“You’re going back to Japan….AGAIN??” We’ve heard it more than once since booking our next hiking adventure. The answer is simple. Yes. Happily. And if someone offered us free business flights tomorrow, we’d probably already be packing.

Because sometimes you don’t go back to a place because you’ve run out of new destinations. You go back because it gave you something you can’t quite find anywhere else.

It All Started with the Kumano Kodo

Back in 2023, TB and I spent nine incredible days walking sections of the Kumano Kodo on a self-guided hike. To say it exceeded our expectations would be an understatement. The ancient forests, tiny mountain villages, peaceful shrines, steaming onsens, incredible food and the genuine kindness of our hosts combined to create one of the most memorable travel experiences either of us has ever had.

It wasn’t just a holiday, it genuinely changed the way I looked at hiking.

I’d always enjoyed getting outdoors, but Kumano Kodo showed me that walking wasn’t simply about getting from A to B, it was about slowing down, noticing things, embracing discomfort, connecting with history and finding joy in the simple rhythm of putting one foot in front of the other.

By the time we flew home, we knew one thing for certain. We’d be back.

The Search Began…

Finding our next adventure wasn’t as simple as booking another Kumano Kodo trip. We wanted something new. Naturally, we started researching.

The Nakasendo Way

Nakasendo was probably our first serious contender. It links Tokyo and Kyoto through historic post towns, beautiful villages and centuries of history. It looked spectacular. But the more we researched, the more we realised it wasn’t quite the experience we were chasing. Many sections pass through open farmland and sweeping plains. Beautiful? Absolutely. But after experiencing the dense cedar forests, misty mountain paths and secluded villages of Kumano Kodo, we realised we were craving another immersive forest experience.

We wanted towering trees, we wanted moss-covered trails (not the stones tho -they were slippery suckers!). We wanted to finish the day soaking in an onsen after disappearing into the mountains.

Nakasendo is firmly on our list, but not this time.

Michinoku Coastal Trail

Next came the Michinoku Coastal Trail. Again, it looked incredible. Rugged coastlines, fishing villages, and dramatic ocean views. But then we both laughed. We live on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. As stunning as the Japanese coastline is, we realised that if we were travelling overseas to hike, we wanted something completely different from what we see every day. The coast wasn’t calling us, the mountains were.

Nikko National Park

Nikko was another possibility. Beautiful forests, World Heritage temples, mountain scenery. It ticked a lot of boxes. The only problem? It’s really a two to three-day hiking experience. For us, travelling internationally is a significant investment, so we wanted something we could immerse ourselves in for longer. If we were making the trip to Japan again, we wanted a proper multi-day adventure.

Then We Discovered Shikoku

And suddenly everything clicked.

Shikoku is famous for its 88 Temple Pilgrimage, a remarkable circular route of around 1,200km connecting 88 Buddhist temples across the island. Pilgrims have been walking it for over 1,000 years. Some complete the entire circuit in 6-8 weeks. Some travel by bike. Some by bus. Some over multiple years. And many, like us, simply choose a section or three.

And that’s what appealed to us – we didn’t have to commit to the entire pilgrimage to experience its magic. The trail naturally lends itself to shorter adventures, allowing walkers to select sections that suit their time, fitness and interests while still experiencing the culture and spirit of the pilgrimage.

For TB and me, that flexibility made Shikoku the perfect choice.

Why Japan Again?

People often ask why we didn’t choose somewhere completely different – the Cotswold Way, Camino…or Canada??

The answer is simple. Because we both loved Japan. The hiking is exceptional. The food is amazing. The history is fascinating, and the culture is welcoming, respectful and endlessly interesting.

There’s something incredibly comforting about finishing a long day on the trail with a hot meal, a soak in an onsen and a quiet evening at a traditional ryokan. Japan also makes sense practically. From Australia, it’s a relatively easy international trip of around 10 hours, with minimal time zone changes, so we can enjoy an incredible hiking holiday without taking long blocks of leave or being jetlagged for a week. With around 10 days available, it strikes the perfect balance between adventure and reality.

And guess what? We have other adventures in England, Spain and the Dolomites lined up for future visits!

Our Shikoku Adventure Awaits

So, in a few short months, TB and I will spend 9 days walking selected sections of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. There’ll be forests, mountain climbs, temple visits, tiny villages, and probably some sore legs. Hopefully plenty of onsens. Almost certainly far too much delicious Japanese food.

Most importantly, we’re looking forward to slowing down again. Because that’s what hiking in Japan seems to do so well. It reminds you that sometimes the best journeys aren’t about seeing as much as possible, they’re about seeing a little more deeply.

And honestly, we can’t wait to see where the Shikoku trail takes us.

PJ 🙂