Nagoya - Nakasendo Trail and Gero Onsen

[AlexWand]

I'm finally about to return to Japan for the third time, planning my various excursions and sightseening i found Gero Onsen.
I'll be in Nagoya and Gero is only 90min by JR train (i'll have JRpass) so i thinking to have a daily trip from Nagoya, go to Gero in the morning then back Nagoya in the evening.
Reading the web i found that there 3 public onsen that cost less than 400yen, also there is a special pass called Yumeguri Tegata (1300yen) which gets you three visits to the baths of any of about thirty participating ryokan. So you can use the onsen inside some expesive and luxury ryokan.

Any more info and advice, could be worth a daily trip in a winter sunday? Could be a problem if i have a tattoo?

Also while i'm in Nagoya i would like to go to Magome and walk the Nakasendo Trail till Tsumago, do you think the nakasendo will be walkable during the winter?

 

[scorpioni6ths]

Could be a problem if i have a tattoo?

sadly inaka is inaka ~ even in very touristy Hakone tattoos are strictly prohibited ... unless you get a room w/ a private bath.

do you think the nakasendo will be walkable during the winter?

simple Google search yeilds it's possible to walk but be prepared since it seems to snow in the area ... given the year-end cold slump ... snow probably is in some parts of that trail.

 

[surak]

It's better to spend some nights in Gero. Nice onsen and top quality beef at bargain price (compared to Hakone). Ryokans like Yunoshimakan is fantastic, and offers free private bath for those with tattoo.

And Nakasendo is walkable during winter.

 

[Bill1837]

Any more info and advice, could be worth a daily trip in a winter sunday?

I highly recommend an afternoon at Meiji Mura. http://www.meijimura.com/english/

It’s near Nagoya in Inuyama. It’s in a parklike setting and has traditional houses taken from all over Japan and reconstructed here for visitors to explore. They even have the lobby from the Impirial Hotel that Frank Lloyd Wright designed. That alone, for me, was worth the price of admission.