Day 8: The Nakesendo Highway
We woke early, the storm drains babbling past the window after the rain from last night. The silence in Tsumago was incredible - it was so peaceful.
After a delicious traditional breakfast, we headed out into the town.
Tsumago was a post town on the Nakesendo highway, and is one of the best preserved along the route. The setting was idyllic, and I felt like I'd been transported into a film as I walked around.
We then hopped on the bus, and headed further up the Nakesendo highway. We planned to walk from Magome back to Tsumago, but after seeing how hot it was (it is incredibly hot here!), we decided to start halfway along, at the Magome-pass.
We began walking, passing through beautiful, shady woodland, a stream twisting down the hill alongside us.
After making it back to Tsumago in just under three hours, we collected our luggage and headed onto the station.
As we waited on the platform, the clouds opened, and rain poured down onto us - it was incredibly heavy, and actually pretty fun to watch!
Nonetheless, we boarded the train, and began chugging along the rails towards Takayama.
Sun dappling the track,
Going down the ancient highway,
The splash of water.