Spending 24 hours in Nature If one overnight summer camp and BBQ isn’t quite enough, you can always head back for more. That was the maxim I clung on to this week as I again sought refuge from the hustle, bustle, and heat of Tokyo. Camping at 1,000...
Hiked on May 5, 2022 Jul 3, 2022 . Nanahaneyama 七跳山 – Hinatadani-no-atama 日向谷ノ頭 – Toridaniyama Refuge Hut 酉谷山避難小屋 Duration: 2 days Distance: 30.4 km Elevation change: 1098 metres Highest point:...
A Panorama of Mountains from Tama Lake in Tokyo. The Tokyo Metropolis sits on the Kanto Plain, the largest lowland area in Japan and home to around a third of the country’s population. To the east, the city is bordered by the Edogawa River and Chiba...
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) ...
Hiked on Nov 11, 2020 Jan 28, 2026 . Ogouchi Dam 小河内ダム – Yama-no-furusatomura 山のふるさと村 The first part of the route from Lake Okutama Bus Stop towards the Yama-no-furusato-mura is currently undergoing repairs and is not expected to...
Solo Summer Hike and Camp in Okutama Arriving mid-morning at Okutama Station during the Obon holidays was, as expected, bustling with activity. Perhaps a little surprising given COVID-19. I made a beeline for one of the two diminutive buses headed...
Choose Your Next Hike with Confidence With so many hiking trails around Tokyo to choose from it can be tough to know where to begin especially if you’re a novice hiker or new to the prefecture. Over the years probably the single most sought out...
Hiked on Apr 28, 2019 May 5, 2022 . Mt. Jinba 陣馬山 – Maruyama 丸山 – Mt. Mito 三頭山 Duration: 2 days Distance: 28.5 km Elevation change: 1166 metres Highest point: 1531 metres Start: Wada bus...
Hiked on Apr 13, 2019 . Unazawa Otaki Falls 海沢大滝 – Onara Pass 大楢峠 Duration: 5 hours Distance: 14.8 km Elevation change: 340 metres Highest point: 680 metres Start: Shiromaru Station (Ome Line) Finish: Kori...
Another Piece of the Puzzle Let’s rewind to the early 1960s in Tokyo. The city was in the midst of massive transition both socially and economically, a stark contrast to just 20 years before. If you were a Japanese housewife, you pined for the...
Hiked on Dec 1, 2018 Jan 3, 2022 . Mt. Aso 麻生山 – Mt. Hinodeyama 日の出山 – Tsurutsuru onsen つるつる温泉 Duration: 3.5 hours Distance: 8 km Elevation change: 597 metres Highest point: 902 metres Start:...
Hiked on Nov 20, 2018 May 9, 2022 . Sogaku Ravine 惣岳渓谷 – Lake Okutama 奥多摩湖 Duration: 4 hours Distance: 9.7 km Elevation change: 190 metres Highest point: 540 metres Start: Okutama Station (Ome Line)...
Where to Hike as a Family in the Greater Tokyo Area Hiking with children is a great way to get them connected to the outdoors and enjoy nature but knowing exactly where to go can be a challenge. Thankfully the Greater Tokyo Area has plenty of...
Hiked on May 5, 2017 Nov 13, 2022 . Mt. Bonomine 棒ノ峰山 – Mt. Sobatsubu 蕎麦粒山 – Mt. Tenmoku 天目山 Duration: 2 days Distance: 19.8 km Elevation change: 1171 metres Highest point: 1576 metres ...
Tokyo a City of Extremes With near on 14 million people living in the Tokyo Metropolis it goes without saying there isn’t much in the way of personal space. The corollary to this craziness is excellent food, shopping, nightlife and entertainment...
Exploring the Backwoods of Okutama One of the places I love frequenting in Okutama, Tokyo is the rather obscure Kurasawa Valley a lazy 20-minute bus ride from Okutama Station. Flanked on either side by precipitous cliff faces it was once home to the...