Hi all --

I am trying to fit walking the Tsumago -- Magone postal road into this trip after 2nights in Takayama and before 4 nights in Tokyo. It would make for a LONG day, but is the following feasible? Feasible and insane? I will have a JRpass.

Depart Takayama about 0800, arrive Nakatsugawa about noon.
Bus ... Walk...bus ...
Depart Nagiso about 1700. Arrive Tokyo about 2000. - but am I allowed to use the Hakuta or Hikari Shinkansen?

Is there a more sane way to do this? And if this is the best way, can someone suggest a hotel by Tokyo station-- I don't want to try to get Tokyo bearings after dark.

I apologize for the syntax of this post -- thumb typing on an iPad in the DMK airport ...

It's not undoable....a long day of course. As long as you have the train and bus schedules you should be okay.

My issues would be - weather on the trail - are you going in March? Maybe still snow, not sure as I went in April. And your luggage - either send ahead or maybe check at the Nakatsugawa Station if you will return there.

Yes, you can use the Hikari with a JR Pass; I'm not familiar with the Hakuta, sorry...

As far as a hotel near Tokyo station, take a look at booking.com, there are a number close by - maybe a bit pricey as far as I'm concerned...lol....

Thanks Mara. Yes, this would be approximately March 10.

Perhaps I should find something else to fill 1 or 2 days between Takayama and Tokyo -- and arrive in Tokyo midday so I can get my bearings and navigate to Asakusa where digs seem more in my budget!

>>Perhaps I should find something else to fill 1 or 2 days between Takayama and Tokyo

Yeah, you mean something else like a night in Magome or Tsumago! A good option would be Matsumoto and visit the castle.

Yes, I could do a night in Magome or Tsumago ... And take a night off Takayama or Tokyo or Kyoto .... Hmmm.

Looks like there are a few places sub$100 even though it would be the weekend.

Back to the drawing board!

Yes, either of those scenarios sound good! I did my walk from Magome to Tsumago and stayed over in Tsumago....dinner and breakfast would be included at a ryokan....

Take a taxi from Nakatsugawa (or, if you insist, Magome) to Magome-toge (that part of the walk is just an uphill slog on roads). Spend a night in Tsumago (otherwise there's no point, the walk is not that interesting).

Sorry, that sounds a bit negative. What I meant is that the walk on its own is not that great but, combined with a night in Tsumago, the overall experience could be good. I did not stop overnight, which I regret.

March 10 is a little early in the season. We ran into heavy snow fall in the second week of April two years ago. Best to have a back up plan if the weather doesn't co-operate.