How Hiking Together Builds Lasting Friendships August 21st, 2026 • by Lori Lisai There’s a moment every guide recognizes. It doesn’t happen on the first morning, when everyone is still learning names and adjusting backpack straps. It comes a few days later, almost without anyone noticing. Someone slows their pace so another guest isn’t walking alone. An extra layer is quietly passed across the trail as the temperature… Read More »
What to Eat Along the Nakasendō Trail: How Autumn Tastes in Japan August 13th, 2026 • by Kristin Calkins Walk the Nakasendō Trail in October and autumn follows you straight to the table. Chestnuts, wild mushrooms, persimmons, buckwheat, and seasonal vegetables appear in meals served at ryokan and along the old post towns in the Kiso Valley. On a Boundless Journeys Japan hiking tour, walking this historic route is also an introduction to the… Read More »
The Magic of Staying in a Japanese Ryokan in Autumn August 12th, 2026 • by Kristin Calkins For many Boundless Journeys travelers, the most memorable part of walking Japan’s historic Nakasendō Trail isn’t the miles covered each day. It’s arriving at a traditional ryokan while paper lanterns glow beneath brilliant autumn maples and gentle mists fade across the mountains of the Kiso Valley. The day’s hike is over, but another centuries-old tradition… Read More »
Hiking Safety in the Age of Apps and AI August 11th, 2026 • by Kristin Calkins There has never been more information available to hikers. With a few taps on a phone, you can find a trail, download a route, check mileage and elevation, ask AI what to expect, and follow your progress as you hike. But what happens when the trail on your phone is nowhere to be found on… Read More »
Nakasendō Trail: Japan's Original Highway Was Built for Walking August 10th, 2026 • by Kristin Calkins October is the best time to hike through Japan. After the summer heat fades, the mountain air turns crisp and brilliant colors light up the Kiso Valley. Japanese maples glow in shades of crimson. Golden ginkgo trees brighten temple grounds and village streets. Persimmons hang beneath farmhouse eaves like orange lanterns, while harvested rice fields… Read More »