Latest news with #WalkJapan
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Swallowed by white, this is a different sort of hike
The '80s-brown digital alarm clock crows. The window glows a gradually whitening aurora. I gracelessly roll off my futon like an anaesthetised horse, shuffle down the corridor in ill-fitting slippers, swaddled in a yukata, thwacking my forehead on a hefty low beam that's been thwacked by generations of yawning pilgrims. Togakushi Pilgrims' Inn owner, Gokui-san, 78, is regaled in a black conical hat and powder-blue robe. The bespectacled, rally-driving Shinto priest thumps a taiko drum, chants metallically, executing the purification ceremony's esoteric formalities, by proxy launching my seven-day guided snowshoe tour of rural Nagano with Walk Japan. This week, three metres of powder snow will coat Japan's Central Alps, a region Nobel Laureate Yasunari Kawabata labelled 'Snow Country'. Sky and earth become one profoundly white realm. Cloistered senses sharpen. Time compresses into exhilarating snippets, like a real-time slide-night. Morning rituals develop. Devour teeny bowls of provincial scrumptiousness. Squeak into snug, snow-resistant synthetic layers. Tether snowshoes to hiking boots; affix gaiters. Follow Walk Japan's chirpy guides, Nick and Shiori, into the snowscape, shepherded by local enigmas like Hata-san. An Italian restaurateur-cum-ski-slopes-groomer, Hata-san knows the most intriguing forest paths between Togakushi's five shrines; centuries-old Buddhist/Shinto structures where divinity dances on weathered woodwork, where 'treasure meets light', and where water-breathing dragons safeguard trees. Hata-san's owl-strength eyes and wisdom breathe life into Nagano's backcountry. Simple scratches in mossy tree bark become claw-marks of now-hibernating Asian black bears. He occasionally hears them thud to the forest floor from their precarious tree-top perches in warmer months, fixated on nothing but scoffing acorns. Criss-crossing indents in the snow become a fox pursuing her bunny-rabbit feast. My own snowshoe-track trajectory reminds Hata-san of the common raccoon dog's. I cagily crunch across Lake Kagami-ike, trout swimming under 50 frozen centimetres. Sapphire sky perforates clouds briefly, uncloaking formidable Togakushi Range, home to cave-dwelling monks, life-extinguishing mountain-climbing routes and, reportedly, Momiji – a murderous female demon exiled from Kyoto. A stupendous avenue of 400-year-old, sky-tickling cedars preludes Togakushi's Okusha shrine. Instagramming day-trippers and pilgrims alike approach this 'power spot' reverently: toss a coin, bow twice, clap twice, pray, bow again.
The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
Swallowed by white, this is a different sort of hike
The '80s-brown digital alarm clock crows. The window glows a gradually whitening aurora. I gracelessly roll off my futon like an anaesthetised horse, shuffle down the corridor in ill-fitting slippers, swaddled in a yukata, thwacking my forehead on a hefty low beam that's been thwacked by generations of yawning pilgrims. Togakushi Pilgrims' Inn owner, Gokui-san, 78, is regaled in a black conical hat and powder-blue robe. The bespectacled, rally-driving Shinto priest thumps a taiko drum, chants metallically, executing the purification ceremony's esoteric formalities, by proxy launching my seven-day guided snowshoe tour of rural Nagano with Walk Japan. This week, three metres of powder snow will coat Japan's Central Alps, a region Nobel Laureate Yasunari Kawabata labelled 'Snow Country'. Sky and earth become one profoundly white realm. Cloistered senses sharpen. Time compresses into exhilarating snippets, like a real-time slide-night. Morning rituals develop. Devour teeny bowls of provincial scrumptiousness. Squeak into snug, snow-resistant synthetic layers. Tether snowshoes to hiking boots; affix gaiters. Follow Walk Japan's chirpy guides, Nick and Shiori, into the snowscape, shepherded by local enigmas like Hata-san. An Italian restaurateur-cum-ski-slopes-groomer, Hata-san knows the most intriguing forest paths between Togakushi's five shrines; centuries-old Buddhist/Shinto structures where divinity dances on weathered woodwork, where 'treasure meets light', and where water-breathing dragons safeguard trees. Hata-san's owl-strength eyes and wisdom breathe life into Nagano's backcountry. Simple scratches in mossy tree bark become claw-marks of now-hibernating Asian black bears. He occasionally hears them thud to the forest floor from their precarious tree-top perches in warmer months, fixated on nothing but scoffing acorns. Criss-crossing indents in the snow become a fox pursuing her bunny-rabbit feast. My own snowshoe-track trajectory reminds Hata-san of the common raccoon dog's. I cagily crunch across Lake Kagami-ike, trout swimming under 50 frozen centimetres. Sapphire sky perforates clouds briefly, uncloaking formidable Togakushi Range, home to cave-dwelling monks, life-extinguishing mountain-climbing routes and, reportedly, Momiji – a murderous female demon exiled from Kyoto. A stupendous avenue of 400-year-old, sky-tickling cedars preludes Togakushi's Okusha shrine. Instagramming day-trippers and pilgrims alike approach this 'power spot' reverently: toss a coin, bow twice, clap twice, pray, bow again.
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Travel + Leisure
6 days ago
- General
- Travel + Leisure
This Peaceful Hiking Route Has Been Walked by Samurais and Monks—and It's an Amazing Way to See Japan's Cherry Blossoms
For centuries, samurai, monks, and nobles journeyed between Kyoto and Tokyo along the Nakasendo—the 330-mile 'road through the mountains.' Once bustling with foot traffic and feudal drama, this ancient trail is now a quiet ribbon winding through forested hills and rural hamlets, far from Japan's well-trodden tourist paths. Today, a new kind of traveler walks it—those seeking something slower, quieter, and more immersive. To follow the Nakasendo is to walk in the footsteps of merchants and warriors, poets and pilgrims—and to write your own story into its centuries-old landscape. Walk Japan, a tour company known for its 'off-the-beaten-path' routes through Japan, leads a remarkable 11-day, 10-night journey along the most scenic and storied stretches of the ancient trail. Their Nakasendo Way tour winds through remote countryside, over the Alps of Japan, and into time-preserved villages. Along the way, travelers will learn about the role of the pathway in the Edo Period and the story behind important battles in Japanese history. And at the end of each day, walking shoes are removed and feet are elevated in traditional Japanese inns, which are renowned for their meals and care. Walking Nakasendo Way is, quite simply, one of the most peaceful—and spectacular—ways to see Japan. It is a route that is renowned for its cherry blossom trees, which bloom along the trail between March and May. Although Nakasendo Way is an 11-day journey, Walk Japan is clear that it is a walk, not a trek. It is suitable for anyone who can walk for four to six hours in comfort. Transportation is available for those who need a rest day and baggage is sent ahead to the next destination each morning. Nakasendo Way was rated an Activity Level 3 and Technical Level 3 on a scale of 1–6 by Walk Japan, meaning participants should be able to walk between 6.2 miles to 16 miles (or four to six hours) each day. The route includes some short ascents and descents and takes place on a variety of paths, including pavement, loose gravel, and forest trails. Walking poles are recommended. Walk Japan's Nakasendo Way is a small-group tour with a maximum of 12 participants and no minimum. It is available from March to June and again from September to November, but it's best done in the spring, when the cherry blossoms bring an added touch of beauty and color. In addition to Nakasendo Way, Walk Japan's original route, the tour company offers over 38 guided and self-guided tours that weave through rural Japan, including the five-day Kiso Road walk, which is an abridged version of Nakasendo Way. Pricing for the Nakasendo Way walking tour starts at 575,000 JPY (or just under $4,000 USD). More information on the route, as well as a map, can be found at
The Advertiser
25-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Beyond the ski slopes: take a hidden trail through Japan's poetic wilderness
Natagiri Pass in Tohoku sits away from Japan's popular ski trails. In 1689, the area - in the north-east of the main island of Honshu - was made famous by Japan's most famous haiku poet, Matsuo Basho, when he penned his travelogue, The Narrow Road to the Deep North. To explore the area in the thick of winter you need specialised equipment, and on an adventurous tour with walking experts, Walk Japan, I donned snowshoes to embark on a hike through deep snowfall. Without a soul in sight, the untouched trail lay before our small group like a scene from a Disney fairytale. During the 17th century, the pass was known for its lawlessness and when Basho journeyed through the forest, he feared bandits, but we had no such concerns. Inspired by the quiet beauty of the snow-laden cedar trees, we attempted our own three-line haikus, following the 5-7-5 syllable count, but our unskilled attempts were more ditty than poetry.
NZ Herald
30-04-2025
- NZ Herald
Exploring Kyushu: Walk Japan tour blends hot springs and cuisine
Later that night, dinner at Beppu's oceanfront Amane Sekai Resort is very different from Kannawa's simple street food. Setting the scene for evening meals at different ryokan (Japanese inns) across the next four nights, the resort's eight-course menu introduces our group of 10 walkers to Japanese-style kaiseki dining, elaborate multi-course meals strictly showcasing seasonal and local produce. Partnered with a flinty and fruity tasting flight of nihonshu – the correct appellation for what's commonly known as sake – super-fresh sashimi artfully piled high and grilled wagyu beef from nearby Oita are highlights of a leisurely feast lasting more than two hours. Two nights later, in the riverside onsen town of Kurokawa, local trout is perfectly enhanced with salt and lemon, while pickled eggplant, the empathic zing of kabosu – a citrus fruit popular in northern Kyushu – and wild-harvested shiitake mushrooms all fast-track our understanding of Japanese cuisine. It's food worth getting dressed up for, so we do, wearing traditional and super-comfortable yakuta robes to dinner each night. As a shared sartorial choice, it helps to bond our group of Anzac travellers, plus, the loose-fitting yakuta is handy when segueing between kaiseki courses four, five, six and seven. While we're dining, our rooms at each ryokan are transformed from relaxed lounges into cosy bedrooms, with firm but comfortable futons laid out on floors covered in traditional tatami bamboo mats. In a country where the concept of nagomi – balance or harmony – is so important, our five-day Walk Japan itinerary seamlessly blends the three elements of walking, culinary experiences and onsen bathing. From hellish adventures around Beppu and Kannawa, we detour northwest to the remote Kunisaki Peninsula, a rural area with a 1300-year history as the centre of the ancient Rokugo-Manzan Buddhist culture. A world away from the touristy scrums crowding the temples of Tokyo and Kyoto, a forested trail leads from the centuries-old Buddha statues of Makiodo temple, venturing across wooden bridges past rice paddies and soaring limestone cliffs. As the trail narrows, we negotiate caves originally inhabited by monks seeking enlightenment in Rokugo-Manzan's unique synthesis of Buddhism and Shintoism, before squeezing past the occasional fluttering bat to re-emerge into autumn sunshine. Walk Japan also offers other more physically challenging hikes, but the easygoing pace is perfect – super-relaxed, and ideal for leisurely chats about Japanese society and culture with tour leader Jon Finger, raised in Melbourne, but now a long-term Kyushu resident with a Japanese wife and a young family. After lunch of handmade wheat noodles at Kunisaki's oldest family-run restaurant, a visit to nearby Fuku-ji reveals the simple perfection of what is reputedly Kyushu's oldest temple, infused with an ethereal half-light teak interior, and still in use after 13 centuries. A shard of afternoon sunlight slyly intrudes to softly illuminate the centuries-old frieze framing the temple's central shrine. Overnighting at Yufuin's stylish Enokiya Ryokan – a stylish and modern reimagining of a traditional inn – there's time for both a relaxed onsen experience in their private couples' baths, and a stroll along Yufuin's pedestrian street and its Japanese approximation of a European spa town. Mochi buns crammed with strawberries, black sesame ice cream, and refreshing yuzu and honey soda are all essential distractions before another yakuta-clad kaiseki experience back at the ryokan. Only-in-Japan highlights in town include samurai dog tote bags and a giant crab announcing a seafood restaurant. Sheltering Yufuin to the northeast is the leviathan volcanic peak of Yufu-dake, 1584m-high and still active, but our next walking destination is Garan-dake, further northeast, and around 500m lower than Yufu-dake. The open-air public onsen of Tsukahara sits on its volcanic, denuded slopes but we're here to make a short but steady uphill hike to view the mountain's main crater, steaming and sulphurous with multiple fumaroles. After lunch of soba noodles in a roadside restaurant, the day's main walk begins in the town of Oguni. Spanning around 4km, it's a relaxed stroll through abandoned railway tunnels – a legacy of Oguni's past as a rail terminus – across a viaduct, and framed by a bamboo forest refreshed by intermittent rain showers. Our overnight stop is at Kurokawa Onsen, the most popular of the onsen centres fed by Kyushu's hot springs, and also the island's most atmospheric. At the end of a meandering road tracing a downhill riverine path, Kurokawa's Ryokan Sanga has forest-shaded pathways leading to onsen baths crafted in cypress and natural stone. Adherence to traditional protocol means it's strictly nude bathing in shared men's and women's facilities; an experience as authentic as the evening's kaiseki dinner. Shochu – another Japanese distilled liquor – and local craft beer fuel another superb meal. Food, history and relaxed walking also combine on the tour's last full day, with a morning exploring the Bungo-Ono Geopark – terrain formed by the cataclysmic eruption of Kyushu's Mt Aso 90,000 years ago – leading to the perfect horseshoe-shaped profile of Harajiri Falls. Any nerves instigated by negotiating the waterfall's suspension bridge are alleviated by a tasting at the Hamashima Sake Brewery, a family-owned business founded in 1889, but now serving lunches amid the Scandi-inspired blond wood interior of their Sasara Garden restaurant. In a largely traditional and rural area, the sunny eatery is a cosmopolitan surprise with seasonal, freshly-brewed sake alongside delicious karaage fried chicken. A final walk to the windswept plateau of Oka Castle reveals 360-degree horizon views and a history of warring clans dating back 900 years, and nearby, in the charming riverside onsen town of Nagayu, Daimaru Ryokan is our last overnight stop. It's the most rustic and traditional of our ryokan stays, and there's even a mixed-gender, strictly nude-only onsen pool a few hundred metres along the riverbank. This particular open-air experience is bravely enjoyed by one of our walking companions, but for the rest of us, it sounds more like our idea of Hell. CHECKLIST: Walk Japan's Onsen Gastronomy: Oita and Kumamoto four-night, five-day itinerary is one of the company's speciality tours and has a maximum of 12 guests. Prices per person begin at ¥360,000 (around $4100). The writer was hosted by Walk Japan.
