Four breath-taking summer tours in Japan by Walk Japan

Japan is a beautiful country to visit any time of the year, but it is especially breath-taking during the summer. See Japan on foot, with spectacular, top-rated walking tours specially curated by Walk Japan.

Trek through lush forests, go on ancient highways, hike up volcanic peaks, and take in the sight of serene bodies of crystal-clear water. Witness an abundance of wildlife, the astonishing panoramic views of nature, beautiful architecture and take in the fresh Japanese air the good old-fashioned way.

Walk Japan offers intimate group tours centred and designed around Japan’s history, culture, and society. Their unique tours are well-researched and their tour leaders display an in-depth knowledge knowledge of and an inimitable dedication to the spirit of Japan.

Go on a different kind of journey – walk through the mesmerising Japanese archipelago on the Hokkaido Hike tour, explore Japan’s ancient highways on the Summer Nakasendo Way tour, trace the footsteps of 17^th century Japanese poet Matsuo Basho across the Tohoku region on the Basho Tour, and walk among the trails by Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, the furthest eastern portion of the famed Silk Road, on the Inland Sea Odyssey tour.

Walk Japan’s tours are for the adventurous, the curious, the nature-loving, and for those who like to wander. The carefully-crafted tours range from eight to 10 days each and are suitable for different levels of fitness.

Hokkaido Hike

• Duration: 10 Days, 9 Nights
• When: July, August and September
• Activity Level: 6/6
• Technical Level: 5/6
• Start/Finish: Lake Akan / Shikotsu-ko Onsen
• Inclusions: Walk Japan tour leader and assistant tour leader; 9 nights’ accommodation; 9 breakfasts and 9 evening meals; luggage transfers; entrance fees; travel from tour start point to tour finish point, with all road transfers by private vehicle
• Single spot price: JPY 54,000 (SGD 670)
• Group rate: JPY 496,000 (SGD 6,150)
• Minimum/maximum number in group: No minimum/maximum 12 persons

The Hokkaido Hike is a trek through mountain trails and rough terrain of Japan’s largest wilderness, on the wild and sparsely populated northern island of the Japanese archipelago. Nature is the star of this tour, with astonishing wildlife (including fox, deer and wild birds), jaw-dropping panoramic scenery, healthy forests brimming with life, awe-inspiring volcanoes, and long ascents and descents. If you love nature, keep yourself fit, exercise regularly and can keep a comfortable walking pace for around eight hours, this tour might just be your dream come true. Book the Hokkaido Hike here.

Summer Nakasendo Way

• Duration: 8 Days, 7 Nights
• When: July and August
• Activity Level: 4/6
• Technical Level: 3/6
• Start/Finish: Nagoya / Matsumoto
• Inclusions: Walk Japan tour leader; 7 nights’ accommodation; 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 7 evening meals; luggage transfers; entrance fees; travel from tour start point to tour finish point
• Single spot price: JPY 26,000 (SGD 323)
• Group rate: JPY 324,000 (SGD 4,017)
• Minimum/maximum number in group: No minimum/maximum 12 persons

The Summer Nakasendo Way tour is a gently undulating trail through the higher altitudes of one of Japan’s ancient highways, the Nakasendo. Summer is the best time to explore the countryside and the mountainous trails of the Nakasendo Way, while temperatures are lovely. Walk the Kaida Plateau in the Japanese Alps, with the volcano Mt. Ontake-san towering majestically in the horizon. Traverse through Matsumoto, a regional city on the plateaus of the Central Alps, and see the keep of the old castle, where ancient pilgrims used to flock in sacred devotion. This tour is suitable for those who can walk comfortably for up to three to four hours. Book the Summer Nakasendo Way walk here.

Basho Tour: Narrow Road to the North

• Duration: 9 Days, 8 Nights
• When: May to November
• Activity Level: 2/6
• Technical Level: 2/6
• Start/Finish: Tokyo / Kanazawa
• Inclusions: Walk Japan tour leader; 8 nights’ accommodation; 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 7 evening meals; dedicated support vehicle on day 6; luggage transfers; entrance fees; travel from tour start point to tour finish point
• Single spot price: JPY 52,000 (SGD 645)
• Group rate: JPY 460,000 (SGD 5,703)
• Minimum/maximum number in group: No minimum/maximum 12 persons

Narrow Road to the North, one of the greatest works of Japanese literature, was penned by Japan’s most celebrated poet, Matsuo Basho. The Basho Tour offers scenery of a different kind. Trace the poet’s steps from Tokyo through the beautiful countryside of the Tohoku, hear Basho’s haikus ringing in the waves of the Sea of Japan as you keep quiet trails along coasts, mountain paths, and serene country lanes. Take in the history and culture of the 17th century along the way, and explore the old city of Kanazawa. The Basho Tour is an easier walk, though punctuated with some steeper climbs along the way. Be prepared for three to four hours of walking at a time. Book your walking tour here.

Inland Sea Odyssey

• Duration: 10 Days, 9 Nights
• When: Year-round
• Activity Level: 2/6
• Technical Level: 1/6
• Start/Finish: Himeji / Hiroshima
• Inclusions: Walk Japan tour leader; 9 nights’ accommodation; 9 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 9 evening meals; luggage transfers; entrance fees; travel from tour start point to tour finish point
• Single spot price: Contact Walk Japan
• Group rate: JPY 580,000 (SGD 7,190)
• Minimum/maximum number in group: No minimum/maximum 12 persons

The Inland Sea Odyssey is a leisurely walking tour inspired by gorgeous Japanese sunsets and sunrises, local gourmet delicacies, unique architecture, and the delicate art of Japanese living. A serene trail through Japan’s Seto Inland Sea takes trekkers to the furthest eastern extent of the Silk Road and at the heart of history, where Japan as a nation had its humble beginnings. Based on the travels of one of the greatest observers of modern Japan, Donald Richie, the trail features the finest, most golden sunrises and dramatic, blood-orange sunsets. It’s all about the colours of the sky, about light and shadows and art, in the Inland Sea Odyssey. This tour is friendly on the feet, good for anyone who can keep a comfortable pace for around two hours. Book this walking tour here.

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