The 8 Mountain Walks and Treks in Japan That Repay the Fare

1.Fushimi Inari Hidden Hiking Tour (Private Option Available)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,750 reviews · from $63Our pick

Escape Kyoto crowds on a guided 7km forest hike to Fushimi Inari, with bamboo, quiet shrines, castle views, and expert local help.

“After a day in Kyoto, we started to tire of the tourist crowds, so this small group tour was absolutely brilliant. Our guide N. was knowledgeable and ever so nice. The hike was easy and as we approached the Tori gates from the back, we avoided other people right to the end. N was also an expert at taking super arty photos of us esp in the bamboo forest. Can’t recommend the tour enough.”

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2.3-Hour Fushimi Inari Shrine Hidden Hiking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 270 reviews · 3 hours · from $72

Escape Kyoto’s crowds on a 3-hour Fushimi Inari hike through bamboo groves, forest trails, quiet altars, and the famous torii gates.

“Perfect ! Our guide Hina was kind and compétent … Thank you!”

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3.Hiroshima Local guided Hiking Tour&Open-air Tea Ceremony

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 213 reviews · from $109

Hike Hiroshima’s Futaba Mountains, visit quiet shrines, enjoy forest bathing, and share an open-air tea ceremony above the city.

“The hike was fun. The guide was helpful. The views were great. I recommend this tour. That’s it in a nutshell.”

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4.Hiking the Historic Nakasendo Trail [1 Day Tour from Nagoya]

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 104 reviews · from $210

Hike Japan’s historic Nakasendo Trail from Tsumago to Magome with an English-speaking guide, rural scenery, round-trip transport, and local charm.

“Paula was a great guide - she was very friendly, passionate, and knowledgeable about the history of the area with lots of fun facts! We had a great time on the hike and exploring Tsumago and Magome. Asano-San was a great driver and the bus ride was very comfortable! We would definitely recommend this tour!”

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5.Morning Hiking Tour with Open-air Tea Ceremony

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 58 reviews · 3 hours · from $106

Hike Futaba Mountain near Hiroshima, visit historic shrines, enjoy forest bathing, and share an open-air matcha tea ceremony above the city.

“We had an amazing morning with Michi. We learned a lot about Hiroshima, Japan and its culture. We recommend it with our eyes closed. Thank you to Michi for her kindness, her sharing and the passion she transmitted to us.”

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6.Hike and Hot Springs in Kurama

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · 4 hours · from $80

Hike sacred Kurama Mountain from Kyoto, visit Kibune Shrine, ride the Eizan train, and finish with an optional mountain hot spring.

“Philippe was very knowledgeable about the history and stories behind the shrines, temples and towns we visited. Being a localized Kyoto citizen, he was able to supply us a plethora of local insights behind Japanese culture and traditions. With his extensive background of hiking the forests and mountains of Kyoto, the route was impeccably planned such that it was a seamless experience despite the daunting climb up to the mountain temple. An amalgamation of nature and history, overall it was a rejuvenating experience providing a much welcome contrast from the conventional and routinely frequented tourist spots in Kyoto City Center.”

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7.1-Day Tour from Nagoya: Hiking the Historic Nakasendo Trail

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 34 reviews · 8 hours · from $189

Hike Japan's historic Nakasendo Trail from Tsumago to Magome on an 8-hour small-group tour from Nagoya, with a guide and comfortable transport.

“The tour was very lovely, the tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave a lot of background information. We walked at a nice pace and also got enough time to enjoy the lovely towns. The bus drive was also very comfortable. I recommend!”

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8.Hakone Hachiri: Old Tokaido Highway Hiking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 22 reviews · 7 hours · from $167

Hike Japan’s Old Tokaido through Hakone, sip amasake at a 400-year-old teahouse, and see Mt Fuji with a certified mountain guide.

“It was an incredible experience! Akihiro was friendly, knowledgeable, and great company for the day. I was glad to have this tour which featured a day in nature and a lot of Japanese history, something different from time spent in the bigger cities. It was a real highlight of my trip to Japan.”

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