This easy day hike from Tokyo is my favorite by far! Aputo no Michi is a mostly flat hiking trail that allows you to walk a portion of a now unused train line. Along the trail are a series of tunnels, a former substation, and a beautiful arch bridge known as Meganebashi. There’s also a hot spring along the way and a portion of the trail is covered by a trolley train. The trail is popular in autumn for its fall colors.
Hiking Course Overview
Trail Name: Aputo no Michi (Abt Road, アプトの道)
Location: Gunma
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Average Hiking Time: 4 hours
Total Hiking Distance: 13 km (round-trip)
Best Season: Summer, autumn
Fare: ¥5,000 round-trip if you take local trains
Optional Expenses: ¥1,100 for Toge no Kamameshi (local specialty); ¥600 for Toge no Yu hot spring admission; ¥1,000 for trolley train ride and Bunkamura entrance fee
Usui Pass & Abt Road: Historic Relevance
The mountain pass called Usui (碓氷) was a significant route in central Japan and was used as early as the 8th century. From 1893 to 1997, the Shin’etsu Main Line ran along the Usui Pass and connected Yokokawa Station in Gunma and Karuizawa Station in Nagano. It was discontinued after the introduction of the Hokuriku Shinkansen and was transformed into a hiking trail known as Abt Road.
The name Abt Road comes from the Abt system, a rack railway system developed by Swiss locomotive engineer Carl Roman Abt. The Shin’etsu Main Line was the first to use this system in Japan until renovations in 1963. “Aputo” is the Japanese equivalent of Abt, which is where the trail derives its name from.
The Usui Pass is also known fondly among fans of the manga/anime Initial D as the home course of drift racer Keiichi Tsuchiya.
Aputo no Michi (Abt Road) Hiking Trail
JR Yokokawa Station
0.2 km/ 2 minutes to Bunkamura
The trailhead is a walking distance from JR Yokokawa Station. There’s a stall selling the local specialty, Toge no Kamameshi, here, but it was closed on my hiking date. You can also get it at the restaurant Oginoya nearby or at the Toge no Yu hot springs, which you will pass along the way.
Trailhead
The trailhead is easy to get to because it appears on Google Maps. There are also signs pointing to it. On the way, you will also pass by the Annaka City Tourism Organization where you can get maps, drinks, and snacks.
Bunkamura (Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park)
1.8 km/ 28 minutes to Maruyama Substation
Bunkamura is a train theme park that runs adjacent to the trail. It has amusement rides for small children as well as old models of train cars. It also has a functional train trolley that covers part of the trail. As appealing as that sounds, I recommend riding it on your way back after your visit to the hot spring.
Bunkamura (Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, 碓氷峠鉄道文化むら, うすい とうげ てつどう ぶんかむら)
09:00 to 17:00 (closed on Tuesdays and from Dec 31 to Jan 4)
Admission: ¥500 (13 y.o. and above), ¥300 (child ages 6 to 12)
Official Website (Japanese only)
Maruyama Substation
1 km / 20 minutes to Toge no Yu
This beautiful brick building was built in 1912 to supply electricity to trains. Today, it’s a National Important Cultural Asset. While you can’t go inside the building, you can circle around to take a peek.
Toge no Yu
1 km / 20 minutes to Usui Lake
As you continue on the trail, you will pass by the backside of a building to your left and a rest station to your right. This is Toge no Yu, the area’s hot spring. There’s a vending machine for drinks and a public toilet you can use if you feel the need. The rest station to your right is the trolley train station, so you can check the schedule here. After this, you will pass by your first two tunnels which are fairly short but exciting nonetheless.
1st Tunnel (187 meters)
2nd Tunnel (113 meters)
Usui Lake
1.1 km / 20 minutes to Meganebashi
If you stay on the trail you will see Usui Lake from the distance. The lake is also known for its autumn views, so you can opt to get off the trail and see it up close. It has a 1.2 km walking path that you can finish in around 20 minutes.
Beyond the lake are tunnels 3,4, and 5. The 5th tunnel is a lot longer and darker.
Meganebashi
1.2 km / 25 minutes to Former Kumanotaira Station
After the 5th tunnel, you’ll find yourself on top of Meganebashi. This beautiful brick arch bridge was opened to the public in December 1980, and it’s one of the largest bridges in Japan. Surrounded by trees, the area is a verdant green in summer and a combination of red and orange during the fall season.
Here, there are benches here where you can relax and take a break. To view the bridge in full, you’ll have to take a stairway to go down and cross the street. You will also find a washroom in the parking lot nearby.
From here, the trail will be a long series of tunnels, so some people opt to turn back from this point. I personally found the 6th tunnel beautiful, so if you have to explore just one, this would be what I’d recommend.
Former Kumanotaira Station
Emerging from the tunnel, you will find the last stop of the trail: the former Kumanotaira Station. On your left, you will find two objects of interest. A small shrine and a monument.
The monument commemorates workers who died in the construction and operation of the station. The technology back when this train line was first opened wasn’t as advanced, and building it took some 500 lives. There was also a landslide accident that caused the deaths of 38 workers in the line of duty, along with 12 civilians.
As you continue on the path, you will find an elevated section to your right. There is another stone monument here indicating the station’s history.
The end of the trail is marked off with ropes. You will be able to see two tunnels in the distance, but they look completely abandoned.
Back to Toge no Yu
It takes around an hour to get from Kumanotaira to Toge no Yu, so a soak in the hot spring is well-earned! Toge no Yu has both indoor and outdoor baths, a resting area, and a restaurant, so you can relax after a long hike.
The local specialty, Toge no Kamameshi, is also sold here, so don’t forget to try it when you get the chance.
Tōge no Yu (峠の湯、とうげ の ゆ)
10:00 to 21:00 (last admission 20:30)
Admission: ¥600/3 hours, ¥1,100/6 hours, ¥1,800/whole day
Official Website (Japanese only)
Riding the Trolley Train Back
The station to ride the trolley train is on the other side of Toge no Yu. The admission fee is ¥500, but because the train stops at Bunkamura, you’ll also have to pay the entrance fee for the theme park. All in all, the trolley train ride will cost you ¥1,000. You can check out Bunkamura’s old train cars once you get to the terminal stop.
Trolley Train Time Schedule
| To Bunkamura |
|---|
| 10:40 |
| 11:40 |
| 13:40 |
| 14:40 |
| 15:40 |
This schedule is subject to change. Please check the Bunkamura website for the latest updates.
Day Hike from Tokyo: Recommended Itinerary
Here’s what my itinerary looked like when I did this hike. This allowed me enough time to take photos and have short breaks.
11:00 Arrive at JR Yokokawa Station
12:30 Fuel up with snacks at Meganebashi
13:00 Reach Kumanotaira, start return trip
14:10 Arrive at Toge no Yu, have a good soak, eat kamameshi
15:40 Ride the trolley train back to Bunkamura
Guided Tour
The Annaka City Tourism Association regularly conducts guided tours of the Aputo no Michi. They seem to have offered English and Chinese tours at one point, but currently, only Japanese ones are operating. You can find information about the latest tours here.
How to Get to Aputo no Michi
Aputo no Michi (Abt Road, アプトの道)
Trailhead: 2-minute walk from JR Yokokawa Station
The cheapest way to get to Yokokawa Station is via the Ueno-Tokyo Line. Ride the train bound for Takasaki at Tokyo or Ueno Station, get off at Takasaki, then switch to the Shin-etsu Line. It should take you around 3 hours and ¥2,310 one-way.
Taking the Joetsu Shinkansen can reduce the travel time by 40-50 minutes, but it’s twice as expensive.
