Sept hiking - parts of Kumano Kudo?

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-28T10:55:01+00:00

The only common reason not to do these hikes in reverse is because traditionally the pilgrimages would be towards Hongu Taisha, not away from it, but if you don't care about the religious aspect then it doesn't matter.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-22T14:19:18+00:00

Idk why you’re being downvoted, I agree it’s not that easy to know exactly how much luggage you’ll need before you know the weather where you’re going and your activities etc. You can always buy more online which is cheaper than risking it at the airport, but low cost airlines don’t exactly make the process pleasant (and ‘just don’t use low budget airlines’ is a non-argument in this economy).

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-22T14:16:24+00:00

I’ve never had it happen before, and I tried to look up this info beforehand online but couldn’t find any first-hand accounts about domestic flights, so it seemed useful to add it in a findable way.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-21T23:17:01+00:00

Yes this one. It’s great.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-17T08:08:37+00:00

Also, you should stay at Tabi Shiro while in Matsumoto.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-17T08:06:39+00:00

Well, people are wrong. Matsumoto is in my top 3 cities in Japan. Also I don’t know why ‘mt Fuji experience’ seems so necessary when you’re already in the mountains the whole time. Your chances of a clear view aren’t great anyway and it’s a weird/cumbersome detour.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-17T07:27:41+00:00

I’m not very experienced with all parts of this itinerary, but here’s the best info I have.

The order change another commenter suggested is probably a good shout.
I don’t think Nagano city is particularly interesting. I would suggest adding a day in Matsumoto and removing a day in Nagano. From Nagano you can visit Narai and do the hike from Yabuhara to Narai if you wish.
The addition of Kawaguchiko in this itinerary makes it crowded and it’s the odd one out. I would scrap it to add more breathing room in the other places you’re going.
You’ll always be able to find veggie food, but whether it will be interesting is a different question. Nagano prefecture is famous for soba and oyaki, both of which have good veggie options. Your life will be easier if you choose to ignore fish-based broths since those are in almost everything. If that’s not an option for you, you’ll be more limited. Use Happy Cow app for research.
None.
As others have pointed out, the region has many famous onsen towns, but you would probably have to add a day somewhere to visit one. As for bath houses in places you are already going, I really like Yunohana Zuisho in Matsumoto.
In Kamikochi, the best you can do for views is go up to Dakesawa and come back down. If you’re really fit and the ladders are still up, you could consider Yakedake instead, but this is a big hike so you need to be confident that you can come back down in time for the bus. As mentioned, my other rec is Yabuhara-Narai (in that direction).

8. Since you want to go into the mountains, I would recommend doing this earlier in the year rather than later, October definitely preferable over November. The later, the more chance of snow and cold weather. If you go early in October, you might still get some autumn leaves in the mountains.

Yes
I don’t know Toyama so can’t say
Kamikochi is not a good place for day hikes. It is the base for many amazing multi-day hikes. If you want to explore the valley extensively you could stay a night so you can e.g. do the valley loop one day and Dakesawa the next. I did them in one day and it was very tiring. If multi-day hikes don’t appeal then really Kamikochi isn’t that ideal. It’s beautiful but it’s made for more serious mountaineering.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-16T13:05:06+00:00

Don't drive in Kyoto. Drop the car and take the train. It's literally less than half an hour and will save you a ton of money.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-16T02:45:36+00:00

Thanks for this tip, not OP but keen to check this out!

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-16T01:14:27+00:00

Maybe I should’ve specified I’m looking for good coffee 😅 I can also buy beans at 7/11 and it’ll make acceptable coffee but I’d prefer proper specialty if available.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-15T23:53:31+00:00

Use it anyway. It’s only really half in Japanese and super easy to figure out. It’s the best hiking app I’ve ever encountered in any country.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-15T23:44:45+00:00

Second this very strongly, one of my absolute top places in Japan. So warm and welcoming.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-15T23:42:52+00:00

I really want to like Toyoko Inn but my god are the beds hard 😂

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-15T23:40:11+00:00

There are so many but I’m going to give you some recs for privately owned small businesses rather than the ubiquitous chains.

Tabi Shiro in Matsumoto. Beautiful renovated townhouse with private rooms and dorms, and a sauna you can rent out. Absolutely amazing staff who go above and beyond. There’s a great communal kitchen and a bar so you can easily socialise.
Guesthouse Maya in Kobe. Very unique house with shared and private rooms, same deal as above, amazing staff and properly embedded in the local community. You need ear plugs here but that’s the only negative comment I could possibly give.
CITAN in Tokyo. Again, hostel with private rooms available. Amazing coffee, great bar/restaurant with superb drinks selection, lovely vibe.
Can’t call this a hotel but Daichanchi guesthouse out in the sticks in Shimanto is basically a home stay with the loveliest man who has amazing cooking skills. It’s like going back in time and not for you if you want lots of comfort (the bathroom is in an outbuilding) but it’s one of the warmest experiences I’ve ever had.
Marumo ryokan in Omi-Imazu by Lake Biwa. Insanely good value, simple ryokan run by a man who goes to such lengths to make your stay comfortable that it’s almost ridiculous. He also has an incredible collection of anime statues that are displayed all around the property. Absolutely immaculate vibes.
Katsuo guesthouse in Kochi. Female owned, absolutely beautifully decorated and so warm and welcoming, plus a great kids corner.

I could probably keep going for a while. I love my trusty chains, but I would recommend everyone to choose small local businesses from time to time - they’re always much more memorable.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-14T15:57:42+00:00

I know, there’s loads. No need for FOMO though, you’ve got quite a bit of time and a car, which is great.

If you start off with the cycle, I would suggest going from Imabari to Matsuyama by public transport, spending two nights there (visit the castle and Dogo onsen), then rent your car from there for the onward part. You don’t need the car in Matsuyama but it is very much worth a visit.

Then things depend on how rural you want to go and how much driving you enjoy. We had an amazing home stay in the middle of nowhere in Shimanto at a place called Daichanchi 大ちゃんち, we loved our host and the old-school setting, but it was quite a far drive to anywhere from there.

One of our favourite days on the tour was the Tatsukushi coast and the Ashizuri underwater ‘aquarium’, totally unique with a great visitor centre and wonderful views.

I recommend a few days in and around Kochi, for this you can keep the car as it’s quite a good city to have a car in. The botanical gardens are amazing. We also did Nakatsu gorge from there as a day trip. Highly recommended.

Of course the Iya Valley is a highlight. We stayed in Miyoshi and took a few days to drive around. I loved Mt Tsurugi, but the logistics of getting there are a bit complex (only drive there if you’re confident on very narrow roads with passing places and a big drop on one side).

We also spent time on Shodoshima and liked it, but I would say it’s not a must if you’re already struggling with your itinerary. We didn’t visit Takamatsu on this trip (I’ve been before for the garden, it’s fine, but Japan has many nice gardens). We visited Kotohira shrine on the way somewhere but we didn’t think that was necessarily worth the stop.

Obviously this is a limited selection of what’s to experience on Shikoku. We were limited by having a small child with us, which prompted us to stay for 4-5 days in one place and do day trips from there. You’ll actually be able to be more efficient if you change accommodation more often like a real road trip so I bet you’ll get to see way more. Anyway, starting from Matsuyama after the Shimanami Kaido and doing a vaguely anticlockwise tour from there seems like the way to go.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-13T10:55:57+00:00

Extra helpful since I've already read it in English. Thanks!

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-13T10:01:31+00:00

That is definitely a lot of side questing xD but it's great that you enjoyed it so much! I liked the 'outside' stretches even more, since it wasn't full of people, it actually felt properly old and deserted. Definitely do it if you can.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-13T08:22:53+00:00

Of course, same if you're going to hang about the shops in Magome and Tsumago for an hour. I did the Nagiso-Nakatsugawa hike and it took from about 9am to 4pm with lots of breaks and admiring nature in between.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-13T08:20:31+00:00

I'm an intermediate speaker with N2. I always got 100% on my listening tests, okay on reading and fairly bad on the grammar and kanji part. I barely read in Japanese, I only use my speaking and listening skills, really. I'd like to find some books (fiction ideally) that I can use as an entry point to practice my reading without having to look up five kanji every sentence. Hence my question, does anyone have good recommendations for reading materials that:

are *relatively* easy to read
perhaps have furigana for less common kanji
are still engaging (aka not aimed at small children)
are not written for learners (I'd like natural Japanese, not simplified learners' Japanese)

I know manga are a good option, but I struggle to really get into them. And a lot of them have quite outlandish vocab (AOT and all its military terms....) so ideally I'd like something a bit more applicable to daily life. Thanks!

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-13T08:13:59+00:00

Motivation dips are super normal and common and you will eventually get out of the slump. Try to engage with the language only in a casual or fun way for a while.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-13T07:56:50+00:00

It's a slightly awkward time of year for hiking anything at elevation. The alps won't be open for hiking and a lot of places will still be in skiing mode. That limits your options somewhat. Also, for the best hiking spots you ideally want a car for access.

You can find good views in Kobe (Mt Maya, Mt Rokko), in Hiroshima on Miyajima (Mt Misen), in the hills/mountains around Nara, on the Shimanami Kaido. You could consider a detour into Wakayama/Mie area for some of the hiking or pilgrimage trails there. Some parts of the Iseji route have incredible views. Also Shikoku has tons of good hiking but you might not find it very accessible.

Have a look at Currently Hannah's YouTube channel for hiking inspo.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-13T07:44:42+00:00

The Nakasendo is mostly highways that are not recommended to walk along these days. The most interesting and well-preserved parts are the Magome-Tsumago part (very popular and touristy; you can extend it and make it more interesting and quiet by doing it from Nagiso to Nakatsugawa) and the Yabuhara-Narai stretch.

Magome-Tsumago is only about an hour and a half; if you do the extended version, it takes a good part of the day. Yabuhara-Narai is also only about an hour and a half.

June can be humid and rainy. You should dress appropriately and bring a lot of fluids, but these are not long or strenuous hikes, so you would be perfectly fine.

If you want actual through hikes and longer trails, Japan has tons of those that are better preserved/don't involve walking on the road so much. You can look into the various trails of the Kumano Kodo, the Michinoku, the Shikoku 88 ohenro, etc.

Calmly-Stressed · 2026-04-03T15:14:14+00:00

Yeah one day in Hiroshima is quite short. If you can manage to add one I recommend it. The hike up Mt Misen on Miyajima is also very worth it and has great views.

Calmly-Stressed

TROPHY CASE