A Guide to Solo Hiking in Japan
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Loading... - Junko Uchida
- 21 Sep 2022
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I moved to Japan at age 39 – a year after quitting my full-time lawyering job, with no definite job prospects in the country and with no close friends. Unlike most people, it was not the temples, the manga culture, or the delicious Japanese food that drew me to this foreign land. I was instead fascinated with the often-underrated beauty of Japan’s nature and the countless hiking trails that it offered.
During the three years that I have been living in Japan, each hiking experience, often solo, made me feel more connected to the country. I not only found nature’s beautiful landscape welcoming but the friendly hiking culture has encouraged me to develop a personal connection with Japan’s soil. Year after year, these are the three destinations in Japan that I always count on. From mesmerizing scenery to easily-formed trail camaraderie, all aspects somehow feel unique to Japan.
Daisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido: Japan’s largest national park
Daisetsuzan, the largest national park in Japan, sits in the middle of the northernmost and wildest island of Hokkaido, Japan, occupying a land area of 2,268-kilometer square. The park is home to numerous trails to explore on day hikes or week-long traverses, pleasing both beginners and advanced hikers alike. Mountain scenery encompasses the active volcano Mount Asahidake, which is also the highest mountain in Hokkaido, flower fields roll endlessly along the mountain-base slopes in summer, and wildlife including grizzly bears thrive. It is also a region that attracts hundreds of solo hikers during the peak summer season (late July-August) who are more than eager to keep each other company and look out for each other. During my solo summer trip to the park, it was not my bear bell but the friendly company of other hikers that gave me the comfort to explore the trails occupied by alpine flowers without being discouraged by the wildlife to which the park is home.
When another hiker had warned us about a bear sighting on my solo hike, it took merely a few seconds to share a moment of connection with two fellow hikers. Luckily, we never encountered a bear on the Asahidake and Nakadake loop route but, had a delightful day chatting with one another throughout. On another solo hike, I tagged along with an elderly couple after they had noticed that I was wandering into bear-dense territory. Little did I know that (until I overheard their phone call) the couple changed their plans and extended their hike just for me so that I would not have to hike alone in bear territory. Read More...
