Best Hikes in Japan
Hiking? Japan? Those two words don’t normally come to mind for most travelers. Japan has long been a dream destination for many people. It’s a country that successfully marries modernism and tradition in one harmonious way of life. But more than its amazing cuisine and bright neon lights, Japan has preserved and protected the most beautiful natural landscapes in Asia with as much care and attention as it places on just about every part of its culture. While Japan’s cities no doubt possess a wealth of experiences, getting lost in Japan’s nature is just as magical.
Some are strenuous, some are relaxing, all breathtaking – here are the 10 best hikes in Japan.
Mount Fuji
Hike Details
- Trail length: 5-7 km
- Elevation Change: 1,700 meters
- Hiking Time: ~6 hours ascent, ~4 hours descent
- Starting Point: Chūbu region
- Difficulty: 3/5
- Transportation: Mountain bus to different trailhead access Yoshida Trail: Mountain bus from Kawaguchiko and Fujisan Stations Subashiri Trail: Mountain bus from Gotemba and Shinmatsuda Station Gotemba Trail: Mountain bus from Gotemba Station Fujinomiya Trail: Mountain bus from Mishima, Fuji, Shin-Fuji and Fujinomiya Stations
Surprised? Japan’s most popular mountain is also a great hiking destination. It’s the highest mountain in Japan at 3,600 meters but is also considered a sacred spot so hikers are sure to find makeshift shrines along the way. It’s always argued that Mt. Fuji is better appreciated for its shape from afar than the taking on the extremely difficult task of scrambling up its rocky surface. However, this doesn’t deter many hikers from all over the world.
Mount Fuji is open for hikers from July to September, but different trails have different opening times. There are four routes to the summit with varying levels of difficulty. The most popular trail is the Yoshida Trail with many mountain huts on the way up. It’s the easiest to access from Tokyo with a mix of rocky slopes and flat ground. The hardest is the Fujinomiya Trail as its generally rocky and very steep.
Mount Asahi
Hike Details
- Trail length: 13 km loop or 6 km straight climb
- Elevation Change: 670 meters
- Hiking Time: ~2 hours ascent
- Starting Point: Daisetsuzan National Park, Hokkaido Island
- Difficulty: 2/5
- Transportation: JR Limited Express from Sapporo to Asahikawa. Bus to Asahi-Dake Onsen.
Daisetsuzan National Park is Japan’s largest national park covering 230,000 hectares. It’s a mountain range at the center of Hokkaido island with pockets of snow that survive even throughout summer. Of all the trails in the park, the Asahi-dake Volcano is one of the most popular. There are many crisscrossing hiking trails on Asahi-dake giving many options for different skill levels. The easiest way to do the hike is as a day trip from Asahi-dake Onsen, a traditional natural Japanese bath.
Mount Takao
Photo by Jonathan Lin
Hike Details
- Trail length: 1-4 km
- Elevation Change:
- Hiking Time: 1 hour
- Starting Point: Hachiōji, Tokyo
- Difficulty: 1/5
- Transportation: Keio Shinjuku or JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku Station to Takao Station
Mount Takao is a popular hiking destination because of its proximity to Tokyo. Despite its closeness to the city, it boasts of an attractive temple and several hiking opportunities. At 599 meters, Mount Takao’s summit is one of the busiest in all of Japan thanks largely to the cable car access halfway up the mountain.
There are several trails available, the most touristy of which is trail 1. It’s mostly paved and passes all the major pitstops and viewing decks up the mountain. The other trails are narrower and unpaved, but less chaotic and see less people. If you’re traveling with kids or elderly people, this is the best hike to go on. The trails will bring you through forests, across bridges, past unusual statues, and towards an amazing view of Tokyo.