Kyoto/Osaka to Magome/Tsumago, Nakasendo

Visiting the Nakasendo trail including Magome and Tsumago from Kyoto or Osaka involves traveling by Shinkansen bullet train anyway. It is not impossible to hire a car in Osaka or Kyoto, but it involves driving long distances, which is time consuming and not recommended. We provide one day tour of Magome and Tsumago from Gifu Hashima Shinkansen Station. This tour saves more time than the ones via Nagoya. Please see here.

By public transportation

The most common way is to take the Shinkansen to Nagoya, and from there take a train and bus on the Chuo Line. This is the cheapest option, but it is time consuming and the bus service is infrequent and inflexible.

If you are staying in Nagoya instead of returning to Osaka or Kyoto, or continuing your trip to Matsumoto or Nagoya, public transportation is a good option.

Packaged Magome/Tsumago tours from Nagoya

The next possible option is to take the Shinkansen to from Osaka/Kyoto to Nagoya and then join a Nakasendo tour departing from Nagoya. There are two types of tours: group tours and private tours. If you join such a tour, at least you do not have to worry about bus time, etc. And you will have a guide to explain the history, culture and nature to you.

1-Day Tour from Nagoya: Hiking the Historic Nakasendo Trail is a group tour departing from Nagoya Station. This tour is ideal for those who want to hike. Departure time is 10:30 a.m., so passengers can come to Nagoya from Osaka or Kyoto with plenty of time to spare.

If you don’t want to hike, this tour is for you. From Nagoya: Enakyo, Magome-juku & Tsumago-juku 1D Bus Tour stops at two more places of interests before arriving at Magome and Tsumago.

Full-Day Kisoji Nakasendo Trail Tour from Nagoya can be a private tour if you wish (and pay). A private tour guarantees that the tour will be conducted. The price per person is higher, however.

Nakasendo tour from Gifu-Hashima Station

There is an even more unknown way to visit Magome-Tsumago from Osaka or Kyoto. It is to take the Shinkansen bullet train to Gifu Hashima Station, just before Nagoya. Gifu Hashima Station is rarely used by travelers, as the Nozomi-go trains do not stop there. However, this station is located in Gifu Prefecture and is close to a highway interchange. It is not as crowded as the area around Nagoya Station. It is an ideal station for passengers from Kyoto, Osaka, and other areas in the Kansai region heading to sightseeing spots in Gifu Prefecture.

What we offer is a private tour by car from Gifu Hashima Station. Gifu Hashima Station is just over 40 minutes from Kyoto Station on the Shinkansen bullet train. It is also about 50 minutes from Osaka. The distance from Gifu Hashima Station to Magome is about 2 hours by car.

A return Shinkansen ticket from Kyoto to Gifu-Hashima is approximately 10,100 yen per person (adult, low season price) for a reserved seat. Please note that the Shinkansen Nozomi does not stop at Gifu-Hashima Station. So you have to choose Hikari or Kodama. You can use the JR Pass for Hikari and Kodama.

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Model itinerary for Osaka/Kyoto to Magome tour

This itinerary is for a Magome-Tsumago hiking. It does not take into account bad weather or road conditions. Click here to see the hiking trails.

7:54 Leave from Shin-Osaka Station by Kodama 708 bound for Tokyo
8:10 Leave from Kyoto Station by Kodama 708 bound for Tokyo
8:46 Arrive at Gifu Hashima Station and meet with the guides
11:00 Arrive at Magome
Lunch and self-guided tour in Magome (While you are in Magome, your guide will take the car to Tsumago and return to Magome by taxi.）
12:30 Leave from Magome
hiking
15:30 Arrive at Tsumago
16:30 Leave from Tsumago
18:30 Arrive at Gifu Hashima Station
18:58 Leave from Gifu Hashima Station by Kodama 739
19:34 Arrive at Kyoto Station
19:51 Arrive at Shin Osaka Station

If you are traveling by car from Magome to Tsumago, your arrival at Gifu Hashima Station will be at least 2 hours earlier.

If you are heading toward Matsumoto, Nagano or Nagoya by train after your tour, we will drop you off at either Nagiso or Nakatsugawa station.

We usually use a van (Toyota Estima or similar size), which has a capacity of up to 6 guests. If you are 4 or less, you can sit comfortably. If there are five or six of you, it is a bit cramped since three people sit in a row. We may prepare child safety seats if you are with children.

For a smaller number of passengers, we may use a smaller car.

Price of the Magome/Tsumago day trip

Estimated price (including tax) for this tour is 75,000 JPY in case of our standard van.

Prices include a driver/guide, highway tolls, parking fees, fuel, taxi fare, and sales tax. Shinkansen Tickets, meals and admission fees are not included.

Tour may be cancelled if there is a possibility of snowfall during the winter season. In winter, highways can be closed and bullet trains delayed.