I’m starting this thread as a mutual support site for people visiting the Kiso Valley (namely the villages of Magome and Tsumago). Someone has recently highlighted that it’s not just me who is finding it very difficult to work out the bus times – a big deal when there are only 3 of them a day! I’m also finding a lot of inconsistencies in what people write in guide books and on the internet about this region.

I’ll start this off by listing what I think I know, hopefully (with contributions) I can refine it into something more accurate and comprehensive. Here goes:

Getting there by train:
There are two ways to get to the Kiso area by train from Tokyo.

Nagiso rail station is 10 minutes by bus from Tsumago (or one hour stroll)

Nakatsugawa rail station is 30 minutes by bus from Magome (Nakatsugawa has a more frequent rail & bus service)

www.hyperdia.com will tell you to get the Shinkansen to Nagoya and then to get the JR Chuo line.

EDITED (w/info from jib71) An alternative (cheaper) way is to go from Shinjuku to Shiojiri and get another train to Nagiso/ Nakatsugawa from there. This route is particularly recommended if you want to stop off at Narai.
Sample itinerary 8am departure on LIMITED EXPRESS SUPER AZUSA 5 to Shiojiri – arrive 10:28 (6,710yen)
10:38 departure on JR Chuo line arriving at Nagiso at 12:14 (1,450 yen) – there is also the ‘Wide View Shinano” – departing from Shiojiri at 10:52 which will get to Nakatsugawa in little over an hour – (costs approx 1600yen extra).

Bus times:
Please see jib71's contribution (post number 5 below) http://www.dia.janis.or.jp/%7Etumago/busdia.html


Which direction to make the hike?
EDIT Thanks RichardinSF! From Magome towards Tsumago there is an initial climb, but after that it’s downhill most of the way. There's a diagram here showing the gradients - Tsumago is on the left, Magome is on the right
EDIT: My Dad is 60 with a fluttering ticker and the Tsumago to Magome route only felt taxing for the last 500 meters before we reached the apex. Mind you, it was at this part that we were overtaken by an old lady hurrying past in a motorised wheel chair!!! If you have a mobile phone with you and it all gets a bit too much, there are a couple of points where the path meets the road where you can call for a taxi. Or wait for the 3xaday bus to trundle along.

Which is the best village to stay in?
Again, more inconsistencies and conflicting reports about which is the prettiest/quietest/most authentic etc…. Magome is the village with cobbled streets (please see RichardSF's note below - post#9), however, over half the town burnt down in 1915 (this happened periodically to most towns - the current Magome is version 11) which means that Tsumago has older buildings. Magome is the birthplace of a famous author (Shimazaki Toson) who wrote about life here over a hundred years ago, this naturally attracts more tourists eager to see where his novels were set. It also means that there is probably more going on in the evenings in Magome as it seems to have more inns.
Edit: I'm going to back RichardinSF's opinion on this one, Magome has even more of a reconstructed 'ye olde Nippon' feel to it than Meiji Mura (which is entitled to as that is a reconstructed 'theme park' where important Meiji era buildings have been given a safe retirement home.)　Tsumago - in the morning and at dusk is simply beautiful, and even the shop owners seem a little more somber and prouder of the crafts they are showcasing.　　I have to admit that at 8:00pm, MrLapLap & I were the only people on the dimly lit streets. Tottering around in our geta on a moonlit night, it was more romantic than similar strolls in Cannaregio or Castello in Venice.

Luggage forwarding service
The helpful service operates daily from July 20 to August 31st, or just on the weekends between April & November – you leave your bags at one of the tourist offices between 8:30 and 11am and the bags are delivered to the tourist office in the next town - by 1pm (500 yen per bag).
I'll try and find out if there are left luggage facilities at either Nagiso or Nakatsugawa stations as, theoretically, you should be able to arrive and leave from the same station (as long as you don't mind a longer bus ride)
-Ouch! Didn't have time to spare at either station to check!
Do have a tip though (which I got from FT!!) and that is to use the Takyubin (luggage forwarding) service before you get to the Kiso region. We stayed at the IC Tokyo before arriving at Tsumago, and then continued to Inuyama. The IC took our luggage (approx 1,000yen for a 'cabin size' bag) and we collected it at Nagoya. This meant we only had to carry enough things for an overnight stay.

Post Office / ATMS
EDIT:There is a post office in Magome with an ATM. Make sure you take enough cash to Tsumago to cover your expenses, and don’t count on your inn accepting Visa/AmEx etc..

Odds & Sods
I’d definitely take something against the rain, and footwear that is comfortable and waterproof. I’d also expect the temperature to be significantly cooler than that in Tokyo or Kyoto. In what I’ve read of the region, mosquitoes are common along the Kiso valley so take repellent with you (don’t expect to be able to stock up on this – or much else – whilst you’re there) Our inn had an electronic mozzie repellant, but only for one of our two rooms. My book (written 100 years ago) also describes tree leaches that drop onto travellers as being an age old problem in this region so I will be wearing a hat and keeping my arms covered… just in case.
EDIT with info from weegiewife BEARS - although there have been no reports as yet on the Nakayama road - it is recommended that you take a bell with you... as a precaution. The tourist offices will lend you one for a 1,000yen deposit. (or you can buy a souvenir one for the same price, but only in Tsumago)
Not up to the walk? Although the bus between the villages takes roughly half an hour, it seems that you can get a taxi (probably going along the paved road RichardinSF mentions) for 5,000 yen - it takes a bit less than an hour.
If travelling in a group from Magome to Nakatsugawa, a taxi might be the best option. It will cost roughly 2,500yen and take about 15 minutes. This will free you to take any train you choose. The bus takes 30 minutes and costs about　550yen per person - it doesn't coincide happily with all the trains.

Favoured websites?
http://www.tumago.jp/ (thanks weegiewife!) even when garbled through a translation site - this has lots of useful info, including current weather (note: Magome is 'Horse basket' and Tsumago is 'Wife basket' - Nagiso station is 'South Kiso' Station)
English version of Tsumago homepage: http://www.nagiso-town.ne.jp/english/engtop.htm

Thanks!