Japan 2019

Sunday17November

After a 3-hour drive, here we are 200 km from Kyoto in the small village of Magome-juku. Magome was one of the stations (the 43rd) on the more than 500-kilometer trade route connecting Edo (the old name for Tokyo) to Kyoto, until the 19th century. This route was known as the Nakasendō. Largely modernized today, some small portions of this route have been preserved and can be walked. From Magome, we can therefore reach the 42nd station, the small village of Tsumago-juku.

The steep street that runs through the village of Magome is lined with restaurants and shops.

We stop at one of them and have lunch around this bento with Mitarashi dango, a dessert of mochi skewers (rice flour) glazed with sweet soy sauce.

The hiking trail crosses the dense forest that covers the entire area. Our goal will be to reach the ruins of Tsumago Castle, about 9 kilometers walk from here.

It is advisable to carry a small bell to ward off any bears living in the region... These are Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus), also called collar bears because of the large white patch under their neck.

Some bells have been installed along the path to ring if you don't have your own bell...  

Persimmons, fruits of the persimmon tree (Diospyros kaki), have ripened and November is harvest time. This fruit can be eaten in all forms, raw or as jam. Here they are dried to be eaten like figs.

The last houses of Magome before entering the cypress forest.

These large conifers are Sawara cypresses (Chamaecyparis pisifera). They can reach 50 meters in height and 2 meters in diameter. The path is very pleasant. Several centuries of travelers have worn out their shoes or their horses' hooves here.

Oh yes, that's right! We might encounter bears! Let's ring the bell just in case!  

This small river, which will flow into the Araragi River two kilometers further, is fed by two small waterfalls called Odaki-Medaki.

We arrive at Tsumago-juku, the 42nd stage of the Nakasendō. These post towns, called Shukuba, were built at the same time as the road between Tokyo and Kyoto, to allow travelers to spend the night.

This small door hides a typical traditional Japanese hotel, a ryokan, where all traditions are respected, from materials to lifestyle, including meals... Alas, it's not here (at Daikichi) that we will sleep, but we will have the opportunity to try ryokans later in the trip!

We continue the path to reach the ruins of the village castle. The final ascent passes through a small bamboo grove that the soon-setting sun comes to sublimate...  

Here we are at the castle ruins with the view all the way down to Tsumago.

Not much remains of the castle, which is left as is amidst the vegetation.

Almost 4 PM, we have to go back down to catch the bus that will take us back to Magome where we will pick up our car right away to reach our next hotel in Iida, an hour's drive away!

The room at the Super Hotel Nagano Iida Inter (that's its name...) in the city of Iida.