Summary

We all know Australia is the place for bushwalking... New Zealand has some good tracks too... but surprisingly the rest of the world has some places worth visiting too! (imaging that!)

This is the place to share walks from outside of Australia/New Zealand.

Walks in Japan

Hard

10.5 km return

7 hrs

Mount Yakedake 焼岳 Northern Alps (Nagano Prefecture)

Mount Yakedake is an active volcano in the northern alps in Japan. It is one of Japan's 100 famous mountains and provides fantastic views over the surrounding area.

Medium

7 km return

5 hrs

Mount Zao 蔵王山 (Yamagata Prefecture)

Mt. Zao is one of Japan's 100 famous mountains, located in Yamagata Prefecture part of the Mt. Zao quasi-national park. Mt Zao is an active volcano that is also famous for being a ski resort in the winter with the natural snow monster phenomenon.

Very Hard

14 km return

1.5 days

Mt Fuji Summit

Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan and possibly one of the most iconic peaks on Earth. Although the views from Mt. Fuji are nothing particularly special compared to other mountains in Japan, the sunrise from the top is biblical and is more than worth the trek to the top.

Very Easy

1 km return

20 mins

Mt Omuro 大室山 (Shizuoka Prefecture)

Mt. Omuro is a designated national monument by the Japanese government and is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It's a very green extinct volcano

Easy

6.1 km return

3 hrs

Mt. Aso (Eboushidake and Kishimadake) + 阿蘇山烏帽子岳杵島岳 (Aso-Kuju National Park, Kumamoto Prefecture)

One of the 100 famous mountains in Japan, Mt. Aso is truly epic. Being one of Japan's most active volcanoes, it is to be feared as it constantly plumes sulfuric gas that can be deadly. But thanks to its volcanic activity, Mt. Aso has scenery unlike anywhere else in Japan except maybe Mt. Kuju. Filled with lushious green fields, black volcanic deserts and boiling lakes. Mt. Aso is worth the trip.

Some would describe this hike as A.S.O too much volcano or even danger volcano.

Easy

3.7 km return

2 hrs

Mt. Chausuyama 茶臼山 (Aichi Prefecture)

Mt. Chausuyama is the tallest mountain in Aichi prefecture, part of a Quasi-national park. It is very easy and can be smashed out with the neighbouring mountain in probably less than two hours. There are some good mountain biking opportunities if you are of that persuasion, maybe good for trail running as well. In winter, the mountain becomes a ski field.

Medium

6 km return

3 hrs

Mt. Futatsumoriyama 二ツ森山 (Gifu Prefecture)

Futatsumoriyama is out in the sticks of Gifu Prefecture. Summit has 360 views of the surrounding mountains. It's not the best nor the worst mountain.

Medium

6 km return

2 hrs

Mt. Houraiji 鳳来寺山 (Aichi Prefecture)

Houraiji is an ancient temple that was founded somewhere around 700 AD. It was secluded in the mountains and became a place for serious aesetics to learn about esoteric Buddhism. Because of its heritage of being an important Buddist temple, the surrounding forest was not destroyed in the great purge of forests conducted by the Japanese government. It is a rare example of ancient trees. It is very biodiverse which is a great change from the usual monoculture of trees you find on Japanese mountains.

Medium

11 km return

5 hrs

Mt. Ibuki 伊吹山 (Kyogoku Clan Castle Ruins Approach) - Shiga Prefecture

Mount Ibuki, located in Maibara near Lake Biwa is one of Japan's 100 famous mountains. It has great views over the surrounding mountains and lake. Unfortunately the summit has undergone a lot of development and is more akin to a shopping centre. There is a road that leads to the summit and it isn't rare to find women knocking about in high heels and fashion not suitable for climbing mountains.
There are also lots of abandoned buildings on the mountain such as omiyage gift shops and a gondola station which housed the old ski lift. If you are adventurous you can explore the abandoned buildings.

Hard

5.5 km return

5 hrs

Mt. Kisokomagatake 木曽駒ケ岳 + Mt. Houkendake 宝剣岳 (Central Alps, Nagano Prefecture)

One of the most underated parts of the Japanese alps. The central alps is unbelieviably beautiful, if someone blindfolded you and told you were somewhere in Europe, it would be entirely believable. The hike is very straight forward, it can be combined with a multiday hike and other nearby peaks such as Houkendake.