Bus from Kyoto to Magome

We are planning to travel on the 6th January from Kyoto to Magome. Is there a direct bus or do we have to change bus in Nagoya? What are the bus lines? Then, we plan to take a bus from Magome to Tokyo on the 8th January. Is this a busy period in Kiso Valley?

Have you looked at the Kiso Valley transport page on this website? If that doesn't have details, I suggest Google.

Have you checked if the walks and sights are accessible in the middle of winter?

Are you planning to do Magome-Tsumago Hiking Trail?
If you are, brace yourself for a big disappointment.

Thanks for the replies! Yes, we checked the transport pages and google. But information is not very clear if there are direct buses from kyoto to magome.

Regarding doing the hiking during winter, do you think it is impossible to walk or simply not pleasant because of the cold? Is Kiso Valley a good option during winter?

We are spending one month traveling slowly in Japan (Tokyo, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara). On the way back to Tokyo, we would like to spend a couple of days in a small village. Reading about Kiso Valley, we thought it is a nice place full of tradition and nature. However, do you have other suggestions, such as Hakone area? Is it very crowded during the "coming of age holiday"?

Thanks a lot for the advice!

The transport page on this website is fairly clear in that it doesn't mention a direct bus. Looks like you will have to transfer through Nagoya or Nakatsugawa. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6079.html?aFROM=2158_6075

I also Googled "bus Kyoto to Magome" and got lots of hits, including several forums (both on this website and others) where people had asked this same question and got a response.

It seems like there is not a direct bus.

While the path between the two towns is not technically closed in the winter, the local tourism board *highly discourages* winter hiking. Very few things will be open and in case of an emergency it may be quite difficult to get help. Maybe you could try looking into some different winter activities like a ryokan stay, Shirakawa-go in the snow, the Jigokudani monkey park, etc.? Or you could visit Tsumago and Magome but travel by bus between them. Please think seriously about trying to hike it though; it could be quite dangerous.

I visited Magome and Tsumago in December a couple of years ago and the ryokan that I stayed at (a famous one in Tsumago - Fujioto) closed the last night we were there for the winter. This should give you an idea...

It is possible to walk between the two towns in winter, but there can be quite a bit of snow in winter so as has been mentioned, it's not really recommended. Both town's are however photogenic in the winter but Magome is quite hilly and prone to icy paths.

I highly doubt that a direct bus travels from Kyoto to Magome as it's a quaint town of a couple of thousand people. There are probably tours from Nagoya (in Japanese) which leave daily. This is the best info I could find for buses....

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6079.html

Thanks a lot for your clarifications. It was very helpful. We decided to change our plans for trekking in Magome and stay at a Temple Ryokan near Nara. We think we will have a nice cultural experience, which is something we always look for when we travel.