Great Walks

HILLS & HAIKUS

GODZILLA, Kawasaki, Tamagotchi, Sashimi… of all the things one associates with the weird and wonderful Land of the Rising Sun, hiking is not usually one of them. As a large and mountainous country you’d imagine Japan, which until 150 years ago was a feudal society of warlords and peasants, would have extensive opportunities for trekking. Indeed there are, although only a handful are known to outsiders and these are either sedate strolls between touristy villages or hardcore traverses of the high Alps. Until recently there was nothing in between. Enter … the Shin-etsu Trail.

The ST was conceived in 2003 by a local man, Noriyoshi Kato, who had walked the Appalachian Trail in the US and was inspired to create something similar in his homeland. Like the AT, the ST begins and ends atop mountains and is maintained by a volunteer organisation that ensures the route is clear of debris after the

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Great Walks

Great Walks2 min read
Let’s Be Honest
WE all have witnessed events on our hikes which make us wonder why some people venture into the pristine parks and wilderness, only to leave that environment in a worse state. How many times have we witnessed dirty pieces of paper/wipes scattered aro
Great Walks2 min read
A Day Out With Dinosaurs
THERE’S a stretch of sand where the tide lifts and lowers stories. With each ebb and flow, the passage of time etches in stone and escapes through estuaries. On the rapidly shifting shores of Inverloch, 150km south east of Melbourne, sandbanks stretc
Great Walks8 min read
Something’s Afoot
HERE in the antipodes, we’re sometimes a little slow to catch on to new hiking gear trends. For instance, many of our Northern Hemisphere trail buddies have been utilising trail running shoes in place of boots for years now, especially the ultralight

Related Books & Audiobooks