Longest Suspension Bridge in Nasushiobara Located a 70 minute shinkansen ride from Tokyo the popular tourist spot of Nasushiobara is a picturesque region in Tochigi Prefecture. The city has two main hot spring towns namely Nasu Onsen and Shiobara...
Hiked on Aug 4, 2013 Aug 23, 2023 . Mt. Kobutaka コブタカ山 – Mt. Honita 本仁田山 Duration: 4.5 hours Distance: 7.7 km Elevation change: 914 metres Highest point: 1224 metres Start: Hatonosu station (JR Ome Line) Finish: Okutama Station (JR...
Petzl Tikkina 2 headlamp Designed for Everyday Lighting Needs With dusk quickly approaching you set up camp and start preparing dinner only to find that your trusty headlamp has been blissfully illuminating the inners of your pack all day. With your...
Mammut Trion Pro a Technical Alpine Backpack from Mammut The previous backpack I used for day hikes was Australian made and provided many years of loyal service. However as with all good things it was a broken zipper which finally sent it into...
Hiked on May 22, 2014 Aug 23, 2023 . Mt. Takanosu 鷹ノ巣山 – Mt. Kayanoki 榧ノ木山 – Mt. Kurato 倉戸山 The Inamuraiwa Ridge remains closed due to collapses in several places. For the latest information please refer to the Okutama Visitor Center official...
Old Steel Fanta Cans Masquerading as Archaeological Scrap While Japan on the whole takes enormous pride in disposing of rubbish thoughtfully particularly in the urban environs, some mountains with Mt. Fuji being a prime example, still haven’t quite...
A Solid All-Round Trail Shoe from Mammut The Mammut Redburn GTX have undergone several minor revisions since their release in 2008 with the shoes earning a strong following amongst outdoor enthusiasts. The Redburn GTX are often referred to as an...
A Versatile Collapsible Water Bottle from Nalgene It goes without saying, that a durable and more importantly leakproof water bottle is an absolute must when venturing into the backcountry and over the years I have tried many of them. For a long...
Hiked on May 1, 2014 Aug 23, 2023 . Kawahake 川端下 – Kinpo sansou 金峰山荘 Duration: 3 days Distance: 17.5 km Elevation change: 509 metres Highest point: 2048 metres Start: Kawahake Bus Stop Finish: Kawahake Bus Stop Difficulty: ...
Hiked on Apr 26, 2014 Aug 23, 2023 . Hossawa Falls 払沢の滝 – Mt. Sengenrei 浅間嶺 Duration: 4 hours Distance: 7.8 km Elevation change: 623 metres Highest point: 903 metres Start: Hossawa no taki iriguchi Bus Stop Finish: Kamigawanori Bus...
Tokyo’s Famed Hossawa Falls One thing that never fails to amaze me about living in Tokyo is unearthing its hidden natural treasures. Many readers this would be probably surprised to learn that Tokyo contains one of the One Hundred Waterfalls of...
Hiking Trails on Tokyo’s Doorstep Given Japan’s mountainous terrain it should come as no surprise that Tokyo’s fringes boast many great hikes. So with that said, it’s time to dust off the hiking gear, grab some friends and hit the trails. The...
Hiked on May 4, 2013 Aug 23, 2023 . Mt. Odake 大岳山 – Nokogiriyama 鋸山 Duration: 5.5 hours Distance: 14.5 km Elevation change: 916 metres Highest point: 1266 metres Start: Mitake Cable lower station (Takimoto) Finish: Okutama Station...
Hiked on Apr 5, 2014 Mar 22, 2025 . Mt. Jinba 陣馬山 – Meio-toge 明王峠 – Mt. Magoyama 孫山 A variation of this hike includes a beginner loop course that descends slightly after Meio-toge, passing through Sokozawa-toge. Duration: 4 hours Distance: 9...
A virtually indestructible sock with a lifetime guarantee Let’s talk socks for a minute. If there is one single item in your hiking arsenal apart from your shoes perhaps, that is likely to make you miserable out on the trail it’s probably your socks...
Hiked on Mar 31, 2014 Aug 23, 2023 . Oyama Afuri Jinja 大山阿夫利神社 – Mt. Oyama 大山 Duration: 4 hours Distance: 6.3 km Elevation change: 942 metres Highest point: 1252 metres Start: Oyama Cable Car Bus Stop Finish: Oyama Cable Car Bus Stop...