With spring in the air, it\u2019s the perfect time to start thinking about dusting off the hiking boots and getting out into the natural environment. Although Japan is perhaps better known for its colourful and vibrant city spaces, it also has an abundance of attractive greenery \u2013 including mountains, forests, and hiking trails. Kansai is no different, with plenty of pretty rural spots to enjoy a brisk walk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are a few great spots to try out, from mountain trails to gentle park strolls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most famous trails in Japan, this ancient pilgrimage route is a UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/a>. It\u2019s actually more of a series of trails that stretch around 35km, taking in the Wakayama, Mie, and Nara prefectures as well as the Kii mountain range. The whole thing takes around 5-6 days to complete, but there are single short routes of just a few kilometers if you fancy a nice day out in the enchanting wilderness. There are also villages with inn accommodation along the way for those who prefer turning it into a longer break.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Highlights include the sacred Mount Koya, where you can stay overnight in a Buddhist temple, and the Nachi Grand Shrine, where you can see the beautiful Nachi Waterfall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Website:<\/strong>\u00a0https:\/\/www.tb-kumano.jp\/en\/kumano-kodo\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This iconic mountain range is located in northern Kobe, spanning across much of Hyogo prefecture. It\u2019s an easily reachable walking destination that offers some great views of Kobe bay as well as nearby Osaka in the distance. The Rokko mountain offers the opportunity for short scenic walks as well as more in-depth treks that can take around 4-5 hours. There are ropeways if you want to reach the summit without overly exerting yourself, as well as various points of interest including a botanical garden, an observatory and caf\u00e9, and the renowned Arima Onsen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Website:<\/strong> https:\/\/kobe-rokko.jp\/en\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/a>, Mount Yoshino is in Nara prefecture and is a great location to head to if you\u2019re after a walk lined with classic Japanese temples. It\u2019s very popular during the cherry blossom season as there are around 30,000 trees that line the paths along the lower passages. For more serious hikers, there are elevated sections that gradually lead to the 400m summit. You can walk to the peak in around 4-5 hours, so you\u2019ll need the best part of a day for a full hike.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Website:<\/strong> https:\/\/www.japan.travel\/en\/spot\/985\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n This 5km walk is something a bit different as it takes place along a disused segment of the JR Fukuchiyama railway line near Osaka. The walk takes around two hours in total to complete and takes you through unlit tunnels as well as parts of the Mukogawa Gorge. The walk is flat, so you won\u2019t need to worry about traversing any heights, but it\u2019s advisable to take a flashlight to negotiate the tunnels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Website: <\/strong>https:\/\/www.hyogo-tourism.jp\/world\/spot\/detail_1037.html<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Minoo Park is on the outskirts of Osaka, an intoxicating woodland valley that provides a convenient spring walk outing within easy reach of the city. The main park trail follows a river that leads to Minoo Waterfall. If you feel like continuing your trek, there are paths that extend beyond here to the surrounding hills. Along the main route, you will pass small shops, restaurants, and even a few temples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Website:<\/strong> https:\/\/www.japan.travel\/en\/spot\/1080\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luka Peternel<\/a>, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With spring in the air, it\u2019s the perfect time to start thinking about dusting off the hiking boots and getting out into the natural environment. Although Japan is perhaps better known for its colourful and vibrant city spaces, it also has an abundance of attractive greenery \u2013 including mountains, forests, and hiking trails. Kansai is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":51910,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,165,86,63],"tags":[635,112,223,828,219,829],"class_list":["post-51909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kansai-2","category-kobe","category-osaka","category-outdoors","tag-family-friendly","tag-hiking","tag-kansai","tag-nature","tag-outdoors","tag-unesco"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51909"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51909\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51931,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51909\/revisions\/51931"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Mount Rokko <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Mount Yoshino <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Fukuchiyama Abandoned Railway <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Minoo Park <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n