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.
Adventure Travel
Outdoors on the Cheap
During tough times, and Japan has seen its fair share recently, people have a tendency to tighten their belts or stay indoors. Ye...
Hiking
Yama Girl Revival
Nearly a decade ago I became inspired to hike the “hyakumeizan,” Japan’s one-hundred most revered mountains. I had bagged 91 peak...
Hiking
Thief in the Fortress
The sound of my footsteps echoes across the empty Hayakawa Valley. No other footprints in the snow, no signs of life ahead or beh...
Kyushu
Laying Deep Roots in Yakushima
The lush island of Yakushima boasts the nation’s highest annual rainfall, Kyushu's tallest mountain and is said to be inhabited b...
Nagano
Kamikochi, Where Gods Descend
Golden silence reigns with the dawn. There’s little but the sound of the Azusa River as it passes under the bridge like a cerulea...
Hiking
100 Famous Japanese Mountains: #86 Takatsuma-yam...
I left Tokyo with a few friends long before the sun came up and started on the trail around 8 a.m. Everyone was groggy from l...
Adventures of the Hokkaido Bush Pig
Packing It In
Packing your backpack for spring or summer hiking trips can be a matter of preference, but one thing is certain; packing it right...
Hiking
Daiyuzan Trail: ‘The Other Side’
Hakone is a popular destination for tourists who come for the many hot springs, fancy restaurants and historic ryokan (inns)....