Enjoy Hiking More Safely Staying safe and out of harm’s way out on the trail requires proper planning starting with letting people know where you’re going and when you expect to be back. However, even well-equipped, and seasoned hikers aren’t immune...
Gan-toge 雁峠 – Kasatori-goya 笠取小屋 – Tama River Headwaters 多摩川源流 . . The Hidden Mountain of Okuchichibu Mt. Kasatori lies along the Saitama – Yamanashi prefectural border about halfway between Mt. Kobushi and Mt. Kumotori. The south...
Himuro Shrine 氷室神社 – Hokora Hut ほこら小屋 – Mt. Hadaka 裸山 . . Climbing Kushigatayama Via a Lesser Used Trail For those looking for an enjoyable and not too challenging overnight hike Kushigatayama a 200 Famous Mountain in Yamanashi ticks...
Tracking Down Campgrounds Like Pro There is no shortage of camping locations in Japan in fact there are over 3,000 campgrounds according to this Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) travel guide. They can be found in just about every nook and...
18 Beautiful Places to Camp in Japan With everyone now under stay-at-home requests through May 31 it’s looking increasingly likely the spring hiking will pass without most of us hitting the trail – myself included. To console myself with this...
Japanese Outdoor Gear Manufacturers As a follow up to my recent blog post about Japanese outdoor brands I have decided to make the list a little more expansive thanks to some reader suggestions. The aim is to include outdoor manufacturers which...
Japanese Cottage and Mainstream Outdoor Brands With an annual mountaineering market in the ballpark ¥186 billion you would think large numbers homegrown manufacturers are cashing in. The reality is there are very few Japanese outdoor product...
Mt. Senmai-dake 千枚岳 – Mt. Warusawa 悪沢岳 – Mt. Eboshi 烏帽子岳 . . Exploring the Southern Minami Alps If you want to enjoy some of the most pristine and rugged nature Japan has to offer than the south end of the Minami Alps is an excellent...
Enjoy the Tokyo Islands on a Shoestring If you are looking for some great spots to camp around Tokyo, than the laid-back Izu Islands (Izu-shoto) are one place you should definitely pay a visit. This group of volcanic islands stretch south-east from...
Mt. Mibudake 三峰岳 – Mt. Ainodake 間ノ岳 – Mt. Notoridake 農鳥岳 . . Exploring the Northern Minami Alps Claiming joint honours as the third highest mountain in Japan, Ainodake is regularly climbed in concert with Kita-dake and Notoridake...