I Escaped to Japan's HIDDEN Mountain Village 🇯🇵 48Hrs Walking the Nakasendo

The Nakasendo Trail is a breathtaking journey through Japan's mountains, historically connecting Tokyo and Kyoto. While it typically takes around five days to trek the full route, you can 'cheat' like I did and drive through stunning villages like Narai-juku, Magome, and Tsumago-juku to experience its essence in just two nights. The atmosphere of these towns is incredibly beautiful, surrounded by mountains with vibrant autumn leaves and morning mist. It's even more beautiful in the rain, as it darkens the wood and creates amazing color contrasts.

Stroll through Narai-juku, a traditional town where people still live, giving it an authentic, non-theme-park feel. The wooden buildings are incredibly relaxing, especially when the rain darkens the wood and enhances the colors. However, be warned: cars frequently drive down the main street, which can unfortunately ruin the atmosphere. Despite this, the town's beauty, surrounded by mountains and autumn leaves, is undeniable.

Head into a local soba shop in Narai-juku to try soba noodles. I had mine with soup and a raw egg, which you mix in to make the soup frothy, light, and fluffy. My companion had dipping soba, which I called 'effort soba' compared to my 'soup job done' method. We also tried local walnut miso, which is very thick and has a sweet, chocolate-like dessert flavor. It's a unique local delicacy worth trying!

Check into Biakunaroi, a beautiful 200-year-old ryokan hidden behind a wall right on the street. Once you step inside, you're greeted by a majestic, endless hidden garden. The inn is beautifully renovated, blending contemporary design with traditional elements. I stayed in a room with black walls, a rolling screen, and a contemporary design, complete with a record player and coffee beans for grinding your own coffee. My companion's room was more like a temple, with vault-like doors and exposed earth walls, featuring a stunning outdoor bath with hinoki wood to infuse the water with a pleasant scent. While my room was more practical and cozy, his room offered a unique, intense traditional experience.

For dinner at the ryokan, we tried a very local and unusual delicacy: bear meat. The restaurant has a contract with a bear hunter, and the meat is aged for two weeks, resembling Parma ham. We had bear meat shabu-shabu, which is boiled meat, along with local wild mushrooms. It feels a bit odd to eat bear, but it's surprisingly delicious, taking on a rich flavor when boiled. It's a unique culinary experience tied to the rural mountain location.

Visit Magome-juku, the 43rd station on the Nakasendo Trail, which I found to be the most visually jaw-dropping village. It's high up on a mountain, about 800 meters high, with many streams and waterways weaving through the streets. The scenery here truly trumps Narai-juku, with some of Japan's highest mountains towering around the village. If you have to choose, Magome offers a more pleasant experience due to its stunning mountain setting.

While in Magome, grab some lunch and enjoy the local food. I had a delicious chestnut dessert with red bean paste soup, which was a bit tricky to eat with chopsticks. Pair it with an iced coffee, or green tea like my companion. The overall atmosphere is stunning, looking over a beautiful garden with a cool mountain breeze and the sound of a running stream. Remember to bring cash, as credit cards are not accepted in any restaurants here, and ATMs are scarce in the mountains.

Explore Tsumago-juku, which I found to be perhaps the best-preserved of all the Nakasendo villages, especially given its remote, hidden location. It feels very lived-in and less touristy than some other towns. Visually, it might be my favorite, feeling like a movie set. However, be prepared for spiders – I saw more in 10 minutes here than in the last 10 years, including bright green poisonous ones!

Stay in a renovated 400-year-old traditional house in a small village of houses, part of a ryokan experience. You get your own little house in a forest, dating back two to three hundred years. My house, built 400 years ago, features an irori (Japanese fireplace) with a hanging pot, a living room with a huge table, and shoji sliding doors that lead directly outside, blurring the line between indoors and outdoors. The dining room serves dinner with many local mushrooms in autumn. Despite being old, it has modern amenities like a washlet toilet and a Western-style shower. It's a beautiful house with a natural garden, offering an authentic experience of how people lived centuries ago, with modern comforts. It feels like a detox, with cool, calming air and traditional ornaments.

Before dinner at the ryokan, enjoy a relaxing soak in the hot spring. Autumn and winter are the perfect seasons for this, as the contrast between the hot water and the cool air is incredibly pleasant. It's one of my favorite things to do in Japan, especially with a little drink to go with it. It's a much-needed escape and a great way to unwind.