Tsumago, Nakasendo

Heading out of Magome, the highway led me towards the Magome-toge (Pass). I travelled beside the main road for a while, weaving in and out of woodland, past an old water wheel turning, generating power from the flowing water.

As I trekked through open fields, the air was clean and crisp, the sky a deep blue and the autumn colours ever-present. The Kiso Valley lay before me, inviting, verdant and filled with cypress trees. Luckily, due to Tokugawa’s foresight, tight controls on deforestation were introduced and a keen interest in forest conservation saved the valley from timber depletion.

I passed by the small village of Toge with its Edo era ambience and soon found myself on the Magome pass, meandering through woodland on a narrow path. To my surprise, a little distance in was a bell attached to a pole with a long chain and a sign saying ‘ring the bell hard against bear’. A bit of an eye-popping moment, I hadn’t realised the woods were frequented by Asiatic black bears. Although their presence is controlled, I sure didn’t want to be confronted by one, so with a hearty swing, I rang the bell loud and clear.

Once through the pass, I arrived at a small teahouse. A lovely rest stop that once used to be an inspection post monitoring travellers and the goods passing through. Back in the woods, I enjoyed the silence of the forest and the musical sound of the spring flowing, trickling over rocks. About 3mi (5km) later, I came across the Odaki-Medaki Waterfalls, two waterfalls near each other that translate as Male-Female Falls. 

I passed through another small village then began the final descent through woodlands, beside gurgling streams and into Tsumago-juku (#42), now part of Nagiso. A little more rustic than Magome, the road is wider and the town is charming. As a post-town Tsumago was quite small and of no particular note, mostly due to its remote location. Today though, it is a major tourist destination with most of the buildings restored and all power lines underground, preserving the feel of the Edo period. Even the mailman is dressed in a traditional Edo era costume. 

In the mood for soba noodles, I’m off searching for a hot soup version of it. Nagano Prefecture, which Tsumago is part of, is famous for Shinshu Soba which is made of buckwheat flour. A nice hot soup is just what I need to end my beautiful enchanted forest trek.