How do I get to Kashiwaya Inn?

Take the JR Chuo line to Nagiso Station, then walk 15 minutes to Kashiwaya in Midono-juku (Nagiso 3993). If you need a ride, the manager can help arrange a taxi — just tell us in advance.

Can you accommodate dietary restrictions (vegan, gluten-free, etc.)?

Yes — tell us when you book on our site, or send us a WhatsApp message. We cook around your needs, from wagyu through to vegan and gluten-free.

How do I reserve dinner and breakfast?

Meals are booked separately from your room through the “Add your meals” link in the booking section. Use the same email and name as your room booking. Meal orders are accepted up to 3 days before your stay.

Can I cancel a meal order?

Cancellation is free with a full refund up to 4 days before your stay. From 3 days before onward, meal orders are non-refundable, as the meals are already being prepared.

Can guests use the e-bikes during their stay?

Yes — free for staying guests from 16:00 on your check-in day until 09:00 on your check-out day. Ring the bell at the desk or message us on WhatsApp before you ride.

Can I use an e-bike during the day?

During the day the bikes are used for guided tours and rentals by Beyond Nakasendo Cycling. Daytime use is ¥4,000 per bike per day (10:00 — 15:00).

What are the check-in and check-out times at Kashiwaya Inn?

Check-in is 16:00 — 18:00. Early arrivals can drop luggage and explore; late arrivals should message us on WhatsApp on arrival. Check-out is by 10:00 with no procedure.

Is pick-up from Nagiso Station or Tsumago available?

Yes — Nagiso Station, Tsumago and Junikane Station are within the free pick-up area between 16:00 and 18:00, arranged in advance. For departures the inn can call a taxi.

How much are dinner and breakfast at Kashiwaya Inn?

Dinner sets serve two people and range from ¥6,000 (chicken hot pot) to ¥10,000 (wagyu BBQ), including shabu-shabu, wagyu sukiyaki and vegan sets. Solo travellers can order one set at half the two-person price. The ochazuke breakfast set (vegan & gluten-free) is ¥3,000.

Is there Wi-Fi at Kashiwaya Inn?

Yes — free Wi-Fi throughout the house.

Do I need cash in the Kiso Valley?

Kashiwaya takes card payments, but most local restaurants and all local buses and trains are cash-only and can't change notes larger than ¥1,000. Bring ¥1,000 notes. The nearest ATM is at the 7-Eleven, about 20 minutes on foot.

Are the bathrooms shared? Is there a bath?

The shower room, sink and kitchen are shared; toilets are private (the second floor's private toilet is on the first floor). There is no bathtub, but a natural day-trip onsen is a short drive away and the inn can arrange a taxi or a lift.

Can I do laundry at Kashiwaya Inn?

First-floor guests have a washer-dryer. Otherwise there is a coin laundry about 15 minutes' walk away.

Can luggage be forwarded to the next stop on the Nakasendo?

Between Magome and Tsumago there is a no-reservation luggage shuttle. Between Nagiso and Nojiri stations Kashiwaya runs one — just ask. For the wider Kiso area (Matsumoto to Nakatsugawa), NLTS and Walk Lite offer booked luggage transfer.

Are there bears on the Nakasendo trails?

Asian black bears live in the mountains, but fixed bells along the Magome Pass trail mean no sightings there for about a decade. Bears avoid people; the main risk is surprising a mother with cubs. Bear bells and bear spray are available to rent at the inn.

How hard is the Magome Pass walk?

Easy — sneakers are fine, sandals are not recommended. In winter, strap-on ice spikes are advised and can be rented at the inn.

What are the house rules at Kashiwaya Inn?

No pets, and no smoking inside the wooden house (the courtyard is fine). Photos and videos are welcome. Quiet hours after 21:00, as local residents rise early.

← Kashiwaya InnGuide · E-bike days

Gorges & rivers: the other side of the Kiso

Everyone crosses the Magome Pass. Almost nobody crosses the river. On the far bank of the Kiso, a network of quiet paved roads links two of the most beautiful places in Nagano — Kakizore Gorge, whose water runs a green the locals call Kakizore green, and the Atera Valley, famous for its impossibly clear Atera blue. In summer, when the Nakasendo trails bake, this is the ride we send our guests on.

The route

From Kashiwaya you cross Momosuke Bridge — one of Japan's longest wooden bridges, built from local hinoki cypress — and follow low-traffic roads along the far bank. Swim or wade at the gorges, climb to the Koiji Pass viewpoint if your legs ask for more, and finish with a soak at a small onsen or coffee at one of the two good cafes near Nojiri Station. The e-bike flattens the climbs; if a road goes up, the motor goes with you.

Three riding rules we ask of everyone: keep left (use the sidewalk if the road feels unsafe, dismounting to pass pedestrians); walk your bike across wooden bridges — for your safety and the bridge's; and follow our navigation routes, which are designed to avoid private roads and keep you on safe, high-value riding.

Rentals and gear

Kashiwaya guests use the house e-bikes free from 16:00 on check-in day to 09:00 on check-out day; daytime rental (10:00 — 15:00) is ¥4,000 per bike per day. Riders get our route navigation, and we lend out rash guards, life jackets and bear bells for the gorges. One-way is fine too — you can drop the bike at Nagiso or Nojiri Station and hop on the train.

Want it guided — or bigger?

The master runs guided rides through Beyond Nakasendo Cycling, including a full-valley descent: 50 km from the top of the Kiso road down to Nagiso, gently downhill almost the whole way. If you can ride 10 km on a normal bike, you can finish it — and we'd argue it's the most comfortable 50 km in the world.

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