Hiking Japan and the Northern Alps

• Accommodation: Hotel in Tokyo

Kon’nichiwa! Hello​ and welcome to Japan! We’ll start our adventures with an airport pickup upon your arrival in Tokyo. Depending on when you arrive, take some time to settle into your room, shower, and walk around the hotel. We will be staying in the Ueno district, with easy access to key attractions such as Ueno Park and Zoo, the Tokyo National Museum, and easy access to the subway and train system. We’ll meet downstairs at 5 pm for our orientation meeting where we will introduce ourselves, go over the itinerary in more detail, distribute gear, and answer any questions. We’ll then make our way to dinner where we’ll get to enjoy our first Japanese meal together, izakaya style (tapas-style restaurant). Walking around Tokyo at night, with all the lights, is a fantastic way to end our first evening in Japan.

Please plan to arrive into Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) no later than 3 pm today. If you are interested in arriving early to get ahead of the jet lag and to explore Tokyo further, please contact our Adventure Consultants for information regarding pre-trip lodging and airport transfers.

• Hiking Mileage: 5.2 mi./8.4 km.
• Elevation Gain: 702 m./214 m.
• Elevation Loss: 660 m/201 m.
• Travel Time: 3 hours
• Accommodations: Guesthouse near Itoigawa

Ohayō gozaimas! Good morning! After breakfast in the hotel, we’ll head to the shinkansen — our first bullet train — that will take us from Tokyo, at the Pacific Ocean, to Itoigawa, at the Sea of Japan. In just a few hours, we’ll arrive to the start of the historic Shio-no-michi trail. After we orient ourselves to the geography and geology of the area, at the Magna Fossa Museum, we’ll begin our first hike on the Shio-no-Michi. The trail rises gently as it starts toward the inland Seaside Valley. At the end of our hike, we’ll take a welcomed stop by a local sake brewery to see how this iconic beverage is made and enjoy a sampling. Our hotel tonight is quite simple as we are in a fairly remote area with few tourists.

• Hiking Mileage: 6.7 mi./10.9 km
• Elevation Gain: 733 ft./223 m.
• Elevation Loss: 678 ft./207 m.
• Trekking Duration: 4-5 hours
• Accommodations: Ryokan in Hiraiwa

After breakfast set off for the Shion-no-Michi for our Oami Pass hike, while your luggage continues to the next accommodation by assist vehicle. Before leaving the small town of Nechi, we may stop at the Salt Trail Museum for a look into the lives of those who have lived along the route. Today’s hike is rolling through Sugi (Japanese Red Cedar) forest. Keep your eyes peeled for frogs, tanuki (Japanese racoon dog), and footprints of wild pigs as we walk through the dense forest. As we ascend, we’ll pass by some tranquil, misty ponds. Today’s lunch will be a Japanese-style bento box. After descending the pass into Hiraiwa, nestled next to the Himekawa River, we arrive at our next accommodation, a Japanese-style ryokan.

• Hiking Mileage: 7.7 mi./12.4 km
• Elevation Gain: 1969 ft./600 m.
• Elevation Loss: 722 ft./220 m.
• Trekking Duration: 5-6 hours
• Travel Time:
• Accommodations: Hotel in Tsugaike

Set off after breakfast via a short and scenic “one man” train journey from Hiraiwa to Nakatsuchi. From there, continue weaving through a series of small, scattered towns to Otari, now a ski resort town on the outskirts of the famous Hakuba area. Today’s journey on the Shio-no-Michi will take you through some beautiful countryside as well as a stand of 100 stone Bodhisattva statues which continue to watch over travelers. You’ll learn more about Shintoism and Buddhism as we walk by through this 100- Jiro trail. Enjoy the comfortable hotel and excellent meals made with fresh, local ingredients; we’ll stay here for two nights so we can settle in.

• Hiking Mileage: 4 mi./6.5 km.
• Elevation Gain: 650 ft./198 m.
• Elevation Loss: 659 ft./201 m.
• Trekking Duration: 2.5 hrs.
• Accommodations: Hotel in Tsugaike

Today, we will break from having completed the lion’s share of the Shio-no-Michi and explore the local area. Enjoy a ride up via gondola and ropeway to Tsugaike Nature Park area, an alpine meadow environment rich with flowing streams, plants, and wildlife. Stroll around on raised wooden paths while soaking up views of the valley and iconic “Kita Alps” peaks. After a relaxed half-day of light trekking, and a lunch of local soba noodles, we will head to the fabulous hot spring soak at one of the nearby resorts and explore the nearby town of Hakuba. Finally, enjoy another beautiful dinner at our accommodation.

• Hiking Mileage: 2 mi./3.2 km.
• Elevation Gain: 108 ft./ 33 m.
• Elevation Loss: 154 ft./47 m.
• Highest Elevation: 7,909 ft./2,411 m.
• Trekking Duration: 2 hrs.
• Travel Time: 1 hr.
• Accommodations: Mountain Hut

Today, we send ahead our main luggage to the final destination in order to travel light into the Japan Alps. You’ll pack your backpack with just the essentials you’ll need for the next 2 nights. The day starts with a visit to the headwaters of the Himekawa River, our companion since Itoigawa. We’ll enjoy a last bit of countryside meandering around the edges of beautiful Aoki and Kizaki lakes before departing the Hakuba Valley by vehicle.

From here, pivot and head for Ogizawa at the foot of the “Kita Alps”. This is the start of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route and its famous seven (yes, seven!) types of transport. Drive into the mountains (literally!) via electric bus, traverse massive Kurobe Dam and learn about its construction, and take a stunning gondola ride looking back across the dam and mountains from high above. Finally, arrive in Murodo, the high-altitude valley just below the peak of Mt. Tateyama. Here, the simple mountain hut accommodation is classed up with gorgeous views, great food, and incredible hot spring baths – fed by the sulfur springs just outside. There are women’s and men’s rooms at the hut and within each room, each guest has a private curtained tatami mat to themselves and includes a light, outlet, futon mattress, and warm comforter. Shared bathrooms are down the hall.

• Hiking Mileage: 7.5 mi/12.1 km
• Elevation Gain: 3,366 ft./1,026 m.
• Elevation Loss: 3,366 ft./1,026 m.
• Highest Elevation: 9,892 ft/3,015 m.
• Trekking Duration: 8 hours
• Accommodations: Mountain Hut

Today is our most challenging on the docket but absolutely well worth the effort! We will set out from our hut after breakfast and make our way up Mt. Tateyama, one of Japan’s three sacred peaks, at 3,015 m. tall. In eras past, this mountain was an important spiritual focal point and ascending to the peak was a religious pilgrimage.

We have a couple of options today, depending on the group and weather conditions. If the full Tateyama-Bessan loop at 12 km. is too ambitious, we can hike to either the Tateyama Summit, or perhaps neighboring Mt. Jodo. Regardless of which route you take, enjoy breathtaking alpine scenery and (weather permitting) views as far as Toyama, the Noto Peninsula, and the Sea of Japan. If extra lucky, you may spot a “raicho” Thunder Bird or Ptarmigan among the rocks in their native environment.

Afterward, soak yourself back to contentment with a long dip in the Hut’s excellent hot spring waters, and enjoy another great dinner at the accommodation.

• Travel Time: ~4 hours of scenic travel
• Accommodations: 4-star hotel in Kyoto

Congratulations! The hard work done, relax today and enjoy the views as you descend the remainder of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route and travel on to our final destination, Kyoto. As you transit through the seaside town of Toyama, why not try some super fresh sushi at Toyama Station? The quality to price ratio might just shock you. After lunch, set off by train for the journey to Kyoto. This lengthy leg includes both Japan’s newest Shinkansen (bullet train) section, as well as the scenic Thunderbird Limited Express, which skirts the shoreline of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake. On arrival in Kyoto, we’ll take taxis to the final hotel where you will be reunited with your luggage. Tonight’s dinner is intentionally left open as there is so much variety to choose from in Kyoto – your guide is available to help with recommendations.

• Hiking Mileage: Expect lots of walk through the city today
• Accommodations: 4-star hotel in Kyoto

Head out for sightseeing around the highlights of Kyoto, the former capital where Japan forged its identity over more than 1,100 years. Your guide will show you a selection of the main destinations, as well as lesser-known gems. Expect to see temples, shrines, exquisite gardens, and lots of beauty. At the end of the day come join the group for one final, celebratory group meal at a favorite local restaurant.

We bid each other farewell this morning after breakfast and our driver will pick you up from the hotel and take you to Kansai International Airport – or Itami Airport, if the first leg of your journey is an internal flight. We hope your adventure into the heart of Japan was an unforgettable and inspiring journey! Thank you for choosing Wildland Trekking!