What Is Narai Like Through the Year? The Lacquerware Festival and the Torii Pass Walk

Published 2026-10-04 · Sources checked 2026-10-04 · Treasure Hunting Co., Ltd.

This guide gathers what the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and Go! Nagano, the official travel guide of Nagano Prefecture and the Nagano Tourism Organization, say in English about when to visit Narai-juku and what to do on the Torii Pass walk. All pages were read on 2026-10-04. They give few dates, and we say so rather than guess.

The June festival

Go! Nagano says the Lacquerware Festival is held on the first weekend of June. A second Go! Nagano page describes the Kiso Lacquer Ware Festival and the Narai-juku Festival together. It says the Hirasawa district's lacquer ware is a nationally registered traditional craft, and that the festival features a market called "Dai-Shikki Ichi" where collectors buy lacquer ware directly from the makers. It gives the venue as various locations throughout the Narakawa district of Shiojiri City, and says Kisohirasawa Station on the JR Chuo Line is a 1-minute walk from the venue. The pages do not give this year's dates, hours or crowd levels.

The tea procession

The same page describes Narai-juku's "Ocha-tsubo Dochu," a faithful recreation of the annual procession of tea carriers bearing precious tea to the Tokugawa shoguns in Edo during the feudal era. It does not say on which day the procession takes place, so check with the tourist information center.

Winter

Go! Nagano says businesses and museums in Narai close earlier and more often in the winter. If you plan a winter visit, expect fewer open shops and restaurants than in the festival season, and check the day's opening times.

The Torii Pass walk

The old trail between Narai and Yabuhara crosses the Torii Pass, at an altitude of 1,197 meters. JNTO calls the distance five kilometers from Yabuhara to Narai; Go! Nagano says about 6 kilometers and 3 to 3.5 hours. Go! Nagano calls it one of the most difficult sections of the Nakasendo Trail in Kiso, and recommends starting from Yabuhara Station and finishing at Narai.

What you see on the walk

JNTO says the route has sections of original cobbled paths and views out to Kiso's sacred Mt. Ontake, and that near the rest station at the top you should keep your eyes peeled for horse tying posts. Go! Nagano says that atop the pass is a shrine dedicated to Mt. Ontake, where travelers who could not visit the mountain could pray, and that on a clear day you can see the peak over the ridgeline to the west. It also says you can visit the remains of Yabuhara Shrine on the way. The pages give no information about snow or bears, so check local conditions before you go.

Other walks in the valley

Go! Nagano says the best-known hike on the Nakasendo is the Tsumago-Magome section, which takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours on foot. For a quieter day, the guide recommends the Narai-Yabuhara section or a stroll through Narai itself.

Why the pass mattered

JNTO explains that Narai-juku was one of the wealthiest post towns along the Nakasendo thanks to the high volume of visitors needing a place to rest and recover after traversing the difficult Torii Pass nearby. That is why the town grew so long and so busy, and it is also why a walk over the pass makes a natural pair with a night in the town.

The Kiso Valley setting

Go! Nagano says the original Nakasendo trail remains between Tsumago-juku and Magome-juku, and between Narai-juku and Yabuhara-juku, and that walking between them in a few hours is a popular activity. It describes the Kiso Valley as stretching 60 kilometers from north to south, between the Central Alps to the east and Mt. Ontake to the west, and says it is mostly covered with carefully protected forests.

Combine the walk with the town

If you finish the walk at Narai, Go! Nagano suggests a chopstick-making workshop at the Narai Tourist Information Center, where you can carve your own set of hinoki cypress chopsticks in about 45 minutes. The guide adds that you can shop for authentic Kiso lacquerware in the town and eat at one of its many cafes or restaurants. It also says that taking a walk at dusk, when the lanterns are lit, is not to be missed, and that businesses close earlier in winter, so plan to arrive with daylight to spare.

Weather and the walk

The pages we read give no weather figures for Narai. Go! Nagano says that on a clear day the peak of Mt. Ontake can be seen from the pass, which suggests choosing a day with good visibility, but the pages do not say which months are best, so check the forecast and local advice before you set out.

What we could not verify, and therefore left out

• This year's dates for the Lacquerware Festival and the tea procession.
• Whether the Torii Pass trail is open in winter, and snow conditions.
• Bus or taxi options from Yabuhara Station.

Related guides

• How do you get to Narai-juku and get around the Nakasendo post town?
• What is Narai-juku? The longest post town on the Nakasendo and "Narai of a Thousand Houses"

Sources

All URLs retrieved 2026-10-04.

1. Narai Post Town (Go! Nagano) — (festival month, winter)
2. Kiso Lacquer Ware Festival / Narai-Juku Festival (Go! Nagano) — (festival, procession)
3. Narai (Nakasendo) (JNTO) — (pass)
4. The Nakasendo Trail [Guide] (Go! Nagano) — (hike)
5. The Best Walks along the Nakasendo (Go! Nagano) — (walks)