Walk Japan has launched a Kyoto: Mountains to the Sea tour for active travellers keen to explore Kyoto Prefecture. Once the imperial capital of Japan, Kyoto is a city where ancient traditions and modernity coexist in a harmonious blend. Renowned for its stunning landscapes, historic sites, and cultural depth, Walk Japan‘s fully guided, eight-day tour is a treasure trove of visually inspiring sights with walking routes and hikes through rural and mountainous countryside trails. along ancient trade routes to the Amanohashidate and the Sea of Japan.
The Kyoto: Mountains to the Sea walking tour is a moderate to harder walking tour with some steep climbs and participants need to feel comfortable walking for over four hours each day. Daily walking distances range between 7 – 15.5km (4.4 – 9.6 miles) and elevation gain between 180 – 750m (590 – 2,460ft). Accommodation each night is mostly in family-run Japanese inns, some with onsen hot spring baths.
Explore the culture aspects of Kyoto, known for their local specialities and craft including timber, charcoal, washi paper, pottery, and takezaiku bamboo arts. A trip highlight is a visit to the Amanohashidate heavenly bridge sandbar, one of Japan’s three scenic views.
Encounters with History and Legend
Walking these trails offers more than just physical exercise; it’s a journey through history and legend. Travelers pass through hidden valleys and quiet villages, where traditional thatched buildings retain an air of a bygone era. Along the way, venerable chestnut trees stand as silent witnesses to centuries of history. The trails are also steeped in local folklore, with tales of battles between ogres and imperial warriors, adding a layer of mystique to the journey.
Located in a lush ravine in the heart of Fukuchiyama City, a peaceful, old castle town located in the north west of Kyoto Prefecture, Amanoiwato Shrine draws many hikers seeking to explore nearby forest trails. Perched on the side of a boulder near a mountain stream, it is a highly atmospheric shrine that feels both sacred and relaxing.
Discover Another Kyoto
Kyoto is a destination that many are drawn to for peace and contemplation. Beyond the well-trodden paths of the imperial city lies another Kyoto—an idyllic rural region that stretches north through forested mountains to the rugged coastline of the Sea of Japan. The tour explores the idyllic rural region of mountains and valleys, forests and farming villages, remote hillside hamlets and fishing ports along the coast.
See a stunning side of Kyoto – with vast mountains ranges and discover the lesser-visited Kyoto of the sea. It is a diversely plentiful region of a multitude of districts, usually delineated into small valley communities, each with their own distinct identities and unique produce.
The Kyoto of Mountains and Valleys
Kyoto’s mountainous regions are a world apart, where life is dictated by the rhythms of nature and the changing seasons. Early morning mists often shroud these valleys, creating a sense of mystery and hinting at the hidden treasures that lie within.
Kyoto’s mountains and sea have long been the city’s breadbasket, so food-lovers will be able to indulge in some of the region’s best produce including Miyama ayu sweetfish, Tanba buri yellowtail and saba mackerel, and a wide variety of Kyoyasai heirloom vegetables.
While the trip is primarily on foot, there will be some trips that will utilise local trains and private-hire vehicles. Travellers did not worry about carrying their luggage as this will be organised to be sent onwards each morning to the same-day accommodation, so daily walking routes only require a small backpack to carry the essentials (drinks and snacks).
Established in 1992, Walk Japan is an independently owned and managed walking tour company that enlightens and enriches its guests on walking tours through many less-travelled regions of Japan The maximum group size is 12 participants starting in Kyoto City and concluding at Amanohashidate. Prices start from JPY430,000 Japanese yen based on double occupancy. For full itinerary, please click here.
