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Usui Pass Edo Era Walk

By 一般社団法人安中市観光機構
Free cancellation available
Price is P 384 per adult
See tickets
Features
  • Free cancellation available
  • 5h
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation
  • Multiple languages
Overview

Step into the Edo period and follow in the footsteps of shoguns and travelers on the historic Nakasendo. This guided walking tour takes you across the Usui Pass, once known as the most difficult section of the route, while immersing yourself in history and nature.

Along the way, Kamishibai storytelling brings to life legends of Sakamoto-juku, depicted in ukiyo-e prints. Dressed in Edo-style travel gear (sedge hat, straw raincoat, travel pass), you’ll visit landmarks such as Kumano Shrine, the Usui Sekisho checkpoint, and the Nagai Family Residence, where Emperor Meiji once stayed.

Experience the journey with all five senses:
See: History and legends through Kamishibai
Taste: Chaya Bento with Toge no Chikara Mochi
Hear: Multilingual guide commentary
Smell: Cedar forest phytoncide walk
Touch: Cross the pass in Edo traveler attire

At the end, receive a souvenir certifying your Usui Pass crossing. Relive samurai culture and discover one of Japan’s most fascinating walking routes.

Activity location

  • Former Usuitouge View Point
    • Tougemachi
    • 389-0101, Karuizawa-machi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • Usui Pass Observation Platform
    • Togemachi
    • 389-0101, Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan

Multiple meeting/redemption points available, see location information for full list

Check availability

luggage delivery to Yokokawa
  • Activity duration is 5 hours5h
    5h
  • English

Luggage transport from Karuizawa Station to Yokokawa for 1,000 JPY per item.
Starting point:
軽井沢駅北口タクシー乗り場, Japan, 389-0102 Nagano, Kitasaku District, Karuizawa, ７６１ 駅

Starting time: 9:00
Price details
P 383.62 x 1 AdultP 383.62
Total
Price is P 383.62
Until Fri, Oct 31
Nakasendo Usui Pass Walk
  • Activity duration is 5 hours5h
    5h
  • English

Starting point:
Usui Pass Observation Platform, Togemachi, Karuizawa, Kitasaku District, Nagano 389-0101, Japan

Starting time: 10:30
Price details
P 4,219.81 x 1 AdultP 4,219.81
Total
Price is P 4,219.81
Until Fri, Oct 31

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's included
    Shrine offering fee for visiting Kumano Shrine is included.
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Admission fee for the Nagai Family Residence Memorial Hall is included.
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Rental of Edo-style traveler’s attire, including sedge hat, raincoat, guards, and travel permit.
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Commemorative pass for crossing Usui Checkpoint, one of Japan’s three great checkpoints.
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Enjoy a tour-exclusive bento featuring the famous “Tōge no Chikara Mochi,” once beloved by Edo travelers, prepared by the historic Tamaya Drive-in.
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Transportation fee to Usui Pass Observation Deck is included.
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Luggage transport fee (not included, available as optional service).

Know before you book

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Activity itinerary

Former Usuitouge View Point
  • 10m
At Usui Pass Observation Deck, you’ll receive an introduction to the Nakasendo trail ahead and the iconic landmark Mt. Myogi, a guidepost along the route. Here, you’ll also step across the border between Nagano and Gunma, experiencing the gateway to the Kanto region.
Kimano Shrine
  • 20m
  • Admission ticket included
Visit Kumano Shrine, one of Japan’s three great Kumano shrines among 3,500 nationwide. With a history of over 1,900 years, recorded even in the ancient Nihon Shoki, the shrine offers a chance to experience Japan’s deep traditions through a guided explanation and a formal visit.
Usui Pass
  • 3h
Our certified guide will lead you along the Usui Pass of the Nakasendo, once walked by shoguns. Along the route, historical sites and landmarks are brought to life through easy-to-understand illustrated storytelling (kamishibai picture cards).
中山道 坂本宿(群馬県安中市松井田町坂本)
  • 30m
  • Admission ticket included
Together with your guide, stroll through the former Sakamoto-juku post town, once a lively stop for travelers crossing Usui Pass, famously depicted in the ukiyo-e series “Kiso Kaidō Rokujūkyū-tsugi.” You will also visit the Nagai Honjin Memorial Hall, where Emperor Meiji once rested, and admire rare cultural treasures such as a ceiling decorated with Karakami gilt leather paper, preserved in only a few places in Japan. Local guides will bring these traces of history to life.
The remains of Usui Sekisho
  • 20m
  • Admission ticket included
This checkpoint once monitored travelers during the Edo period. Under the shogunate’s decree, it strictly inspected “incoming guns and outgoing women.” Visitors will learn about this unique history through explanations provided by the local preservation society.

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIES
    Former Usuitouge View Point
    • Tougemachi
    • 389-0101, Karuizawa-machi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLE
    Usui Pass Observation Platform
    • Togemachi
    • 389-0101, Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan
  • PEOPLEPEOPLE
    軽井沢駅北口タクシー乗り場
    • Karuizawa
    • 389-0102, Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan

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