Walk Japan unveils new tour of Eastern Hokkaido’s hidden landscapes

June 1, 2025 | 6:35pm

MANILA, Philippines —  Since 1992, a Japan-based walking tour company has launched several tours off the beaten path.

Walk Japan, an independently owned and managed walking tour company, has been at the forefront of leading walking tours through several lesser-traveled regions of Japan, from Hokkaido in the nation’s far north to Okinawa in its far south. 

Its pioneering tours originated from study trips organized by two academics from Hong Kong University. Since then, their guides have led thousands of visitors worldwide through Japan’s natural landscapes, history, and culture, offering access to places and experiences that are often hard to reach and truly understand on one’s own.

In late April, Walk Japan added a new tour to its portfolio, introducing a new seven-day, six-night guided walk tour through another little-visited destination, eastern Hokkaido. Eastern Hokkaido is the wildlife-rich countryside of northern island Japan, known for its sparse population and natural environment. 

The region covers a variety of landscapes including a wetland, active volcanoes, crater lakes, forests and rivers as it extends to the Okhotsk Sea.

"Although Hokkaido's Western region around Sapporo, Otaru, Niseko and Furano has become very well known, its Eastern half is beautiful and little explored. So, it is exactly the sort of area Walk Japan excels in bringing to wider attention,” Paul Christie, CEO of Walk Japan told Philstar.com.

The East Hokkaido Walk tour features a visit to the following sites:

• The expansive Ramsar-registered Kushiro Shitsugen wetlands - Where we may spot one of Hokkaido's famed tancho red-crowned cranes amongst other rare flora and fauna.
• Lake Akan-ko -  Known for a rare phenomenon of algae amassing into green marimo balls.
• Atosa-Nupuri - An active volcano dotted with numerous fumaroles emitting vapor and sulphur from deep within the earth.
• The Shiretoko Peninsula - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Japan’s last true wildernesses.
• Mashu-ko - a crater lake with some of the clearest and deepest waters anywhere in the world.

It likewise offers accommodation in comfortable modern Japanese inns with onsen thermal hot spring baths that are complemented with cuisine sourced from local ingredients, which are some of the finest found anywhere in Japan.

The fully-guided tour accommodates groups of up to 12 participants. 

Walking distances are kept moderate, with a maximum of 11 kilometers per day, ensuring a relaxed and manageable pace. 

The tour is scheduled in June, July, September and October, when the region’s temperate northern climate offers ideal conditions for walking.

Prices start at JPY 550,000 per person based on double occupancy.