Mt Tarumae 樽前山 & Mt Higashi 東岳 Volcano Hike
Amon Bradshaw Ironically, hiking this active volcano was the safe choice for us. One of our biggest worries while living in Hokkaido and going into the outdoors was actually bears, so this…
Mt Akakuradake 赤倉岳 Day Hike with kids
This hike to Akakuradake (1545m) is a 5.5km return hike with 321m of elevation gain that starts and finishes at the Hakkōda Ropeway Sanchō-kōen Station (山頂公園駅). The Hakkōda Mountains (八甲田山)…
Mt Usu 有珠山 Day Hike with kids
This hike to the Mount Usu outer rim at 500m is a 6.5km return hike with 269m of elevation gain that starts and finishes at the Showashinzan Station Ropeway (昭和新山駅).…
Matukituki Valley to Aspiring Hut Overnight Hike
The walk into Mt Aspiring Hut is one of those classic New Zealand valley hikes that feels far more remote than it actually is. While many use this as a…
Mt Luxmore (1472m) Kepler Track Day Hike
The Kepler Track is a well-known multi-day “Great Walk”, but what if you don’t have the time for a great walk, the weather is bad or like us …you just…
Amegamori 雨ヶ森 Day Hike in Kochi
Mt. Amegamori (雨ヶ森, 1387m) in Niyodogawa Town, Kochi is a fairly straight forward day hike accessible by car. Worth doing if you’re living nearby or in the area you’ll pass…
Hijiri Shrine, Ochi-cho 聖神社越知町 Short Hike
A hidden shrine, tunnel, bridges and waterfalls await you on this short and easy half-day walk in Ochi-town (越知町), Kochi Prefecture, Japan. If you find yourself nearby and have half…
Mt Bandagamori 蟠蛇森 Day Hike
This hike to Mt Bandagamori (蟠蛇森, 769m) is a 6.1km return hike with a solid 648m of elevation gain that starts and finishes at the Sodayama Shrine (桑田山神社) (or the…
Washioyama 鷲尾山 Day Hike
If you’re looking for a day hike or trail run with great views while you’re in Kochi City Mt Washio (or Washioyama) at 303m is a solid option. The hike…
Finding the source of the Yoshino River
The Yoshino River, arguably best known for it’s popularity as one of Japan’s best rafting rivers, is the only river in Shikoku that touches all four prefectures. It’s rocky base…