Category
Hiking
Mountain and LandHiking
Japan is a country with a rich alpine history. From yamabushi (mountain priests), to mountain loving missionaries like Sir Walter Weston, to modern adventurers such as the Miura family, Japan’s mountainous terrain has been the playground – and holy ground – to generations of mountain climbers and recreational hikers. North to south, east to west there are countless peaks to bag and trails to explore. Whether you are out to conquer the Hyakumeizan (Japan’s 100 famous peaks) or just head out on a day hike to get some fresh air and escape the heat, there’s something for every hiker and climber in Japan.
People
Q&A with Peter Hillary
In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary made the first ascent of Mt. Everest with his climbing partner Tenzing Norgay. The names Everest and ...
Adventure Racing
To the End and Back
Unfamiliar names on a travel itinerary are a beautiful thing. Summoning my best college Spanish, I read them aloud. “Puerto Montt...
Snowshoeing
Escaping Winter’s Venom in Snake Valley
From 10 meters above, atop a steep, ice-covered ravine, I could hear my hiking partner’s voice calling down to me. “Yes, I’m OK,”...
Hiking
Long Trails in Japan: The Shinetsu
The word for “hiking” in Japanese is “tozan”（登山）which literally means “to climb a mountain.” As the word suggests, the lofty goal...
Trail Running
Light and Fast in the Central Alps
I am not sure who had the idea to run the main ridge of Japan’s Central Alps, but it could have been me. I am certain, however, w...
Hiking
Discovering the Middle Path
For months I have relished the prospect of spending four uninterrupted days hiking from village to village, exploring one of ...
Hiking
The Shinetsu Trail
There are many places in Japan where you can climb up to a mountain, stay in a hut or tent, then get up the next day and head off...