WILD JAPAN
A spectactular walking safari ACROSS the remote Kunisaki Peninsula on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu:
A 10 day across remote, wild Japan
What to Expect:
10-days of discovery beginning at Kyoto, where we will visit the Golden Pavilion
Authentic Japanese tea ceremony
Explore ancient Japan
Buddhist and Shinto Cultures
Remote hiking
Spectacular scenery
Traditional inns
Iain or Alex, together with a Japanese historian on every trip
Maximum 10 people
Trip Details:
We begin our journey in the old city of Kyoto where we’ll spend one day visiting the Golden Pavilion, and other temples. We will also undertake an amazing tea ceremony. We’ll then board the Shinkansen (bullet train) to the Kunisaki Peninsula.
This isn’t simply a walking safari where we begin at point A and end at point B ten days later. Instead, we stay every night at a traditional Japanese inn, and hike each day from a different base. The hiking is moderate/difficult, (the more difficult sections can be easily avoided), but experienced hikers will thoroughly enjoy these ancient trails, which are now largely forgotten. Time will stand still as you walk through sleepy hamlets, verdant forests, and along craggy ridges with stunning views. Our route passes many Buddhist and Shinto statues, large and small, and the caves where monks once found shelter.
As with all Tropical Ice safaris, we pay particular attention to our food, and on this trip, you will experience traditional food at its best. This trip gets you right into the heart of ancient Japan. From the trails, to the food, to the inns, you’ll step back in time and appreciate a part of Japanese history and culture that still exists far from its glittering neon city high rises.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
The first time my ears pricked up at the mention of Japan was whilst watching David Attenborough’s amazing Planet Earth series. It was when he said that the island of Japan was 70% wilderness that I realised perhaps there was more to this country than I had hitherto imagined: grey concrete, pitifully clean, sterile cities teeming with people. To say that I was pleasantly surprised when I visited late in 2017 doesn’t come close to the impact it had on me.
As always, we at Tropical Ice search for places far away from the over frequented tourist trails; we have no problem meeting local tourists in countries we visit – for us they are an integral part of the experience – but, for the most part, we travel to get away from western and (more recently) far eastern package tours. The region we settled on was a remote corner of the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, and what we saw was so much more than we had expected.
The Kunisaki Peninsula is located on the north-eastern corner of Kyushu. It is a range of low-lying mountains and hills overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. These hills are the setting for some of the most ancient pilgrimage trails created by monks over 1,000 years ago. One of the things which appealed to us about Kunisaki Peninsula is that it isn’t easily reached from the outside world, public transport has yet to find it. The villages and hamlets are pristine, trapped in a beautiful time warp, rural Japan at its best. If your wish is to see “old Japan” and a world of hermits, monks, and Shoguns… and to experience it all on foot, this is the safari for you”
IAIN ALLAN Founder
“after leaving Kyoto we didn’t see another western face for ten days! No amount of research can quite prepare you for this trip. ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING!”
Christina Pochmursky (Toronto, Canada)
upcoming safaris
To find out more about our Wild Japan! safari and express your interest in booking, please use the enquire button below and Iain or Alex will send you a detailed itinerary and more information about how to proceed.
2025 DEPARTURES
Arrive Depart Availability
Jan 16 Jan 27 Fully booked
Nov 01 Nov 12 Fully booked