Walking & Hiking Adventures
Our walking and hiking tours combine walks and treks in Japan's wonderful national parks with visits to small villages, temples, and natural hot springs. We grade them from easy to strenuous, so you can choose the level right for you. These trips are designed for visitors who want to see the rich cultural heritage of Japan, but also experience the areas less frequented by foreign visitors, which are no less rewarding for a traveller. Japan's biodiversity is roughly three times richer than the British Isles or New Zealand, a result of warm and cold weather from Siberia and South-East Asia, and the countryside is spectacularly lush.
We use small family-run inns, travel to villages and regions off the established tourist routes, and keep the group size small so your experience is more personal and memorable.
Each tour is lead by a qualified Japanese-speaking tour leader. We work with local Japanese guides to enhance the experience through their local knowledge of certain regions.
Mountains Spirits
Tokyo and Northern Japan 13 days
Moderate - 6 days of walking and hiking from 2 to 5 hours per day on flat paths and mountain trails with some short climbs
13 – 25 July 2008
7 - 19 September 2008
21 September - 3 October 2008
12 - 24 July 2009
23 August - 4 September 2009
13 - 25 September 2009
Highlights: Ultra-modern Tokyo – the UNESCO World Heritage site of Toshogu shrine at Nikko – spectacular walking in the Oze marshland – accommodation in traditional
ryokan – natural hot spring baths – a temple stay in the sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan – gentle walks and cycling in the Tono valley – Samurai houses and gardens at Kakunodate – relax in the milky-white waters of the remote Nyuto
hot spring – travel on the bullet train
Tour details
Tour comments
Nakasendo Trail
Tokyo to Kyoto, Nara and Mount Koya 12 days
Easy/Moderate - 4 days of village-to-village walking from 2 to 5 hours per day on flat paths and mountain trails with some moderate ascents
12 - 23 April 2009
1 - 12 June 2009
19- 30 July 2009
27 September - 8
October 2009
18 - 29 October 2009
Highlights: Four days of village-to-village walking on the old Nakasendo trail – Imperial Nara and Kyoto – modern Tokyo - the mountaintop village of Yoshino - visit sacred Mount Koya and stay in a shukubo (temple lodging) – relax in the bath at a lovely hot spring ryokan – travel on the bullet train
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Tour comments
Land of Fire
Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Kyushu 14 days
Easy/Moderate - 6 days of walking from 1 to 3.5 hours per day on flat paths and mountain trails with some moderate ascents
7 - 20 April 2008
12 - 25 May 2008
12 - 25 October 2008
2 - 15 November 2008
5 - 18 April 2009
10 - 23 May 2009
10 - 23 October 2009
1 - 14 November 2009
Highlights: Imperial Kyoto and Nara – Mount Aso, one of the world’s largest active volcanoes – Aya castle and crafts centre – Samurai houses and castle at Obi – Traditional Yokagura dances at Takachiho – Hot sand baths on the beach – Accommodation in traditional ryokan – natural hot spring baths – gentle walks along country paths – Ultra-modern Tokyo
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Tour comments
Imperial Pilgrimage
Kyoto, Nara and the Kii Peninsula 14 days
Moderate - 5 days of walking from 2 to 8 hours per day on mountain trails
4 May - 18 May 2008
19 October - 2 November 2008
Highlights: Exploring the Kii mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and walking part of the old pilgrimage route to the great Kumano shrines - Staying in Buddhist temples on Mount Koya and in Nachi - Accommodation in old hot spring villages - Staying in lovely old ryokan in the mountain top village of Yoshino and in Kyoto -Exploring the old capitals of Asuka and Nara - A walk through countryside along the Yamanobe-no-michi – Kyoto highlights - Meeting friends and locals along the way
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Tour comments
Mountains of Central Japan
Japan Alps and Kyoto 14 days
Strenuous - 7 days of hiking from 3 to 8 hours per day on mountain trails with some prolonged climbs, steep in parts
29 June - 13 July 2008
14- 28 September 2008
Highlights: Four days hiking in the wonderful Hida range (the ‘Japan Alps'), from Kamikochi to Yari Peak and along the Omote Ginza ridge.- classic mountain walking - Kenroku Park, Ninja Temple, the samurai district, and 21 st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in the historical city of Kanazawa - relaxing hot springs - Matsumoto Castle - Haku-san hike - Kyoto by day and night - important cultural and historical sites in the ancient capitals of Nara and Asuka - the mountain top village of Yoshino - guided tour of the huge cemetery and accommodation in a Shingon Buddhist temple on Mount Koya
Tour details
West Japan Explorer
Kyoto, Japan Sea Coast, Kyushu & Yakushima 15 days
Moderate -5 days of hiking on mountain trails with some steep ascents
16 - 30 November 2008
Highlights: Two-day hike over Miyanoura-dake (1,935m) on Yakushima and seeing the oldest cedar forests in Japan · Open-air seaside natural hot spring baths · Visit to a shochu distillery · Classic Isoteien garden at the old Shimazu family residence in Kagoshima · Climbing Mount Aso, volcano with the biggest caldera in the world · Visit to Usuki town and stone Buddhas on Kyushu coast · Hot sand baths · Travel on the shinkansen bullet train · Hiroshima Peace Park · Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima · Izumo Grand Shrine · Matsue – castle and home of Lafcadio Hearn · Climbing Mount Daisen · Train journey along the beautiful Sea of Japan coast · Traditional Japanese pottery-making session · Kinosaki hot spring town · Delicious food, particularly local seafood specialities (flying fish, crab) and mountain vegetables.
Tour details
Tour comments
Our trip grading system:
Easy level trips generally include several days with walking or hiking from 2 to 4 hours usually on level paths or trails. Moderate level trips have days with around 5 to 8 hours of walking or hiking on forest paths and mountain trails with some short steep sections. Strenuous trips have multi-day treks on steep mountain trails of around 8 hours per day.
For practical information covering our trips in Japan click here. For some background information on the history and culture of Japan, see our Japan resources page.
Fully Tailored Itineraries:
We can also arrange tours to suit your dates or even put together a trip customised to your needs, with or without an element of walking or hiking. Please fill out out quotation page to discuss your requirements.
Birdwatching and botanical trips:
Our resident naturalist Mike leads birdwatching trips to Kagoshima in Kyushu and also Hokkaido to see the Japanese (Red-crowned) Crane, Hooded Crane, Steller's Sea Eagle amongst others. These trips are normally on-demand only, so please get in contact to discuss your preferred dates.
Newsletter
Four times a year we send out an email newsletter with information about new trips, stories from past trips, and general news about our destinations. If you would like to receive this newsletter please enter your email address on our newsletter page.
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Phone: (UK +44) 020 7099 6147 • Fax 020 7681 3131
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