Tokyo / arrival
~22 / 14 °C
Mild, occasional showers. Pre-rainy season — light layers fine.
Kyoto
~25 / 11 °C
Warm days, cool mornings; ~10 rainy days in May (short showers, not all-day).
Kiso valley
~20 °C day
Best window before tsuyu (rainy season starts early June). Forest can be cool/damp early morning.
Karuizawa (~1,000m)
~20 / 10 °C
6–9 °C cooler than Tokyo. ~155mm rain across May, ~9 rainy days, fog risk. Pack a warm layer + rain shell.
🧳 Daily luggage rule — bag at hotel reception by 08:00. NLTS (Auswalk\'s local luggage transfer co.) collects from 08:00 onward. NLTS may WhatsApp +81 90 7046 7710 or email nlts202308@gmail.com to confirm — respond if contacted. Auswalk
🚖 Thu 14 May night — book a TAXI for Friday morning. At Hanasarasa check-in, ask reception to book a taxi for Fri AM back to Nakatsugawa station. The free return shuttle starts at 09:25, which is too late for the walk start. Own expense. Auswalk
🚌 Fri 15 May 16:30 — Auswalk pre-booked Komanoyu shuttle at Kiso-Fukushima station. Catch the 15:26 Tsumago→Nagiso bus + 16:00 rapid Nagiso→Kiso-Fukushima train (arrive ~16:25). If missed: taxi from Kiso-Fukushima station, own expense. Auswalk
🎒 Sat 16 May AM — luggage drop at Komanoyu front desk. Bags forwarded to Tsuruya Ryokan, Karuizawa. You walk Day 3 (Nagiso → Nojiri) and spend that night at Komanoyu without main luggage. Pack day bag with overnight kit, valuables, change of clothes. Auswalk
🚆 Sat 16 May PM — Nojiri → Kiso-Fukushima train ONLY at 14:52 or 17:27. Local services only (no rapid). Plan your walk-finish accordingly. If missed: taxi (own expense). Auswalk
💴 Sun 17 May AM — Narai station is CASH ONLY (no ATM nearby). Pre-buy Narai → Karuizawa tickets at Kiso-Fukushima station this morning, or carry sufficient cash. Auswalk
📲 Day 2 (Fri 15 May) — Auswalk app directions are wrong. Walking into your accommodation is incorrect — you take public transport from Tsumago to Kiso Fukushima after the walk. Use Booking Summary + Public Transport docs. Auswalk
🍽️ Mon 18 May — Karuizawa dinner NOT included. Only night without dinner. Book ahead — kaiseki / soba / sushi options below. Auswalk
💴 Mon 18 May — JR Rail Bus Yokokawa → Karuizawa NOT covered by JR Pass. Pay driver in cash on entry. ~30 min ride. Departures: 12:05, 14:05, 15:05, 17:20, 19:00. Auswalk
🎂 Fri 15 May — Nicki's birthday at Komanoyu. Auswalk room upgrade requested.
🌧️ Karuizawa weather risk. Higher elevation, evenings drop to ~10 °C, May averages ~155mm rain and ~9 rainy days. Pack a warm layer and rain shell. Research
Auswalk Walking Notes — Book 1 · ingested 2 May 2026
Detailed Day 1 (Arrival) + Day 2 (Nakatsugawa → Tsumago) walk notes — 7 sections, all landmarks, food stops, history
Day 2 broken into Auswalk\'s 7 sections (S1 Nakatsugawa stn → Walkers\' Rest Area · S2 → Ochiai-juku · S3 Ochiai stone pavement · S4 → Magome Lower · S5 through Magome (pedestrian-only 10–4) · S6 → Magome-toge Pass 803 m · S7 → Tsumago). Echizenya teahouse @ 2.4 km (sanmon-mochi); Ochiai supermarket @ 4 km; two trail teahouses 10.5/11.5 km (Auswalk tip: lunch HERE not in post towns); Tsumago specialty gohei-mochi + chestnut sweets. Odaki-Medaki waterfalls detour @ 13.8 km — highly recommended. Bear bells along the trail (Japanese Black Bears). Water fountains at end S1 + entering Tsumago. Nakatsugawa Tourist Info Centre (large white building L of station, ground floor, open to 18:00) — they\'re expecting us. NLTS luggage co. WhatsApp +81 90 7046 7710 / nlts202308@gmail.com — bag at reception by 08:00 daily. If something goes wrong: provider on the ground → Sugiyama Create → Auswalk.
Auswalk Holiday Pack · ingested 2 May 2026
Holiday Pack — Booking Summary, Public Transport Document, Daily Itinerary, Universal Hikes App login
Full Auswalk pack received and used as new source of truth for the walk. Hotel Hanasarasa is a large hot-spring resort 15 min east of Nakatsugawa (not a minshuku). Free station shuttle from bus stop #4 hourly at :55 (last 16:55). Free morning return shuttle starts only 09:25 — book a taxi tonight for Fri AM. Komanoyu (Nukumorino-Yado) 5.5 km from Kiso-Fukushima station — Auswalk pre-booked shuttle pickup 16:30 at station front; target 15:26 Tsumago→Nagiso bus + 16:00 rapid Nagiso→Kiso-Fukushima train. Day 3 Nojiri → Kiso-Fukushima trains ONLY at 14:52 / 17:27 (local). Narai station is CASH ONLY — pre-buy Karuizawa tickets at Kiso-Fukushima. Day 5 Red Bus available; Yokokawa→Karuizawa JR Rail Bus NOT covered by JR Pass. All hotel phones now in Trip essentials. Universal Hikes App login: nicki@nickipage.com / Auswalk.
Robina Tanglao · Auswalk Support · 24 Apr 2026
Auswalk – Nakasendo – Small Update to App Directions Day 2
"On Day 2 (Nakatsugawa to Tsumago), the App instructions mention you will walk into your accommodation. This is incorrect. Please refer to your Booking Summary and Public Transport documents for the correct directions on this day."
Auswalk · Pre-departure reminder · 30 Apr 2026
Auswalk: Important Reminder – Your luggage arrangements on the Nakasendo walk
Reminder that on the morning of Sat 16 May, drop main luggage at Komanoyu front desk in Kiso Fukushima. Auswalk forwards it to Tsuruya Ryokan in Karuizawa. Pack a day bag for that night.
Eliza · Auswalk Customer Care · 17 Mar 2026
IMPORTANT Auswalk: [Nakasendo] – International Contact Numbers #I-NAKH6-SG-83609
Local Japan contact: Yuko Sugiyama +81 80 2938 8384 (WhatsApp preferred). Walker's pack sent to 15 Clifton Rd, Clovelly NSW 2031. Australian mobiles will be used for roaming.
Emergency contacts
Yuko Sugiyama (Sugiyama Create — local agent, WhatsApp)+81 80 2938 8384
NLTS luggage transfer (WhatsApp)+81 90 7046 7710
NLTS luggage transfer (email)nlts202308@gmail.com
Auswalk Melbourne office+61 3 9597 9767
Auswalk after-hours emergency+61 412 926 080
Auswalk customer care emailcustomercare@auswalk.com.au
If something goes wrong — escalation① Speak to the provider on the ground (hotel front desk / transport) ② Sugiyama Create local agent ③ Auswalk customer care
Trip essentials
Auswalk booking ref#I-NAKH6-SG-83609
Auswalk datesThu 14 May → Tue 19 May 2026 (6 days)
Outbound flightQF25 SYD T1 20:30 → HND T3 05:25 (+1)
Return flightQF26 HND T3 06:55 → SYD T1 18:00
Mobile in JapanAustralian numbers (roaming)
Walker's pack delivered15 Clifton Rd, Clovelly NSW 2031
Luggage allowance1 bag/person, max 20 kg
Train timetablesworld.jorudan.co.jp · Japan Travel by NAVITIME app
Universal Hikes App loginnicki@nickipage.com / Auswalk · works offline once installed
Kyoto: Hotel Mume11–14 May · The Butterfly · ¥117,000
Mume contactLeo Kawaminammi · info@hotelmume.jp
14 May: Hotel Hanasarasa+81 (0) 573-69-5111 · 280 Misaka, Nakatsugawa
15–16 May: Komanoyu+81 (0) 264-23-2288 · 47-2 Fukushima, Kiso District
17–18 May: Tsuruya Ryokan+81 (0) 267-42-5555 · 678 Kyu-Karuizawa