Hiking in Japan

[mall walker]

Anyone have any good resources on hiking in Japan? Going to be there in September with my wife. Not looking necessarily for specific recommendations, but would love to find a reliable site with information like:
* trailhead location
* roundtrip or one way distance
* elevation gain

Proximity to Japan Rail would be nice to know also. Most of the google results seem uber touristy and my Japanese is ah, not the best. Ideally looking for what fit western states types might consider a hike (eg, 8-15 miles RT and 3-6k' vertical) rather than a 2 mile 500' paved walk...

Ideally a resource to search on our own would be ideal. Otherwise... anything westish / southish of Tokyo...

[jorion]

I don’t know how good this site and its related guidebook are but it seems solid:

https://japanhike.wordpress.com/kita/

I’ve never hiked in Japan in summer but skied a decent bit in the Kita Alps and I’d love to return to check them out without skis some day. It’s only two or three hours from Tokyo to Nagano via Shinkansen and then renting a car is probably simplest. But there are trains and buses that service just about everywhere; you may just have to wait a while and it might not be convenient, for remote trailheads especially.

Hyperdia.com is fairly comprehensive for figuring out train and bus schedules. If you are going to rent a car it’s pretty easy but you need to get an international drivers license from AAA before you leave.

[tino_]

I realize you said you'll be near Tokyo, but if you end up in Hokkaido at all this website has pretty comprehensive information: https://hokkaidowilds.org/hike

[muted]

Are you going to hike Fuji?

[mall walker]

Are you going to hike Fuji?

No, currently looking at some of the peaks around Matsumoto en route to Kyoto and Kagoshima. I realize everything will be crowded but Fuji crowds sound dreadful...

[muted]

I'm hiking it this September, crowds be damned. I hate crowds more than most, but it's fuckin' Mt Fuji! I'm there for the culture anyways not to get away.

But I'd be curious to hear if you got beta on something impressive but not so packed.

[Jaimedun]

I like the atmosphere in Japan. I used to travel in Tokyo, I really like people and the way they work with the cold weather of winter here

[Jaimedun]

Are you going to hike Fuji?

Last summer I used to wander at Fuji with my wife

[mall walker]

forgot about this thread for a while. we hiked Mt Yakedake outside of Matsumoto. it was fun with no car... took a bus to a "bus stop" that was basically just a sign by the side of a steep highway embankment. then you walk ~3 miles to the trailhed. it rained every step from the bus stop to the summit and back. not much for views.

Japan, however, was fucking awesome.

[wolf04]

Last year my brother and I went to Mount Fuji. The mountain is open for climbing only in July and August. The ascent began from the 5th step. To see the sunrise and protect ourselves from the sun, we climbed the mountain at night with an overnight stay in a hut on the 1st or 8th steps and got up at 4:00 in the morning to complete the journey. The climb up the mountain was a very difficult task, as volcanic ash behaves like sand underfoot. Above grade 8, altitude sickness sometimes appears, but we did not have. It is much colder at the top of the mountain than below, but we prepared ourselves and took warm clothes with us.
I loved it, it was a fantastic experience. But I don’t know if I would have dared to do it a second time, because it was difficult.

[adia]

I can't even imagine how incredible the view is.would you like to just play football? I understand that this is not comparable to the mountains. but it's safer

[Kai]

Google "Laid Back Camp."

Lots of great information on camping in Japan.