Walking the Nakasendo way
In the 17th century, the Nakasendo Trail or “central mountain route” stretched from Kyoto to Tokyo for 534 kilometers and was used regularly during the rule of the Tokugawa dynasty. It was one of five major thoroughfares at the time, when Tokyo already had a million people. It was a time of growth in trade: the movement of food, good, and medicine between these two major cities made for good profit. Samurai, merchants and pilgrims (in search of entertainment and good baths) walked the mountainous trail, but the Shogun, princesses and feudal lords were carried by a staff of 20,000, stopping at any of 26 post towns along the way to rest their weary bodies.
The “alternate residence system” mandated wives and children of feudal lords to live in Tokyo as “hostages,” while their husbands stayed in their respective territories. This practice kept the peace for the Tokugawa dynasty and prevented any ambitious uprising against the Emperor for 280 years.
Our custom-made five-day Nakasendo walk started in Nagoya and continued until the Nihonbashi Bridge on the Nihon River in Tokyo, the official end of the trail. Armed with our backpacks and walking sticks, Vic and Corlu Caparas, Bloogs and Mardes Nicandro, Robert and Ana Oss, my husband Mitto and I walked an average of 10 to 18 kilometers each day on mountain trails with elevations that reached 1,370 meters.
Walk Japan, the original company that started tours on the Nakasendo Trail, calls it a “Level 3” hike (the people who work for this company mountain-climb daily) and provided us with two young and very fit guides, Miwa and Takuya. They led us through Magome, Tsumago and Narai, well-preserved post towns. Miwa guided us all the way to Tokyo.
It took all of our stamina, lung power, strong legs and grit to finish the itinerary that was prepared for us. Drenched in sweat, we huffed and panted as we climbed up the steep slopes. (Our mantra: “Tight buns, firm biceps.”) Our knees ached as we went down, wary that there were many loose stones that could cause us to slip and fall.
The tour skipped paved roads as much as possible and we only walked through Nakasendo’s rough and narrow mountain trails, climbed rocky steps and crossed creaky wooden bridges. The ascents were steep and long, the descents were steeper and longer. Each day, the climbing experience presented different challenges — we were lucky that the weather was clear and sunny. A wet trail would have been dangerously slippery.
Thankfully, everything works in Japan. The toilets (all Toto) located in the forest, while few, were spotless. Travelers be warned: no one leaves trash. Rest areas must be left as clean as they are found.
A wonderful way to discover the beauty of Japan’s countryside
We walked through maple and bamboo trees so thick, the sky just peeped overhead. Walnuts and chestnuts fell freely on the moss-covered ground. The scent of pine trees filled our lungs, streams dribbled merrily beside us, silky waterfalls slid over boulders above us. We saw shiitake mushrooms growing on oak and cherry logs, a maple tree and a walnut tree joined like Siamese twins at the trunks.
Except for the crow cawing overhead, the only sounds that we could hear were made by us. Our guide hung a little bell on her backpack to ward off any bear or boar that we did not want to meet. Our shoes crunched the gravel. Our sticks tapped the rocks and opted for firm soil for better balance. Our cameras clicked to try and capture the mystical beauty that wrapped us in a peaceful embrace.
At the end of each difficult day, we rewarded ourselves and soothed our painful muscles with a good, long soak in the onsen, the Japanese traditional hot (42 degrees Celsius) bath in a ryokan, the Japanese traditional inn. It is the practice to clean oneself first before stepping into the bath. These public baths separate men from women.
Delicious kaiseki dinners and sufficient breakfasts also helped revive us for the next day’s walk.
Last Sept. 27, Mount Ontake, a popular climb for trekkers, erupted with no warning, killing more than 50 people. At 3,067 meters, it is the second highest volcano after Mount Fuji. Its last eruption was 35 years ago.
As we walked through the Jizo Pass into the Kaida Plateau two days after, we saw Mount Ontake’s billowing smoke. The woods were covered with a light gray veil of ash. We were lucky that the wind was blowing northward and did not threaten our lungs.
We had a delightful pizza lunch at Kaidapopoya restaurant from whose property we could see Mount Ontake in all its glory. The chef, Hideji and his wife, Mitsuko symbolized the hospitable nature of the Japanese people.
And how surreal is that? Delicious, freshly made pizza in rural Japan! After we were fed, Hideji–san took out his Koto and sang for us. Mitsuko-san played a tune with her double harmonica. (She can do four harmonicas at a time.) Afterwards, he put on his engineer’s hat and let his G-size trains link up and move through the tracks on the garden, complete with sound effects.
We walked 68 kilometers for five days, in elevations that reach 1,370 meters, with inclines steeper than 45 degrees. It was tough and challenging but truly a fulfilling experience!
Should you want to do Nakasendo, please be with a group of willing friends — this adds to the joy of walking. Prepare the body by walking uphill a few months before. Wear comfortable hiking shoes and layer clothes. Bring walking sticks, hats, lightweight backpacks, insect repellant. Cameras should hang around the neck. (Remember, you only have two hands.) And, as Corlu and Ana did during our walk, bring lipstick!
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Email me and tell me where to walk the talk: cecilialicauco2@gmail.com.
