JR Tokyo to Nakatsugawa

We're planning to go to the Kiso Valley this summer by train from Tokyo. We've been on the Tokaido Shinkansen many times, and I am thinking of travelling via Nagano. It would add about 30 to 60 minutes to our trip. We would take the Nagano Shinkansen and then transfer to the Shinano Ltd Express.

Does anyone know about the scenery from the train along this alternate route? Time isn't absolutely critical, and we love riding trains in Japan. We would be going to Nagoya from Nakatsugawa later in our trip.

It's actually a little cheaper, going via Nagano, according to Hyperdia, though we'll be using our JR Pass, so that wouldn't matter to us.

Dale

I'll partially answer my post. I know that the Shinkansen always has a lot of tunnels and likely the Nagano Shinkansen does. Just wondering about the Nagano to Nakatsugawa leg of the trip.

Dale

Yes, the Nagano Shinkansen has a lot of tunnels, but it's a pretty quick ride.

The good news is that the scenery on the LEX Shinano route is really quite nice. It is also very representative of the Japanese countryside. You will see pretty mountains (near Matsumoto), a lovely river with some big rocks in places, and lots more. In mid to late May the wild wisteria can be stunning, although I guess you will probably miss that. I have taken the Shinano from Nagano to Nagoya (and vice versa) numerous times, and I always enjoy it.

BTW, the Tohoku Shinkansen has fewer tunnels than some other shinkansen routes, and some very nice scenery. There are still some tunnels, but just riding the train can be a pleasant excursion from Tokyo (and a reasonable proposition if you have a JR pass). (Just make sure you don't get seats in the lower level of one of the double-decker trains!) Scenery up to Sendai is generally pretty good; beyond that even better.

Thanks, Uma. We've been on the train into Tohoku as well as all the way through to Sapporo.

I'm trying to get to Magome and in looking at the timetables, I'm thinking to just go via Nagoya to save some time that day.

Dale