Mt. Kanbo 寒峰 Day Hike in the Iya Valley
If you’re the kind of person that to escape the tourist traps and have a bit of adventure this day hike in the (increasingly) famous Iya Valley is for you!…
Top places to surf in Kochi Prefecture
Where can I surf in Kochi, Japan? The south-west area of Kochi Prefecture around Shimanto City and Cape Ashizuri is a great location if you’re looking to do some surfing…
Sasagamine 笹ヶ峰 via Kampuzan 寒風山 Overnight Hike
Sasagamine is spectactular but challending hike in Shikoku with an old mountain hut at the top that was once a ski resort! This is one of the few areas in…
Kuishiyama 工石山 Easy Day Hike
Not to be confused with the nearby (and more remote) mountain of the same name Oku-Kuishiyama, Kuishiyama is a 1176.4m peak located in the mountains north of Kochi city on…
Kurozou Marshlands 黒沢湿原 & Tabinoshiri たびの尻滝 Iya Valley Hike
The Kurozou Marshland (Kurozou Shitsugen or 黒沢湿原) is a mountain marshland and is one of the coolest things to do in the Iya Valley. My first impression when driving into…
Mt. Higashi-Akaishi 東赤石山 to Besshi Mine 旧別子銅山跡 Hike
Mt. Higashi-Akaishi (東赤石山, 1706m) is a great moderate difficulty hike that overlooks Ehime and the coastal cities near Shikoku’s Seto Ohashi Bridge and sea. Overview This is a 14km overnight…
Mt. Tenguzuka 天狗塚 via Mt. Miune 三嶺 Overnight Hike
This beautiful but challenging 18.5km+ overnight hike to Mt. Tenguzuka starts at the Iyashino Hotel and Onsen (いやしの温泉郷) near Nagoro-mura (名頃 aka the Doll Village) in the Iya Valley. The…
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…
What to wear when hiking in Japan
Deciding what to wear when hiking is a challenging (but very important) task. In Japan the weather can change at any moment and if you pack the wrong clothing you…
Oku-Kuishiyama (奥工石山) Overnight Hike
If you want to experience a drive through old Japan this is for you. This remote and off-the-beaten track hike to Oku Kuishiyama (奥工石山, 1516m) or sometimes known as Tajikawa…
What to pack for a hike in Japan?
Even if you’re a seasoned hiker in your home country it is important to be aware of the differences between hiking in Japan and other places like Australia, New Zealand…
Sanboujiyama 三傍示山 via the Old Tosa Road Day Hike
An 8km return day hike along a section of the old Tosa Highway (Tosa Kaido 土佐街道) that passes a point where the three prefectures of Kochi, Ehime and Tokushima meet.…