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 · The Nakasendo

The Tsumago–Magome day walk, done right

The stretch of the old Nakasendo between Magome and Tsumago — over the Magome Pass — is the most famous walk in the Kiso Valley, and it makes a perfect day trip from Kashiwaya. Here is the plan we recommend to our guests, refined over many seasons of seeing people come back happy (or occasionally footsore and wiser).

The shape of the day

Walk or ride to Nagiso Station (15 minutes on foot from Kashiwaya).
Leave anything you don't need at a cafe near the station that offers luggage storage, and catch the mid-morning bus to Magome (around 10 a.m.; if that's too late for your schedule, we can arrange a taxi — just ask).
Spend a couple of hours in Magome — the steep, stone-paved post town with big views over the valley.
Walk the Magome Pass to Tsumago: about 8 km, two to three hours at a relaxed pace, mostly forest path, tea house at the top.
Explore Tsumago — the best-preserved post town on the whole Nakasendo — then take the bus back to Nagiso Station and pick up your bag.

Buses are cash-only and can't change anything larger than a ¥1,000 note. Timetables change by season and year — check the current one with us the evening before, and we'll help you plan the connections.

How hard is it?

Easy. The pass is a well-kept path with a gentle grade — sneakers are fine, sandals aren't. In winter, icy patches appear; strap-on spikes make it comfortable, and we rent them at the inn.

What about bears?

Asian black bears live in these mountains, but fixed bells line the Magome Pass trail and there have been no sightings on it for about a decade. Bears want nothing to do with you and almost always leave first. If you'd like extra peace of mind, we rent bear bells and bear spray.

Luggage, solved

Moving on after your walk? Between Magome and Tsumago there's a no-reservation luggage shuttle, and between Nagiso and Nojiri stations we run one ourselves. For the wider Kiso area, NLTS and Walk Lite forward bags with advance booking. Ask us and we'll set it up.

Make it a loop from Kashiwaya

Staying two nights gives you the walk without the clock-watching: do the pass on your middle day, then roll home to a nabe dinner and a Kashiwaya-exclusive craft beer. The next morning, our free e-bikes (yours until 9 a.m.) are the nicest way to see Momosuke Bridge before the day warms up.

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