Walked The longest trail in Japan” Michinoku Coastal Trail”
Hi trail lovers! This is about the long trail called Michinoku Coastal Trail in Japan. Please check if you are interested in camp, trail and even outdoor in Japan!
- What is Long Trail and Michinoku Coastal Trail
- Details of Michinoku Coastal Trail
- Where I walked and Experience
- An advise from my experience
What is Long Trail and Michinoku Coastal Trail
Have you ever done a long trail? A trail is a way in a forest and a mountain, and has been everywhere around the world. The long trail simply means long distance trail which is not common in Japan yet.
What people do there is various. Sometimes run, walk and travel with backpack.
So what is Michinoku Coastal TrailMichinoku Coastal Trail is located in Tohoku of Japan and 1000km long which is the longest one in Japan. It was made for reconstruction and revival of community from huge earthquake and tsunami in 2013.
This is unique because you can actually see what happened there on your eyes. And I went there for the purpose!
Even a word long trail is not common yet in Japan, many do trail walk as activities like trail run and hike camping.
In a fact, a plan of Japan trail is on progress, and it will connect a bunch of trails all along japan which will be over 10000km long.
Details of Michinoku Coastal Trail
Michinoku Coastal Trail starts from Hachinohe in Aomori to Soma in Fukushima, and divided by 10 parts of trail mapping. The each parts has features like walking islands, cities, mountain and along Pacific ocean. You can have unique experience at each section you chose.
You can purchase trail maps online. That have information of water and restrooms which is quite useful for travel to know. Also information of distance between each check points is on. Free GPS data is on official web site. Experts and experienced hikers might don’t need trail map itself.
Just to caution that there aren’t many campsites along Michinoku Coastal Trail. The distance between each campsites are about 100-200km long which you are required to stay motel, hotel or camp in a wild. I did camping at some spaces beside a way for many times.
Water servers and restrooms are there(and bending machines), so you don’t have to worry about those issues.
↓↓Check out if you are interested in Michinoku Coastal Trail(English ver as well ). It is on website of Ministry of Environment↓↓
To buy a map and official goods, take a look here!
Where I walked and Experience
I started long trail from Nobiru station in Miyagi and went through Ishinomaki, Ojika peninsula, Onnagawa, Minami-Sanrikucho, and then took a bus to Kesennuma station. I walked book number 9,8,7, of trail maps
I’ve done 250km walk within two weeks, but needed to bring rain gears. I hiked up two mountains which required some gears for hiking.
After my trip, I understand that it takes more that two months to finish up all ways of Michinoku Coastal trail. At least one and half month and to enjoy, you need about three months.
Recommended camp siteI did many wild camp, but stayed actual camp site called Kanwarizaki camp site. That was awesome and head that its camp site is famous for people around there.
To camp in high season, you need to get reservation such as summer weekend.
This is their home page. Check this to book a site!
https://www.m-kankou.jp/kamiwari-camp/
Features of my tripTrail maps No. 7, 8, and 9 are all different. You need to walk some islands on No. 7 and 8 of trail maps. No.9 is all along ocean and some mountains. You see how huge tsunami impacted to people’s life.
As you walk along the sea, you can look buildings are broken by tsunami, and understand how the tsunami of Higashinihon was strong.
To camp along the sea and around there, you need to tighten ropes strong because of the strong wind from the ocean. Walking old tunnels and finding something unusual is so fun.
An advise from my experience
My total summaryWhat I learned this time is preparation. Especially in Michinoku Coastal Trail, you need to know where you can stay. Sometimes you need to ask somebody to camp or look for the place. That needs some experience.
What you actually need to do is taking a look at google and prepare to camp where you can stay by google earth and actual photo, especially if you can’t go before the trip.
If this is your first time, then I recommend to go a short distance to check your ability to walk for a day with backpack, and what you eat, and what you need.
This is not about for this backpacking trip, but you need to know weight of your backpack to avoid unfortunate risk and danger which make your trip stopped.
On a mountain, some of them don’t have clear landmark, so I used GPS data. Walk with an expert is on of way. Also, remind that you might take 2-3 months at least to complete walking 1000km of Michinoku Coastal Trail.
Off course, this is your trip and all of the responsibility is yours, but you should bring your battery chargers and compass to know your direction at least.
fees and costAs you walk long trail, you need to take a long time which means fees increase at a same time. Some of the cost is down below.
- transfer fees to Michinoku Coastal trail
- Trail Maps
- Food cost on your trip
- Fees for Ferry and Bus
- Camping fees and Hotel
- Transfer fees after your trip
This is only your main cost. I saved a lot of money, but it still coasted over 20000 yen within two weeks. Camping and backpacking is low cost activity but, Long trail costs more to reduce your risk!
Chose your season!歩く季節によっては寝袋の重量や防寒着の量により重さが変わってきます。雨が多い季節では防水対策も必要です。初心者や初めて行かれる方はズバリ！夏終わりの秋がお勧めです。特に１ヶ月以上の挑戦は断然秋がいいでしょう。
By seasons, your sleeping bag and clothing changes. In a end of Jun and a first half of July of japan, you need water proof gears! I strongly recommend end of Summer like September and October! If you walk for a month, then fall is your season for challenge to Michinoku Coastal Trail.
The reason why for not other season is various. In the winter, it is clear that you need t bring more gears for your comfortability. In spring, it is still cold there, and summer is too hot as you may know!
That was about long trail! Not much information on internet yes, so I hope you have fun!
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