Walk Japan Ltd.

04/02/2024

Looking for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day gift idea? 💕

Several of our tours are featured in Luxury Travel Magazine's list of romantic destinations around the world in 2024.

Here’s what we recommend to spend with your loved ones in Japan:

🥾Hike together with Self-Guided Nakasendo Wayfarer - an unescorted walking tour exploring one of the most picturesque sections of the historic Nakasendo Way between Kyoto and Tokyo.

♨️ Relax in hot spring baths and enjoy opulent local gourmet. Onsen Gastronomy tours are highly recommended if you are seeking more laid-back walking tours.

🌲Explore the Kunisaki Peninsula with Kunisaki and Yufuin Walk - easy walks through beautiful Japanese rural landscapes dotted with relics of ancient Buddhist temples.

Read the full article here:
https://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/news-articles/valentines-day-travel-romantic-destinations-around-the-world

02/02/2024

Winter magic on the Kunisaki Walk ❄️

We generally do not see much snow here in the Kunisaki Peninsula, but last week, we were lucky to witness the serene white snow-covered forest. Each season has its own charm, unfolding different landscapes upon revisiting.🏔️

Visit the link below for more tour dates.⁠🙌
https://walkjapan.com/tour/kunisaki-trek

31/01/2024

The Tokaido Way - One of Japan's five greatest highways🌲🌳

Built over 400 years ago, it is one of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s greatest contributions to Japan’s social, economic, and cultural development.
This historic road stretches from Edo (Tokyo) to Kyoto through a series of post-towns.

Starting in Hakone, the Self-Guided Tokaido Wayfarer will take you on a walking journey through charming towns and quiet forest trails in the central section of this greatest ancient highway.

To journey along this centuries-old trail, check the complete itinerary in the link below!🏞️🚶‍♂️
https://walkjapan.com/tour/self-guided-tokaido-wayfarer

Also, if you are curious about Tokugawa Ieyasu’s last days, Professor Timon Screech will be giving a talk on Friday, 2nd February, at 9 am JST.
https://walkjapan.com/talkjapan

28/01/2024

Yamaguchi - the Kyoto of the West placed third in The New York Times’s (The New York Times) 52 places to travel in 2024 🗾

Visit this charming place on our San’in Quest tour. This once flourishing city has emerged as one of Japan’s best-preserved cultural sites of the Muromachi Period (1336 - 1392).🏞

Some might remember in last year's edition, Craig Mod () brought international attention to Morioka. This year, the spotlight shines on Yamaguchi. Another graceful regional city, compact and less-explored, is surrounded by verdant countryside.

Read the full list of all fifty-two destinations in the link below:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/travel/places-to-travel-destinations-2024.html

27/01/2024

Venture out to Japan’s remotest island 🌴🌊

Unlike other Walk Japan tours, the Yaeyama: Okinawa Voyage includes a wide range of water activities. As we move through Yaeyama islands, we kayak through mangroves, snorkel on coral reefs and walk through sub-tropical jungle. 🤿

For more information of the itinerary and activities on the Yaeyama Okinawa Voyage, tap the link below for full details.
https://walkjapan.com/tour/yaeyama-okinawa-voyage

26/01/2024

Planning your travel in 2024? 🤔💭

Our Shikoku Pilgrimage was selected as one of the 38 best adventure holidays in The Times! ⛩️

Head to the link below for more information on other adventures.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/38-of-the-best-adventure-holidays-for-2024-hzctnxrlx

24/01/2024

Ready to plan your 2025 travel?🗺️

For those of you who are planning ahead for 2025, we’re delighted to announce our pioneering tour, the Nakasendo Way and its abridged counterpart, the Kiso Road are now available to book on our website!

The Nakasendo Way was the tour our company was founded on over 30 years ago, and has been in popular demand ever since. Translated as “the way through mountains,” this 534-kilometer ancient trail was once bustling with people traveling between Kyoto and Tokyo. 🏞

Stay tuned on our social media for all the latest 2025 tour date announcements 👀📣

20/01/2024

🏡 Have you ever thought about owning your own slice of the Japanese countryside? 🌾

Karen Tee (Karendoesyoga) from CNA Luxury visited our Community Project in Kunisaki last year, and became intrigued by how our CEO, Paul Christie and other members of staff had been breathing new life into otherwise empty houses in our local community. 👫🤝

Read the article here: https://cnaluxury.channelnewsasia.com/obsessions/why-empty-house-japan-could-be-your-next-investment-buy-242461

19/01/2024

Talk Japan is back for 2024! 📣✨

Join us on our first Talk Japan event of the year on Friday, 2nd February, 9am JST. Professor Timon Screech will give the presentation about the pivotal moment of Tokugawa Ieyasu's demise and how Toshogu Shrine became one of the most important shrines in Japan.🗾

If you're unable to watch live, no worries! This talk will be recorded and available on our Youtube page after the presentation.

For more information and to register, please visit the Talk Japan link below.
https://walkjapan.com/talkjapan

17/01/2024

🎉🎍Happy New Year from everyone here at Walk Japan! Every year, we collaborate with local artist Ono-san (https://www.yotsume.co/) to produce our company ‘nengajo’ New Year’s card. This year’s design with the Year of the Dragon, symbolising prosperity, resilience, and dignity.🐉🐲

Amidst the unfortunate events at the start of the year, our hearts were with the people of the Noto Peninsula. A member of our staff and her family directly experienced the impact of the earthquake, and we remain committed to providing steadfast support throughout the recovery process. We sincerely appreciate the kind messages received from everyone during this challenging period. It is through times of crisis that there is the opportunity to rebuild, not only physical structures, but also to fortify and unite communities.

As we enter into our thirty-second year pioneering walking tours in Japan, symbolised by the prosperous Year of the Dragon, we look forward to welcoming you back to what seems like our biggest year yet. To keep updated on all the latest news, including an exciting new tour announcement - please subscribe to our newsletter at the link below.
👉https://walkjapan.com/signup

We look forward to welcoming you in 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣.

28/12/2023

🎉📅Attention to all of those who walked with us this year! 👣✨🥳 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣3️⃣

If you have a moment and the inclination, please do rate your experience with us in Travel + Leisure 2024 World’s Best Awards Survey.

Visit tlworldsbest.com/vote to cast your votes in the Survey, the results of which will be revealed in the August 2024 issue of Travel + Leisure.

Thank you as always for your unwavering support, and we look forward to welcoming you back on tour again next year.

27/12/2023

🗺️ 💭 Looking for another podcast to add to your rotation? 🎧🌎

Tune into Amanda Kendle's Thoughtful Travel Podcast, one of the most downloaded travel podcasts in Australia. The show delves into how travel has positively influenced people's lives and explores ways to ensure it benefits others too.

This year, Amanda, along with friend and fellow journalist Catherine Marshall, embarked on our Self-guided Basho Wayfarer. In Episode 308, she talks about her highlights, surprising moments and takeaways - a great firsthand account of what a Self-guided tour with us is really like.

Listen at the link below:
notaballerina.com/308

Spotify: https://sptfy.com/PG6N~s
Apple podcasts: https://apple.co/48woJCD

There are many, many ways to see Japan, but I think I’ve just experienced my favourite: on foot. In late September/early October 2023, I undertook a six-day trip with Walk Japan, on the Self-Guided Basho Wayfarer walk around Sendai. And it was brilliant! In this episode, I give an overview of the ...

22/12/2023

🎄🎅Happy Holidays from all of us at Walk Japan🎁❄️

As the snowflakes gracefully descend upon the Kunisaki Peninsula, the team at Walk Japan is bustling with year-end tasks and gearing up for our cherished annual Christmas Party.

To all those who journeyed with us during one of our busiest years yet, we extend our most heartfelt gratitude. We look forward to walking with you again next year!

Pictured here is a very special guest who visited us last year, much to the delight of the children in our community!

From everyone at Walk Japan, we wish you a wonderful festive season!

17/12/2023

Odaki-Medaki Waterfalls 🌸🌿🌊🍃

Odaki-Medaki, the Male and Female Waterfalls, echo Japanese philosophy virtue of harmony and nature's gender duality. Traditionally, Odaki represents masculinity with its powerful, robust flow, while Medaki embodies femininity with its gentle, cascading descent.

See the falls on our Nakasendo Way: The Kiso Road Tour, with year round 2024 dates now available to book.
https://walkjapan.com/tour/nakasendo-way-the-kiso-road

📸 : Tasha

15/12/2023

Do you know how to tell the difference between a temple or a shrine? ⛩️🏮🎐🍃

Find out in our latest addition to our Talk Japan Classic Series on the Walk Japan Youtube channel.

Walk Japan Tour Leader Paul Tierney leads us through the enigmatic realm of Japan’s temples and shrines on a lively journey deciphering their spiritual, historical and architectural codes; a presentation that provides the keys to a fascinating and vital realm at the heart of Japan.

Watch the video on our channel at the link below:
https://youtu.be/SOw5df-DsMo

Subscribe to keep updated on our video content at our Youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com//

11/12/2023

🧂🛤️ Shio-no-michi: The Salt Road 🏔️🏞️

Join us on one of our newest tours, the Shio-no-michi: The Salt Road tour. Follow the long mountain trails once used by porters to transport merchandise, including salt, from the Sea of Japan to landlocked Matsumoto.

Let us lead you through quiet country lanes, passing rice paddies, farmhouses with their neatly tended gardens, ancient rural Shinto shrines, and numerous stone guardian deities placed to protect residents and travellers alike - all against the stunning dramatic backdrop of Japan’s towering Central Alps.

Limited May, June and September departures are still available to book on our website at the link below.
https://walkjapan.com/tour/shio-no-michi-the-salt-road

09/12/2023

🎁🌲Christmas 2023: Meaningful gift ideas 🌟🕯️

We're thrilled to be included in The Peak Magazine's Meaningful Gift Guide.

"In a world where the festive season often gets lost in a flurry of commercialism, our Christmas guide invites you to redefine the essence of gifting, offering a selection that goes beyond the ephemeral. Each item in our curated collection is imbued with a deeper meaning, designed not only to delight but also to resonate with a sense of purpose and sustainability."

Read the full article at the link below:
https://www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg/lifestyle/meaningful-christmas-gift-guide-fashion-watches-experiences/

Shop gifts with heart in our Christmas guide — meaningful, sustainable choices that foster connection and joy long after the holidays.

08/12/2023

In CNN Travel today, our Michinoku Coastal Trail tour is featured alongside trail advocate Robin Lewis' compelling story and connection to this beautiful stretch of rugged coastline.

Read the full story at the link below.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/japan-michinoku-coastal-trail-tohoku/index.html

Our 2024 Spring and Autumn dates are also available to book now, on the tour page linked below.
https://walkjapan.com/tour/michinoku-coastal-trail

03/12/2023

Tour Leader Andrew Daniels beautifully captures the vibrant autumn colours on our most recent Nakasendo Way tour 🍁🛤️🍂🌰

01/12/2023

"During Basho’s time, tourism was starting to develop,” says tour leader John Sweeney, who carries a cowbell to ward off potential danger. “He was the equivalent of a modern-day influencer and elevated haiku to what it is today. The walk was a huge undertaking for him.”

Read Geoffrey Eu's piece in The Business Times about his journey on our Basho Tohoku: Narrow Road to the North tour.

Full article at the link below:
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/bt-luxe/footsteps-japans-greatest-poet

Departures for Fall 2024 are now available to book on our website, also available at the link in below. 🍁🍂
https://walkjapan.com/tour/basho-tohoku-tour-narrow-road-to-the-north

A walking tour through the Tohoku region offers spectacular scenery and a unique cultural experience Read more at The Business Times.

29/11/2023

Twice a year, at the conclusion of our busiest seasons, our managerial team gathers to conduct a Product Review to ensure the quality and efficiency of our tours. This year, it was held at 奈多みどり荘 / Nada Beach House, a beautiful accommodation on the Kunisaki Peninsula, run by Walk Japan Tour Leader Tetsuo and his partner.

With a backdrop of serene coastal views, our team engaged in comprehensive discussions, analysing customer feedback, evaluating the effectiveness of our itineraries, and brainstorming innovative ideas to ensure that every journey with us remains unforgettable.

25/11/2023

Talk Japan: The Shikoku Temple Pilgrimage: On tour with Ben - is now available to watch on our Youtube channel.

Ben, a seasoned Tour Leader and vital Operations Team Member, delivered a captivating presentation on the Shikoku Temple Pilgrimage tour earlier this year. His expertise offered a deep understanding of the rituals, history, and mythology associated with one of Japan's most revered trails.

Stream the video on our channel and subscribe to keep updated on our video content at the link below.
https://youtu.be/EowoZXw5e4E

In this instalment of our Talk Japan series, Ben takes us on a virtual guided tour to Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four main islands, and the Henro, or S...

24/11/2023

Michinoku Coastal Trail - April and May departures now available! 🌊🥾

Embarking from Hachinohe, the Michinoku Shiokaze Coastal Trail beckons, tracing a path alongside the crystalline Pacific Ocean. Trekking through diverse landscapes, from towering cliffs to intricate bays, each community we encounter boasts ancient Shinto shrines honouring the sea’s generosity and guarding against its formidable nature. Along this journey, Japan's scenic wonders unfold—pristine pine-lined coasts, the enchanting Jodogahama cliffs embraced by emerald waters. As we head south, the scenery shifts, communities grow, yet the warmth of welcome remains unwavering. Our trail culminates in Kesennuma, offering onward connections via Japan's efficient railway network.

For full the full schedule of departures, visit our website at the link below.
https://walkjapan.com/tour/michinoku-coastal-trail

22/11/2023

If you didn't catch it in your inbox, this year's Autumn Newsletter is now accessible to read on our website! 🍂 🍁 🗞

In this edition, we unveil our newest offering, the Shikoku: Kochi Ehime Discovery tour, reintroduce Walk Japan on Tour Near You, recount the British Ambassador's Visit to Oita, spotlight moments from the Walk Japan Cup, and provide you with the latest updates on our Community Project.

Click the link below to read the latest issue!
https://walkjapan.com/blog/newsletter-autumn-2023

10/11/2023

In case you missed it, last week Catherine Marshall chronicled her journey on our Self-guided Basho Wayfarer in a three page spread for the Sydney Morning Herald, retracing the footsteps of the famous poet and trying her hand at composing haiku along the way.

To read the full article, click the link below.

Following in the footsteps of a haiku master on Japan’s main island is poetry in motion.

09/11/2023

Winter scenes on Nakasendo Way: The Kiso Road 🛖🌬⛩⛄️

Experience this historic route in all of its winter wonder, as pristine blankets of snow drape the townscapes of the Nakasendo Way, transforming it into an ethereal landscape. Along the way, delicate snowflakes cling to ancient cedar trees, creating unforgettable picturesque scenes.

January and February winter departures are now available to book on our website, at the link below.
https://walkjapan.com/tour/nakasendo-way-the-kiso-road

📸: Madi Mears

06/11/2023

🏞️✨ New Tour Announcement! 📣 🎉

The Shikoku: Kochi & Ehime Discovery is the latest addition to our unrivalled roster of immersive tours exploring the length and breadth of Japan. 🍃 🏞️🏯🍊

A fully-guided, seven-day tour, it explores two of Japan’s most bucolic but remotest prefectures. This region exudes elegance and tranquillity, characterised by pristine streams and rivers that meander leisurely through deeply forested mountainous terrain and lush valleys to the coast and the steely-blue Pacific Ocean. Here in numerous small farming and fishing communities set in idyllic countryside, the warmly welcoming locals maintain a timeless and gentle pace of life.

The tour also highlights unique destinations such as the architecturally stunning town of Yusuhara, the charming castle town of Ozu with its remarkable Garyu Sanso garden, and offers a taste of local culinary delights like katsuo seared bonito fish and a variety of citrus fruits.

To view the full itinerary, visit our website at the link below.
https://walkjapan.com/tour/shikoku-kochi-ehime-discovery

04/11/2023

Are you signed up to our newsletter? 📬🍂🌟🗞️

Our Autumn Newsletter is set to launch next week, and you definitely don't want to miss it. We have an exciting new tour announcement waiting for you. Any guesses on our next destination?

To make sure you're up to date, sign up at the link below:
https://walkjapan.com/signup

03/11/2023

📜🏞️ San'in Quest⛩️🏯

Planning your next adventure in Japan and ready to go a little more off the beaten track?

The San'in Quest explores the lesser-known region of Chugoku, western Honshu. Linking towns and villages rarely visited by foreigners, spanning from Yamaguchi to Matsue and back to Hiroshima, unveiling the influential role of ruling families in the 19th century, contributing to the overthrow of the shogunate and the restoration of imperial rule in 1868. Along the journey, the iconic vermilion torii gates at Shinto shrines serve as vivid markers, leading to the sacred core of Shinto belief at Izumo Taisha, renowned for its austere grandeur and connection to Japan's sun goddess, Amaterasu.

Spring and Autumn departures for the San'in Quest for 2024 are now available to book online on our website, at the link below.
https://walkjapan.com/tour/sanin-quest

29/10/2023

🥾🏙 Walk Japan on Tour Near You 2023 🌍 📅

We're proud to announce that we'll be restarting our Walk Japan Near You Events. In November and December 2023, we are visiting England, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. We will be delighted to meet anyone who has booked a tour with us, is considering doing so, or is just inquisitive about our company and our tours. Of course, we will also be very happy to meet anyone who joined us previously on tour.

Please note: Canberra is already fully booked out.

Would you like us to come to your city? Let us know in the comments!

To view the full roster of dates, visit the link below.
https://walkjapan.com/blog/walk-japan-tour-near-you-2023

If you'd like to book in for a time slot, please us contact us:
https://walkjapan.com/contact