Mount Koya temple door. Japan opened it’s borders to independent travelers from 11 October 2022. However, evidence of having had three approved vaccinations, or a valid negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure for Japan, are still required. The list of visa-free countries can be found here: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html There is no quarantine requirement. Although not mandatory, most Japanese people continue to wear masks outdoors in public places. You may be requested to wear a mask at your accommodation, and it is recommended to wear masks indoors in public ..read more

Mount Koya temple door Japan Travel Advice 12 July 2022 About a month ago, on 10 June, the Japanese government announced the opening of borders to tourism. There was excitement as inbound operators, agencies, and destination management companies fired emails off encouraging prospective clients to book. However, this is only an initial phase. The door is hardly ajar. There may be a chink of light, but don’t get too excited. Japan is opening at a snail’s pace. Having looked into the situation more closely, I discovered that only fully-guided package tours allowed in, but these can only be arrang ..read more

In Chapter 2, IYA VALLEY In Praise of Shadows, in Alex Kerr’s book Lost Japan (Lonely Planet, 1996), Alex says ‘This brings me to the dark side of the fairy tale of Iya Valley. When I first entered Iya twenty-five years ago, Japan’s systematic environmental destruction was already becoming visible … When my friend asks me, where can you go to escape the billboards, electric wires, and concrete?”, I am at a loss for an answer.’ I understand where Alex was coming from. My extensive travels around Japan over the last 40 years have sometimes left me feeling there is indeed little hope for the envi ..read more

Today, the 12 August, is Mountain Day (Yama no Hi) in Japan. It’s one of no less than fifteen national holidays observed annually: New Year’s Day, Coming of Age Day, National Foundation Day, Vernal Equinox Day, Showa Day, Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children’s Day, Marine Day, Mountain Day, Respect for the Aged Day, Autumn Equinox Day, Health Sports Day, Culture Day, and Labour Thanksgiving Day. Mountain Day was established in 2014, and was first observed in 2016 following revisions to the Public Holiday Law in January of that year. Prior to this, the latest holiday which had been ..read more

News from Japan Today on 18 October 2021: https://japantoday.com/category/national/vaccines-masks-japan-puzzling-over-sudden-virus-success? The post Virus success? appeared first on Hike Japan ..read more

O-mizutori, the 1200-year old, sacred water drawing ceremony observed annually in mid-March, has just been held at the Nigatsudo Hall, a sub-temple of Todaiji Temple, in Nara. It’s the final, explosive finale to a two-week long observance known as Shuni-e. Strong monks carry huge, flaming torches, around the temple veranda, showering crowds below with sparks. It’s a miracle the wooden structure hasn’t gone up in flames. Many ceremonies and festivals in Japan are to do with purification. O-mizutori refreshes the soul and, along with the plum and cherry blossom, ushers in spring. Prayers for tho ..read more

A marathon This pandemic has turned into a real marathon. A marathon for people working hard on the front line, whose work load has increased enormously, for everyone having to stay at home, particularly those with young families, for the elderly,  and for those who love getting out and about, particularly those of us who love the outdoors and adventure travel. I’ve been asked, many times, how Japan is coping with the pandemic. Well, the data indicates that there have been a relatively small number of cases of infection, and far fewer fatalities (3,791 as of 8 January). The cases have mai ..read more

The word ‘unprecedented’ is being widely used about this pandemic. The numbers affected are huge, and measures in place to help stop the spread are some of the most severe I can remember. However, there have been a number of global events which have had a significant impact on the travel business since I started Hike Japan in 2003, eighteen years ago: . In the couple of years before I decided to embark on this venture, there had been the September 11 2001 (9/11) attacks and the subsequent ‘War on Terrorism’. . The Iraq War, the Second Gulf War, started on 20 March 2003. . The world was also de ..read more

Fire has a highly significant place in Japanese culture. The heart of the home was traditionally the irori, an open fireplace. Thatched farmhouses in the Hida Mountains and elsewhere in rural Japan, popular as lodgings for travellers, nearly all have irori in the center of the larger, communal tatami mat rooms where charcoal is burned under a charred kettle and local river fish are often grilled on skewers.  Staying at these farmhouses is one of the highlights of some of our mountain hiking tour itineraries. The character for fire, with strokes representing flickering flames, is 火 (read ..read more

The only formal public holiday during August in Japan is Mountain Day on the 12th. But O-bon, normally held over a period from 13th to 15th August, is a much more significant event in the annual calendar. Traditionally held in the seventh month of the lunar calendar, today it is mainly observed in August. The O-bon week sees millions of people traveling around Japan and abroad. A Buddhist event commemorating one’s ancestors, it is believed that ancestral spirits return during O-bon to visit their families. It is similar to the Mexican Dias de Muertes Day of the Dead holiday. As well as hanging ..read more