15 Terrific Hikes in and Around Tokyo

Mountains You Can Climb in a Day from Tokyo Unless otherwise stated, all prices are for one-way travel using local trains and bus services. For residents and tourists alike spending too much time in Tokyo can well make you go bonkers after a while...

Mt. Takagawa 高川山

Hiked on Mar 23, 2021 . Tenjin-toge 天神峠 – Mt. Mineyama 峯山 – Mt. Musubiyama むすび山   Duration: 4.5 hours   Distance: 8.8 km   Elevation change: 516 metres   Highest point: 976 metres   Start: Hatsukari Station (Chuo Main Line)   Finish:...

What is COCOHELI and Why I Became a Member

Enjoy Hiking More Safely In July 2022, COCOHELI and jRO merged, with jRO becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of COCOHELI. In addition to COCOHELI’s membership-based helicopter search service, jRO’s search and rescue service was integrated. If...

Yama to Kogen Chizu: 2021 Edition

MAPPLE Special Online Maps Campaign for 2021 The map images and contents of this article have been obtained with the permission of the publisher (株式会社昭文社 Shobunsha Publications, Inc.). Come February or March each year Shobunsha Publications a.k.a...

Reading “GSI” Topographic Maps

GSI Topo Maps: A Beginner’s Guide In this previous article I described in some detail the finer points of reading “Yama to Kogen Chizu” topographic maps, this time we turn our attention to the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI)...

COVID-19: To Hike or Not To Hike

Japan’s Second COVID State of Emergency: A Piece of Advice TL;DR State of emergency declared in Tokyo and neighbouring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa (the state of emergency was expanded to 11 prefectures on January 13). The...

Mt. Raiden 雷電山

Hiked on Dec 29, 2020 . Enoki-toge 榎峠 – Nago-toge 名郷峠 – Mt. Sanbosan 三方山   Duration: 4 hours   Distance: 10.9 km   Elevation change: 244 metres   Highest point: 494 metres   Start: Ikusabata Station (Ome Line)  ...

Mt. Kintoki 金時山

Hiked on Dec 16, 2020 . Kintoki-jinja Shrine 金時神社 – Mt. Nagao 長尾山 – Otome-toge 乙女峠   Duration: 3.5 hours   Distance: 6.3 km   Elevation change: 517 metres   Highest point: 1212 metres   Start: Kintoki Jinja...

Mt. Kobotoke-Shiroyama 小仏城山

Hiked on Nov 28, 2020 . Umenokidaira 梅ノ木平 – Odarumi Pass 大垂水峠 – Mt. Takao 高尾山   Duration: 6 hours   Distance: 17.7 km   Elevation change: 480 metres   Highest point: 670 metres   Start: Takaosanguchi Station...

KS Ultralight Gear KS50 Backpack Review

Perennial Favourite Among Lightweight Backpackers KS ultralight gear is one of a growing number of cottage companies serving the needs of ultralight backpackers both here in Japan and around the world. It’s run by French expat Laurent Barikosky who...

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