A uniquely diverse country known for its beautiful landscapes, dynamic cities and spiritual allure, Japan is like nowhere else on Earth. On our walking holidays in Japan, you’ll discover ancient temples, serene zen gardens and futuristic-like cities where old and new collide. And because over 70% of Japan’s landmass is mountainous, it provides excellent terrain for trekking.
From the remote, jagged peaks of the Japanese Alps to the volcanic cone of Mount Fuji, Japan’s walking tours allow you to explore some of the world’s most dramatic scenery. You’ll also experience its ancient history and traditions that are firmly rooted in its centuries-old culture. Everywhere you look, you’ll see stark contrasts that lure you into its charms.
One day you could be walking through tranquil gardens filled with temples and shrines, and the next you’re hurtled into the frenetic lifestyle of cities such as Tokyo, where ultra-modern skyscrapers dominate the skyline.
Our Japan walking tours take you on new and exciting adventures each day, following pilgrimage routes through remote mountains and ancient trails like Nakasendo and Kumano Kodo. Along the way, you’ll stay in traditional villages where you’re immersed in the local culture and introduced to a unique way of life. The Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail takes you on a spiritual journey among magnificent temples to follow in the footsteps of Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, and pilgrims from across the world. As well as meeting authentic Buddhists, you’ll also visit the place where Kobo Daishi meditated.
5 of the Best Places to Explore on Walking Holidays in Japan
Tokyo: The intriguing capital of Japan is a bustling metropolis where contrasts of old and new are everywhere you look. Ultra-modern architecture pierces the neon-lit skyline and history courses through the walls of temples, shrines and palaces. This a city where technology and modern culture rub shoulders with the past in an extraordinary fashion. And we can’t forget to mention the food scene too, as top-class sushi restaurants compete with Japanese street food stalls, inviting you to experience the vibrant East Asian flavours. We’d highly recommend visiting the Japanese gardens, Sensoji Temple, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building for a night-time view of the illuminated skyscrapers.
Kyoto: Fusing ornate temples, traditional teahouses and gardens filled with cherry blossom, Kyoto is a mesmerising city. Throughout Kyoto, there are approximately 2,000 shrines and temples where you can witness religious architecture and zen gardens. Just moments from this tranquillity, Downtown Kyoto buzzes with local artisans, world-class restaurants and shops, while Central Kyoto is home to the impressive Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle. In the far west of the city, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of the most photographed sights. Walking through these giant bamboo groves that tower above you is a sensational feeling and unlike the usual tree tunnels you’ll have seen before.
Kumano Kodo: A walk along the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route is an experience like no other and offers an insight into the nature, religion and authentic culture of Japan. Along this countryside trail, you’ll discover traditional villages, tumbling waterfalls and the ancient forest of the Kii Mountains, which leads to the famous Kumano shrine at Hongu. Follow in the footsteps of pilgrims, aristocrats and emperors who took this spiritual journey along centuries-old trails. Kumano Nachi Taisha is one of the three pilgrimage shrines that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its spellbinding views, sacred waterfall and vermillion pagoda.
Nakasendo Trail: This ancient walking route connects modern-day Tokyo with Kyoto and runs for approximately 340 miles through the Central Mountains. Formerly used by travellers such as samurai, pilgrims and merchants, the trail is far less crowded today and offers an introduces you to the 17th-century history and spectacular scenery. This is a wonderful route for anyone that wants to escape the tourist crowd and bustling cities of Japan to explore the peaceful landscapes of forests, mountains and waterfalls.
Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail: Covering more than 1,000km, this epic trail meanders between 88 Buddhist temples on a spiritual journey once walked by Kobo Daishi, who dedicated his life to Buddha. The scenery along the route is remarkable and to this day pilgrims walk the Shikoku Trail to visit the temples. Our tour guides you to some of the most beautiful parts of the trail in Tokushima, Kagawa and Ehime where you’ll stay in traditional minshuku and ryokan and feast on authentic Japanese dishes.
Group of 16, with 12/4 f/m split, aged late 40s to late 60s. Trip is accurately rated on the Exodus scale – so some fairly stretching treks mixed with highly enjoyable steep sections. Everybody got round with no significant difficulty. Weather in mid-March was really nice – pretty warm at times by day but mostly ideal, and chilly but nothing more dramatic than that at night even at higher camps. Lovely inclusive group chemistry with non-stop chatter. Food is terrific – really quite something for a field kitchen. Just when the idea of another tagine is becoming a little less inspirational then along comes Berber omelette with chips to die for. In general camp life is a bit cushier than the notes might suggest – toilet obviously pretty basic but you learn to adapt. Tents are snug but no trouble sleeping after days like that. And the final day has an optional hamam visit in Taroudant – do not even consider turning it down – it’s the real thing, and not the flaky tourist version elsewhere. A glorious experience.
I already submitted a review form and won’t add to the comments made there. But I realsied that I wasn’t prompted to say anything about the two hotels we stayed in (or maybe I missed that). These were: Edom Hotel (Wadi Musa / Petra). This was really excellent. Clean, efficient, well-placed and a pleasure to visit. I have no idea why it is only described as “comfortable” rather than being given a deserved 4* rating. The only minor downisde was no bottled water in rooms. Days Inn Hotel Amman. Well, at least the staff are nice and we got bottled water in the rooms! But in other respects it is poor and certainly not deserving of a 4* rating. Everything is tatty, the corridors and rooms – despite being notionally non-smoking – reek of cigarette smoke (this applied to two visits and two different rooms a week apart) and, on our second visit, the bath had not been cleaned – there was a wet pile of hair in the middle of it. I am sure that Amman can do better than this for the same money.
