HIKES IN JAPAN

Let's Walk Japan's Best Trails

Japan is a mountainous nation that's 70% covered in forest. Many Japanese people love hiking. Japan's many unique aspects include a climate greatly influenced by the surrounding sea, the ever-changing natural landscape, and the culture of its people and mountains. Of Japan's 34 national parks, many are in mountainous regions, offering lots of great hiking opportunities. With so much nature close to the cities, you'll be able to hike and explore Japan's sites all in a single trip.
This site will help you get to know the mountains of Japan so you can make the most of your time in them during your visit.

Photo : Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine

Let's Walk Japan's Best Trails

FEATURES
AREAS
RECOMMEND
COURSES
INFORMATION
RANKING

FEATURES

Snowless Mountains for Winter Hiking

Day Hikes from Tokyo

Hiking Destinations for Fall Foliage

Ropeway, Gondola, and Cable Car Accessible Mountains

Mountains formed by Volcanic Activity

World Heritage Mountains

National Parks of Japan

Head to the Northern Alps for Some of the Best Views in Japan

Mountains with Great Hot Springs

Sacred Mountains

AREAS

The Northern Japanese Alps

Mountains of Hokkaido

Peaks of the Yatsugatake Mountains

Mountains in Okuchichibu Area

Oze Area

Mountains in Okutama Area

Nasu Mountain Range

The Southern Japanese Alps

Mountains of the Tohoku Region

Peaks of the Tanzawa Mountains

Yakushima Island

Mt. Fuji

Mt. Takao and Mt. Jinba

COURSES

Mt. Kuromi : Round Trip from the Yodogawa Trailhead

Hike of a Sacred Mountain, Mt. Togakushi; Round Trip from the Togakushi-jinja Shrine Okusha

Hike up Mt. Kongo, a Sacred Mountain and Place of Shugendo Devotion

Round Trip Hike to Mt. Hayachine via the Odakoshi Trail

Mt. Tanigawa, Tenjin-one Ridge (Round Trip)

Hike of a Sacred Mountain, Mt. Hakusan; Round Trip from the Kanko Shindo Route

Traverse Hike of Daisetsuzan Mountain Range from Mt. Asahi to Mt. Kuro-dake

Nasu Circuit of Mt. Chausu and Mt. Asahi

Ozegahara From Numayama Pass to Hatomachi Pass

Hike of a Scared Mountain via the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route (Kohechi)

Jomon Sugi Round Trip from the Arakawa Trailhead

Mt. Nabewari, Beginning at Okura (Round Trip) / Tanzawa hiking, Kanagawa

Round Trip from Okura, through Mt. Tonodake, Mt. Tanzawa and Mt. Hirugatake

Tanzawa Omote-one Ridge Traverse

Mt. Rausu Round Trip from Iwaobetsu Onsen (hot spring)

From Kumano Nachi Taisha to Kumano Hongu Taisha via the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route (Nakahechi Kumotori-goe)

From Ashiya Rock Garden to Arima Onsen via the Totoya Trail / Kobe hiking

Round Trips to Mt. Kinpu and Mt. Mizugaki from Fujimi-daira

The Mt. Nasu trek: Mt. Chausu, Mt. Asahi and Mt. Sanbonyari

Japan’s Own Long Trail: A 50 km Route Traversing Mt. Iwate, the Mt. Hachimantai, and Appi Highlands

Mt. Tanigawa Circuit Up Nishiguro-one Ridge and Down Tenjin-one Ridge

Loop of the Northern Yatsugatake Volcanic Group: Shirakoma-ike Pond and Takamiishi

Japan’s Own Long Trail: Central Dividing Ridge Trail

Explore the Shirakami-Sanchi Mountain Range, a UNECSO World Nature Heritage Site

Mt. Utsugi Round Trip from Ikeyama-one Ridge

Round Trip Hike & Climb for Mt. Tsurugi via Bessan Ridge

Mt. Hiuchigatake Round trip from Miike Trailhead

Mt. Eboshi, Mt. NoguchiGoro, Mt. Suisho, and Kumono-daira Traverse

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Kaimon from Kaimon Sanroku Fureai Park

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Nikko Shirane via Ropeway

Traverse of Mt. Hiuchi and Mt. Myoko from Mt. Sasagamine

Hike of a Sacred Mountain, Mt. Nantai in Nikko Area

Kuju Mountain Range: Mt. Kuju and Mt. Nakadake Circuit

Loop of Mt. Amigasa and Mt. Gongen in the Southern Yatsugatake Mountains

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Kobushigatake via the Tokuchan-Shindo Trail

Mt. Tonodake, Beginning at Okura Ridge (Round Trip)

The Nakasendo historic hike from Tsumago-juku to Magome-juku

Mt. Fuji, Yoshida Trailhead Route

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Kaikomagatake from the Kuroto-one Ridge

Hike of a Sacred Mountain, Mt. Hoki-daisen; Round Trip from the Natsuyama Hiking Course

Hike the Tengu Trail up Mt. Maya, Descending via the Aotani Trail / Kobe hiking

Mt. Jiigatake and Mt. Kashima-yarigatake, Round Trip from Kashiwabara Shindo

Mt. Kiso-Komagatake Round Trip from Senjojiki Cirque

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Naeba from Wada-goya

Trekking Yakushima's Shiratani Unsuikyo

Circulate Course on Mt. Gozaisho from Nakamichi to Uramichi

Mt. Norikura: Round Trip from Tatami-daira

Round trip hike to Mt. Okuhotaka from Kamikochi

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Kumotori from Kamosawa

Hike of a Sacred Mountain, Mt. Ontake

Traverse on Mt. Zao, Mt. Jizo, Mt. Kumano and Mt. Katta

Mt. Fuji, Fujinomiya Trail Route

Mt. Ishizuchi: Round Trip from the Ropeway

Mt. Miyanoura Round Trip from the Yodogawa Trailhead

A Loop Course to Mt. Ibuki from Sky Terrace

Mt. Karamatsu and Mt. Goryu Traverse of Happo-one Ridge to Tomi-one Ridge

Mt. Sobo: Round Trip from Kitadani Trailhead to Fuketsu and Sengen-daira

Japan’s Own Long Trail: Shin-etsu Trail

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Yotei via the Makkari Trail

Traverse Hike of Mt. Odaigahara from Osugidani Valley

Round Trip of Mt. Homan from Kamado-jinja Shrine

Panorama Ginza Traverse From Mt. Tsubakuro to Mt. Chogatake via Mt. Otensho and Mt. Jonen

Loop of the Northern Yatsugatake Volcanic Group Mt. Kitayokodake and Mt. Tateshina from Tsuboniwa Lava Plateau

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Rishiri via the Oshidomari Course

Circulating Route on Mt. Tsukuba from Tukubasan-jinja Shrine

Traverse of Mt. Kurikoma from Iwakagami-daira to Sukawa Onsen (hot spring)

Mt. Shibutsu, Starting at Hatomachi Pass (Loop)

Loop of the Southern Yatsugatake Volcanic Group Mt. Io-dake, Mt. Yoko-dake, Mt. Aka-dake, Mt. Amida

Ozegahara, Round Trip from Hatomachi-toge Pass with a Loop from Ushikubi

Mt. Katamuki: Round Trip of Mitate Course

A Circuit Hike of Houou Sanzan from Aoki Kosen

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Tsurugi from Minokoshi

The Southern Japanese Alps: a Traverse of Mt. Kitadake, Mt. Ainodake, and Mt. Notori

From Mt. Higashi Otafuku to Takarazuka via the Higashi Rokko Traverse and Mt. Rokko's highest peak / Kobe hiking

A Scenic Hike Around Kusasenrigahama in the Mt. Aso Area

Round Trip of Mt. Yufu from the Front Trailhead

Mt. Okue: Circuit Hike from Kamihouri Trailhead to Wakuzuka and Bozu-one Ridge

Mt. Sugoroku, Mt. Mitsumata-renge, Mt. Kasagadake (Round Trip)

Traverse of Mt. Hakkoda from Ropeway to Sukayu Onsen (hot spring)

Mt. Kitadake Loop from Hirogawara

Kuju Mountain Range: Bohgatsuru, Mt. Daisen, and Mt. Hiji-dake Circuit

Mt. Tsubakuro Begins at Nakabusa Onsen hot spring. Round trip via Kassen-one Ridge

Mt. Chokai: Round Trip from Hokotate

Mt. Mitake: Cable Car and Rock Garden Circuit / Tokyo hiking

Mt. Tanigawa Horseshoe Trail Traverse

Mt. Amakazari Round trip from Otari Onsen (hot spring)

The Karasawa Cirque, round trip from Kamikochi

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Kinpu from Mawarime-daira

Hike Up to Mt. Tsurumi from Matogahama

Traverse of Mt. Iwate from Yakehashiri to Nana-taki Falls

Mt. Gassan: Round Trip from Ubasawa

Tanzawa, Mt. Hinokiboramaru Round trip via the Tsutsuji Shindo Trail

Mt. Takao to Mt. Jinba Traverse / Tokyo , Kanagawa hiking

Round Trip of Koya-sanzan, the Sacred Sites of Shingon Buddhism

The Easiest Route Up Mt. Takao / Tokyo hiking

Mt. Nishihotaka: Round Trip from Shinhotaka Onsen Trailhead

Mt. Daibosatsurei, Mt. Koganezawa, Mt. Ushiokuno-gangaharasuri Traverse Route from Kaminikkawa-toge Pass

Mt. Aizu-Komagatake: Round Trip from the Takizawa Trailhead

Pyramidal Mt. Oyama, One of the Easier Tanzawa Peaks

Round Trip Hike of Mt. Kai-komagatake and Mt. Senjogatake from the Kitazawa-toge Pass.

Mt. Tengu Round trip from Shibunoyu

The Tateyama Three Peak Circuit Hike from Tateyama Murodo

Mt. Akadake Round Trip from Minotoguchi Via Jizo Ridge

The Hakuba Sanzan (Hakuba three peaks) hike from Sarukura

Mt. Yarigatake: Round Trip from Kamikochi

Mt. Asahi Beginning at Sugatami-daira (Round Trip)

Information

This site provides the basic information you need to know for hiking the mountains of Japan.
Get an even deeper understanding by reading the sections on "Japan's Nature", "Overview of Japan's Mountains", "Hiking Equipment", "Staying at Mountain Huts", and things to keep in mind.

Overview of Japan's Mountains, Topography, and Nature

The arch-shaped archipelago of Japan is to the east of mainland Asia, engulfed b...

Japan's Nature, Climate, and Seasons

There's great variation in Japan's mountains depending on the elevatio...

The Best Times to Hike

Over the course of the year, mountains around Japan exhibit a wide vari...

Hiking Equipment

Unless you are doing a day hike during a warm season on a low hills, equipment a...

Staying at Mountain Huts

For longer hikes you'll need to spend the night in the mountains. ...

Find a Mountain Guide

If you walk with a guide who knows much about Japanese mountains, you c...

Before the Hike: Trip Plan and Travel Accident Insurance

Once you have a hike in Japan planned, there are some things you need to do befo...

Manners and Precautions While Hiking

There are rules and proper manners that need to be followed in the mountains. Th...

Dangers on the Trail and Emergency Measures

Hiking is a lot of fun, but it can also be dangerous. There may also be dangers ...

How to Use “Courses"

The course guides on this site are arranged by the level of skill, fitn...

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