Hiking in Japan (Lonely Planet Walking Guides) (Paperback)

~ Mason Florence (Author), Craig McLachlan (Author), Chris Rowthorn (Author), Richard Ryall (Author), Anthony Weersin (Author) "Japan's earliest inhabitants are thought to have arrived via land bridges that once con the country with Siberia and Korea, a well as seafaring migrants..." (more)
Key Phrases: North Alps, Dewa Sanzan, Yumoto Onsen (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

For sheer global reach and dogged research, attention must be paid to Lonely Planet…' --Los Angeles Times, February 2, 2003

Product Description

Sunrise atop Fuji-san, steaming volcanoes, natural hot springs, ancient temples and pilgrim trails, wild subtropical jungles, spectacular gorges, unique wildlife and nature's seasonal shows - explore the wonders of Japan with this meticulously researched guide.

• detailed trail notes with kanji for more than 70 day and multi-day hikes
• 70 detailed, custom-drawn contour maps with kanji
• accommodation options from gateway cities to remote camp sites
• tips on transport to and from the trailheads
• practical advice on local culture, responsible hiking and pre-hike preparation
• quick reference language section, glossary and gazetteer with kanji

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Product Details

• Paperback: 440 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; illustrated edition edition (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1864500395
• ISBN-13: 978-1864500394
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #753,468 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I only missed one thing, December 15, 2002

By	Laszlo Wagner (Hungary) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

And that is descriptions of longer treks.
There are a few described as 4-8 days long in this book, but when walking I found that that would have been at a snail's pace and the times given had to be halved. Even a quick look at the regional maps will confirm that all hikes described only cover relatively small areas.
So those planning a longer trek through the backcountry of Japan might be disappointed (I was, anyway), but I understand we are just the minority...
On the other hand, those looking for advice on a variety of short hikes in national parks or near the major cities will find lots of good ideas, and practical details that tend to be amazingly correct by guidebook standards!
Don't worry too much about the book being a few years old - Japan is such a stable country that much of the information remains as valid as ever.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wise man climbs Fuji once; a fool climbs it twice., December 9, 2001

By	Miles Jamie (USA) - See all my reviews

I found that you really don't have much of a choice if you are going to Japan and are interested in recent comprehensive English hiking guides. There is a lot of information once you get to Japan on day hikes available from the tourist information places in each town. I found that for a survey trip, this book was just extra weight in my pack. (I ended up using this book thrice for 1-2 days trips on a 3 week trip to Japan, and that was pushing it.)

I did read it and looked at the pretty pictures to get an idea of where to go during my Japan trip planning phase. It is useful to the person focused on hiking around Japan. This may seem obvious, but it's basically a trail guide. It gives great information (including translations of hiking signs) that isn't found in other more general guide books. It tells you how to get to a trailhead, and where to go once you get there, and has some sections on floura, etc. native to Japan.

Although they are great (just because they exist), I found the trail maps lacking at times, especially (and surprisingly) for the everybody-does-it Mt Fuji trek.

Good reading if you're thinking about multi-day treks. Otherwise, skip it for a more general (regular Lonely Planet) guide since it will just weigh down your pack.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hiking in Japan, November 23, 2003

By	"prodd" (Kyoto, japan) - See all my reviews

Another specialized book from the Lonely Planet team, this one catering to those who like to take exercise with their nature. Japan is heavily populated, and the megalopolis called Tokyo is easily the world's biggest, but nearly all the people live on the coastal plain of the Pacific coast, leaving the rest of this mountainous country open for the adventurous hiker.
The book follows the usual Lonely Planet formula with the first pages devoted to the geography, history, climate, flora and fauna as well as social and religious areas of Japanese life.
The second section deals with specific information for the hiker, including suggested itineraries, weather information, safety while hiking and, usefully, pre-departure planning. This last section tells us to have health insurance and know something about First Aid; good advice for those who haven't thought of such things.
The hikes suggested in the book, and there are over a hundred, cover the length and breadth of Japan, are classified into five levels from easy to hard, and are divided up into day-long walks.
The maps in the book show a marked improvement over earlier Lonely Planet publications, early editions of which often had no scale or compass point! "Hiking in Japan" on the other hand contains maps that are very difficult to obtain even in Japan itself.
For those who speak no Japanese, there is the glossary of everyday language at the back of the book, and, perhaps even more essential, a transliteration of the Japanese character place-names into the roman alphabet.
Recommended.