How to travel Kiso Valley?

Hey! We are 2 people who are going to Kiso-Valley in August, but we can't seem to find many places to stay for the night. Is it uncommon to spend a night or two in either Magome or Tsumago? If not, maybe some of you can recommend a place to stay?

How are you searching for places to stay?

Japan hotels have a habit of only showing dates 90 days in advance.

If you pick a date closer to today. You may find many more choices. Then just book your August dates when you can.

Hi, we stayed a few nights at Hotel Kisoji several years ago. It was pleasant enough but personally I wouldnt encourage someone to stay there. Tsumago is pretty dead during weekdays, Magome is pretty small but extremely pretty. I wouldnt mind going back and staying a night in somewhere pretty rustic.

The walk itself isnt anything special, it is pretty but not like stepping back in time or anything. i think I had high expectations and was left a bit flat, personally I think staying at Karuizawa and walking the bit of the Nakasendo way there is more fun. But if you go not expecting a lot, it will probably be an excellent time, the scenery is very pretty.

When we traveled in Japan five years ago we stayed at this place https://www.bedandbreakfast.eu/en/a/183909/tajimaya/
Minshuku Tajimaya
Lovely place with 10 rooms just in the centre of Magome. Good food - both dinner and breakfast were delicious. Just 100 m up hills it was a place to drop our bags for transportation to Tsumago
We started at trail about 08.15 and I think we was first walkers this morning in direction Magome to Tsumago
They had also a private bath (not onsen)we could book . Lovely to enjoy warm bath in the evening before going to sleep

Both Tsumago and Magome are really just large villages, so you won't find any major hotels. The accommodation is mostly traditional Ryokan. In July 2015 we got the train (local) to Nagiso, bus to Tsumago and stayed in Matsushiroya Ryokan. Next day we walked to Magome and got a bus to the nearest train station then continued on to Matsumoto.

I stayed at Tajimaya in Magome as well some years & it was wonderful. I loved being in the village when all the tourists had left