【Golden Week】Perfect for a short holiday! 3 Adult Hiking Trips to Experience Nature

Every year, I've been spending Golden Week in the same kind of place. This year, I wanted to have a slightly different experience──with that feeling in mind, I looked for hiking events where I could enjoy nature. It seems I can savor just the right amount of extraordinary feeling suitable for a holiday while avoiding crowds.

Walk with a playful spirit, 【Hadano Tanzawa Hiking Stamp Rally】

Source／PR TIMES.

For those who feel, "I want to be in nature, but mountain climbing might be a bit excessive," a stamp rally hiking that you can enjoy casually using an app is recommended.

Source／PR TIMES.

In Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture, the event "Hadano Tanzawa Hiking Stamp Rally," linked with the mountain stamp rally app "Yama-Suta," is currently being held (until December 21). The system allows you to visit six different courses with varying themes while collecting stamps, including low mountains, satoyama, urban walks, and shrine visits.

Source: PR TIMES.

What particularly caught my attention was the "Shibusawa Hills Hike" which walks through Shibusawa Hills and the "Kōbōzan and Azumayama Hike" which allows for a traverse from Kōbōzan to Azumayama. It’s a route that can be walked without strain, offers great views, and provides a sense of achievement even for beginner hikers. If you complete it, you can also apply for bonuses such as towels or pins.

Source: PR TIMES.

In addition, the app includes coupons that can be used at nearby facilities, allowing you to enjoy hot springs and local gourmet food at a discount. The stamp rally connecting nature and the city at your own pace is a perfect blend of playfulness for adult hikers.

Tanzawa Stamp Rally (YAMASTA × Hadano City)
Event Period: April 19, 2025 - December 21, 2025
Location: Inside Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture - Total of 6 courses
Organizer: Hadano City × Yamato Keikoku Publishing (YAMASTA)

Healing in the forest and hot springs, Oku-Nikko's [Kyuukamura Nikko Yumoto]

Source: PR TIMES.

I would recommend Oku-Nikko for those who want to travel just a bit later during the second half of Golden Week. It's precisely because the crowds have settled down that you can feel a deeper connection with nature.

Source: PR TIMES.

What begins operating at this time is the "Oku-Nikko Low-Emission Bus," starting on April 26. It quietly and efficiently tours natural conservation areas such as Senjogahara, Odashirogahara, and Shin-nikko Lake, where general vehicle access is restricted. The 10 km bus route is surrounded by forests of Mizunara and Larix, allowing you to enjoy the scenery of Oku-Nikko just by riding it.

Source: PR TIMES.

In Oku-Nikko, a weekday and lodging guest limited short hiking experience program called "Kyuukamura Nikko Yumoto" will start from May 7. The stage is Lake Yuno and Senjogahara. The course changes depending on the day of the week, and Kyuukamura staff will accompany you, allowing for a leisurely walk while providing explanations about the flora and fauna. This program's charm lies in not just walking, but also spending time understanding and enjoying nature.

Source: PR TIMES.

The lodging "Kyuukamura Nikko Yumoto" is an inn located at approximately 1500 meters above sea level on a plateau. Enjoy the flowing sulfur spring, which gently soothes the fatigue after hiking. Why not escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse yourself in the tranquility and hot springs of Oku-Nikko?

Oku-Nikko Nature Hiking (Kyuukamura Nikko Yumoto)
Implementation period: May 7, 2025 – July 11, August 25 – September 26 *Weekday only
Implementation location: Around Lake Yuno and Senjogahara, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture
Organizer: Kyuukamura Nikko Yumoto
Address: Yumoto Onsen, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture
Phone number: 0288-62-2421

Experience the forest and traditional culture at Nara's [Kasugayama Primeval Forest]

Source: PR TIMES.

I want to spend quiet time in nature──. What caught the author's attention was the Kasuga Primeval Forest in Nara. This primeval forest, registered as a World Heritage site, has been a special forest where logging has been prohibited for over 1,000 years. Despite being close to the city, it offers a space enveloped in deep silence and greenery.

Source: PR TIMES.

There are several well-maintained hiking courses, each taking a relatively short amount of time. Among them, the "Hell Valley Caves Course," about 1.3 km long, which retains beliefs from the Heian period, and the "Uguisu Falls Course," about 1.8 km long, welcomed by a waterfall approximately 10 meters high, are attracting attention as routes where both nature and history can be felt. Dappled sunlight, moss-covered scenery, and the distant sounds of birds create a tranquility different from everyday life, calming the mind with each step.

Source: PR TIMES.

Additionally, for those who want to enjoy this hike as a deeper experience, "Konjaku-so Nara Naramachi - Steam Bath Villa -" has started a custom plan proposal service.

Source: PR TIMES.

A private sauna that recreates the bathing culture of the Nara period, bathrooms overlooking a garden, and an exquisite space with Nara local sake prepared. The inn itself becomes the purpose of the trip, shaping a rich experience combined with hiking.

Source: PR TIMES.

Kasugayama Primeval Forest Hiking (Nara City Tourism Association × Konjaku-so)
Recommended period: Year-round (fresh green is recommended around April to June)
Location: Kasugayama Primeval Forest area, Nara City, Nara Prefecture
Related facility: Konjaku-so Nara Naramachi -Steam Bath Residence-
Address: 17-1 Fukuchi-incho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture

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