Best Hikes in Shikoku
Amon Bradshaw Shikoku is often overlooked by hikers and travellers in Japan, but the island’s four prefectures offers some of the best moderate (non-mountaineering) foot-on-ground hiking trails in the country. From the…
Best Hikes in the Iya Valley
The Iya Valley in Tokushima is one of Japan’s “Three Hidden Regions,” famous for its tall limestone gorges, historic thatched-roof houses, and the iconic Kazurabashi (vine bridges) across the Iya…
Shikoku’s 100 Famous Mountains (四国百名山)
For every mountain you hike, there will always be another hundred you’ll never get to. While you may have heard of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains, only two peaks from Shikoku…
Mt. Kajigamori (梶ヶ森) Day (or Overnight) Hike Kochi
A moderate but well located (accessible by train) hike in the heart of Shikoku. Kajigamori is not the biggest and most beautiful mountain around but it is accessible by train…
Mt. Kamegamori, Japan 瓶ヶ森 Hike
Mt Kamegamori (瓶ヶ森, 1897m) sits on the border of Tokushima and Kochi Prefectures and spectacularly overlooks the famous (and tallest on Shikoku) Mt Ishizuchi. It is short and fairly easy…
Shikoku’s Best Mountain Huts
Shikoku is a hiker’s paradise, especially if you’re not mountaineer and prefer to stay on your feet like me. But unlike the well-known hikes and trails of the Northern Alps…
Tokushima’s best waterfalls in one weekend
If waterfalls were tastes; Shikoku’s waterfalls would be umami. Yes, Shikoku has all of the usual ingredients that make a waterfall great: clear water.. check, mountains.. check, deciduous trees.. check,…
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…
Heikedaira 平家平 & Kanmuriyama 冠山 Day Hike
Have you ever heard The Tale of the Heike or the Genpei war? On April 25th 1185 the Genji clan fleet defeated the Taira (aka Heike)-clan fleet in the Shimonoseki…
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. Miune 三嶺 Iya Valley Winter Hike
An overnight hike to Mt. Miune in Tokushima during early spring.
Mt. Shiraga 白髪山 (本山町) Day Hike
Mt Shiraga is a relatively short and easy hike (白髪山, 1469m) starting in Motoyama-cho (本山町) in Kochi, Japan. There are quite a number of mountains in Japan with this name…
Mt. Kobiso 小檜曽山 Winter Hike
This 5.2km day hike to Mt. Kobiso (小檜曽山, 1550m) crosses the prefectural border into Tokushima and gives a great view to Mt Miune, Tenguzuka and the Iya Valley. It is…
Elliot’s Map of Shikoku Campsites
Compiled by a long term resident of Kochi, Elliot, and added to by us this map highlights some of the best campsites in Shikoku’s Ehime and Kochi prefectures. Camping is…
Shikoku’s Top 6 Waterfalls
Shikoku, one of Japan’s true hidden gems, is covered by hundreds of beautiful waterfalls eight of which are on Japan’s Top 100 Waterfall list. From Todoroki-no-taki to Nikobuchi we have…