Overview
A five day, self-guided short break walking in Honshu Island’s Kansai region on the Yamanobe-no-michi and Yagyu Kaido Trails. This region is packed with cultural heritage particularly in the ancient cities of Nara and Asuka, and the trails are perfect microcosms of this history. The Yagyu Kaido Trail, or Sword Master’s Road, was taken by swordsmen aspiring to join the much revered samurai Yagyu Jubei. The Yamanobe-no-michi Trail is one of the oldest in Japan with an array of shrines, persimmon farms, rice fields and forests en route. Stay in a mix of hotels and traditional minshukus.
- Yamanobe-no-michi Trail
- Yagyu Kaido Trail
- Nara
- Traditional Minshuku guesthouses
- Tanzan Jinja Shrine
- Asuka
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Asuka | 9km
From Kyoto or Osaka, take the train to Asuka on the southern edge of Yamato Province. This peaceful community is an ideal location to experience Japanese rural life. If time allows, follow an optional walking route through the village taking in the history and landmarks of the area.
- Accommodation: Minshuku or Japanese style lodge in Asuka
- Walking for the day: 9km, 4h, ↑420m, ↓425m
Day 2: Tanzan Jinja Shrine | 13km
Today can be spent exploring Asuka or, for a more active day, follow the trail to Tanzan Jinja Shrine. Originally known as Tonomine Temple, it was converted into a shrine during the Meiji Period (1868-1912). The route to the shrine follows quiet roads through a rural community, before ascending along a forest trail to the shrine.
- Accommodation: Minshuku or Japanese style lodge in Asuka
- Walking for the day: 13km, 5h, ↑530m, ↓300m
Day 3: Yamanobe no Michi Trail – Nara | 16km
Take the morning to rent bicycles and cycle around Asuka’s terraced rice fields. Afterwards, travel by private transfer to Tenri and walk the Yamanobe no Michi Trail to Sakurai, followed by a train journey to Nara, Japan’s first capital, established in AD710 and formally known as Heijo. Alternatively, begin the day with an early start from Asuka and hike the historic Yamanobe no Michi Trail before arriving at your accommodation in Nara.
- Accommodation: Western or Japanese style hotel in Nara
- Walking for the day: 16km, 5h, ↑↓negligible
Day 4: Yagyu Kaido Trail | 12km
Today’s route follows part of the Yagyu Kaido Trail from Enjo-ji Temple. Take a local bus to Enjo-ji Temple (payable locally) and hike the most scenic section of the trail heading towards Nara. End the walk with a stroll through Nara Park, to visit its splendid temples.
- Accommodation: Western or Japanese style hotel in Nara
- Walking for the day: 12km, 5-6h, ↑245m, ↓535m
Day 5: Nara and Departure
Spend part of the day exploring the rest of Nara, before spending the day visiting Todaiji and Horyuji Temples, as well as the Naramachi neighbourhood , dating back to the Edo Period and Isuien Garden. The day comes to a close with a train journey back to either Kyoto or Osaka.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of hotels, and traditional minshukus. A minshuku is a traditional Japanese-style guesthouse with tatami mats and futon bedding. Dinners are served together, usually in the dining room and are multi-course meals. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. Please note that, in Japan, it is common for accommodations to have twin rooms rather than double. If you prefer a double bed, we will happily request this at time of booking, however it can’t always be guaranteed.
Click to view example accommodations
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days and dinner is included on two evenings. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area. Vegetarian options are available, but limited. Please note that it’s difficult to cater for vegan or gluten-free diets due to the pervasiveness of the fish-based stock dashi and soy sauce used in Japanese cuisine.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is graded easy-moderate, with daily walking distances varying from 9-20km. The routes follow a mixture of paved roads and forest trails with some moderate ascents and descents. (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This walking tour is available all year, but the best months for hiking in the region are April-October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your holiday on any date in the season.
Please note that travel during Golden Week, O-Bon or other public holidays may incur supplements of up to 20%. For more information, see our blog on the Best time to go to Japan.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Kansai Airport (KIX) in Osaka.
By train or bus
There are regular trains from Kansai Airport to Osaka and Kyoto. For timetables and further information, visit Navitime or use the Omio planner above.
From Tokyo, there are Shinkansen services to Osaka and Kyoto. For timetables and further information, visit Navitime or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 4 nights accommodation
- 4 breakfasts
- 2 dinners
- Train tickets from Kyoto/Osaka to Asuka, Sakurai to Asuka, Sakurai to Nara, and from Nara to Kyoto/Osaka
- Taxi from Asuka to Tenri (which will also take your bags to the inn in Nara)
- Topographical maps and walking instructions
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare to and from Japan
- Airport transfers
- Dinners in Nara, lunches, drinks and snacks
- Luggage transfers
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Bus journeys
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
Baggage transfers
Please note that daily luggage transfers are not available for this tour. The best way to deal with excess luggage is to send it ahead using Japan’s excellent Takkyubin Courier service. These services are secure, efficient and economical, typically around JPY2,000 (€12-13) per bag, per transfer. Luggage will not be able to be transferred to every hotel, so you will need to carry overnight essentials in your daypack for the intervening nights. Takkyubin can be arranged once you are in Japan, usually with help from the concierge of your hotel or guesthouse. Some smaller local hotels and inns may not offer the service, but they will direct you to the nearest location where the service is available, such as local convenience shops.
All inns provide cotton yukata gowns and slippers for you to wear after arrival for dining, relaxing in your room, exploring outside and sleeping. They also provide small towels, soap, shampoo and hairdryers. You don’t need a complete change of clothing for the evening, so it is possible to manage with just a medium daypack to carry overnight essentials.
