Amatomi Trail: Hiking Japan's Most Accessible Trail, Away from the Maddening Crowds with Kouhei Nishida / Shinano Discovery

Outland Japan

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In Episode 46 of the podcast I speak with outdoor guide, Kouhei Nishida. Kouhei is the founder of Shinano Discovery - an outdoor guiding company - and a key member of the team behind creation of the Amatomi Trail. Opened to the public in 2021, the Amatomi Trail stretches 86km / 54 miles from Nagano City through Myoko Togakushi Renzan National Park to Lake Nojiriko and onto Madarao, on the border of Nagano and Niigata Prefectures. The Amatomi Trail is one of, if not the most accessible, hiking trail in Japan and provides access to mixed natural and cultural landscapes, working alpine villages, and important sites including Zenko-ji – one of Japan’s oldest and most important Buddhist temples – and the Shinto shrine complex of Togakushi.

As Kouhei explains, the Amatomi Trail combines a number of preexisting trails including the pilgrimage trails of the 'Togakushi Kodo', which lead hikers into the national park where they then traverse the foothills of the ‘Shinetsu Gogaku’ or ‘Five Peaks of Shinetsu’. The trail can be walked as a through hike or section hike, with Kouhei recommending 4 to 5 days for a through hike, with the most accessible section from Nagano City to Togakushi taking 2 days. With plenty of accommodation along the trail – ranging from hotels and lodges, ‘ryokan’ (traditional guesthouses, ‘shukubo’ (temple lodgings), ‘minshuku’ and ‘pension’ (basic guesthouses), and camping sites – there is no shortage of places to stay, catering to all budgets and tastes.

I consider walking to be the best way to experience a country and Japan, to be an outstanding walking travel destination. Trails are numerous and varied, increasingly interconnected, well maintained and safe. I hope this episode plays a role in raising the profile of the Amatomi and hiking or walking as one of the best ways to explore Japan. For more information, visit the Amatomi Trail website or Instagram and to follow or contact Kouhei, visit his Shinano Discovery website, Instagram or Facebook. I hope you enjoy!

Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Chapters

1. Episode Introduction (00:00:00)

2. (A Little Bit of) Kouhei's Story (00:03:56)

3. Shinano Discovery: A Guide For All Seaons (00:08:26)

4. Amatomi Trail: One of Japan's Newest & Most Diverse Hiking Trails (00:11:58)

5. The Forests & 'Kijishi' of Sasagamine (00:17:23)

6. Access & Uniquess of the Trail (00:21:30)

7. Creation of the Amatomi Trail (00:24:40)

8. Through vs. Section Hikes & How Long it Takes (00:26:37)

9. Accommodation & Elevation Gain Each Day (00:28:49)

10. Wildlife, Staying Safe & Best Seasons to Hike (00:30:52)

11. What to Carry with You on the Trail (00:34:20)

12. Kouhei's Guiding, Website & Social Media (00:35:40)

13. Episode Close (00:39:45)