Nakasendo Trail or Kumano Kodo Trail

My family and I (with two kids ages 8 and 10) will be traveling to Japan next summer (late May/early June) for two weeks for our first trip!

We will be going to Tokyo and Kyoto, and would like to do a hiking/walking trip in between those two bookends of the trip. We'd like to overnight two nights.

We all love to hike, even the kids (we live at the edge of the Great Smokies National Park so we hike a lot).

Maybe an impossible question, but any advice on Nakasendo vs Kumano Kodo for two nights?

Thanks!

I havent seen the Kumano Kodo trail but it looks good. There is a section of the Nakasendo trail at Karuizawa which is fun. It is only a few km starting at the top of the Ginza Street and ending at a pass and lookout, near to a nice temple and awesome dango place http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6035.html

Karuizawa is a nice town, we stay at Tsuruya ryokan which caters really well to westerners, so I'd really recommend that for a Nakasendo trail experience.

The usual trail taken is the Tsumago/Magome section. It is quite a distance to get there and I thought it was all very underwhelming but then I think I'd convinced myself it was going to be much more than it is, so if I let you down now you might enjoy it more. Magome is pretty, Tsumago not so much, and the trail itself is pretty much a bushwalk with a few items of interest. I dont think you'd be able to squeeze two nights out of it. We stayed at Hotel Kisoji for a few nights which has nice onsen, but otherwise was more of a relic of the bubble economy.

Takayama is another choice, walking up the park to the castle ruins (just mounds where the foundations were) is quite an effort and there are quite a few trails with nice views and some wildlife, the town itself is nice (with great beef) and the trip out there on the wideview hida is awesome. http://tongatime.com/2016/02/11/travel/takayama-the-tourist-trap-youll...

Kumano Kodo is more hiking. Nakasendo is more trekking. Nakasendo has more civilization and you can see some bodies of water. Kumano Kodo is mostly mountains and trees with roots trying to trip you.

Without hesitation if I were you, I would go for the Kumano Kodo, which is one of only two pilgrimage world heritage sites globally.
If you have limited time, be selective with the route you are taking. We spent 6 days May this year, and it was one of the most memorable Japan trips we had ever experienced.
Do not miss the Traditional Boat Tour, the children would certainly enjoy this:
http://www.kumano-travel.com/index/en/action_ContentsDetail_Detail/id5...

http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/

https://en.visitwakayama.jp/themes/world-heritage-the-kumano-kodo-pilg...

Thanks for the tips!