    Walk or take taxi to ryokan

    Fri 27/9

    Explore Takayama city
    Takayama station via JR express train Limited express Wide View Hida to Nagoya station*
    Nagoya station via JR Shinkansen Hikari to Shin Osaka station
    Shin Osaka station via Midosuji line to Namba Nankai station

    * We want to leave Takayama at 1329 so that we can reach Osaka at 5 pm plus – – can I check the JR train Hida does not go all the way from Takayama to Osaka at this time unlike the timing that you suggested on another post below

    Takayama 15:38 -> 17:36 Gifu 17:43 -> 19:17 Kyoto 19:18 -> 19:44 Shin-Osaka 19:45 -> Osaka 19:50

    Is there another earlier timing for direct limited express wide view Hida that goes directly from Takayama to Shin Osaka without having to change train in Nagoya station?

    # for the JR express train and local train and local buses – which ones are covered by the JR rail pass?

    Sat 28/9

    Leave for Shin Osaka to take Sanyo Shinkansen Sakura to Hiroshima

    Namba Nankai station via Midosuji line to Shin Osaka station
    Shin Osaka station via Sanyo Shinkansen Sakura to Hiroshima station
    Explore Hiroshima and Miyajima

    Return to Osaka
    Hiroshima station via to Shin Osaka station
    Shin Osaka station via Midosuji line to Namba Nankai station.

    Sun 29/9

    Depart from Osaka in the morning – airport transfer provided by company

    ** when should I activate the 7 day JR rail pass ( I will buy the one with Green car for seat reservations) – 22/9 to 28/9?
    For the other one day 21/9 – do I use the ICOCA card ? I will only be traveling around Osaka to shop or buy food, not to main tourist sights

  2. Mark says:

    Takeshi-san, is the bus stop from Magome back to Nakatsugawa on the opposite side of the road, or is it the same place where you would get off the bus at Magome?

    Does this bus between Nakatsugawa and Magome accept IC card?

    Thank you!

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