Any outdoor activity involves risk, and a little bit of preparation can go a long way to ensure that you have a great time and come home safely. Every year, some 3000 people in Japan have accidents in the mountains, according to the National Police Agency. Here are some tips to help you have an epic adventure and stay safe along the Michinoku Coastal Trail, from avoiding bears to fording rivers!

**Pro Tip: Join the Michinoku Coastal Trail Hikers Community Facebook group (free) to ask questions, hear hikers’ stories and find latest updates about the trail.

GETTING LOST

Always plan ahead, and make sure to check the alerts on Michinoku Trail Club’s website for the latest road closures and updates about the trail. There are some stretches along the trail without clear signage. Depending on where you are, you may have to guess and be a little creative at times. In my experience, areas in Aomori and Iwate were better marked than the others. Be prepared for some guesswork, and make sure you’re able to access physical or offline maps.

Hikers in Japan are actively encouraged to register any hiking plans with local authorities. You can register your plans via a service called “Mt Compass” (available in English, Korean and Chinese) which enables users to create a hiking plan and share it with friends and family. The plan is then automatically added to a police database. See here for more.

Another resource for Japanese-speaking hikers is Yamareco.com, a community-driven hiking platform to help provide up-to-date information on hiking routes.

Food

Availability of food depends on where you are along the trail, but fortunately, food options are generally quite abundant. Towns will often have a variety of dining options, whereas you may struggle to find anything, including convenience stores, in some of the more remote areas. Keep an eye out for 道の駅 (michi-no-eki), roadside stations that often have fresh produce and local dishes on offer. Plan ahead where possible to ensure you’re not left hungry, and remember Google Maps opening times are not always accurate! While thru-hiking, I always carried a few packs of freeze-dried food like pasta and rice (sold at DIY stores in Japan and online), which only require you to add hot or cold water for a small meal, as well as energy bars, as a backup.

Estimating your calorie burn rate may help plan, especially for a multi-day hike. This will depend on several factors, including the terrain and your weight. For example, a 72-kilogram person burns around 430 calories per hour hiking, while someone weighing 90kg may burn closer to 550 calories an hour. Your pack weight is also a factor to consider; a light daypack adds around 50-100 calories to your hourly burn rate, whereas heavier loads can raise your hourly burn rate by 200 calories or more.

Water

Hydration is critical to having a safe and enjoyable hike. Remember to drink at least 200ml an hour, more during hot weather. Tap water in Japan is potable - so you can fill your bottles up at your accommodation, campsites, public bathrooms, stores, visitor centres, etc. I personally did not struggle to access water while thru-hiking the trail, but best to carry more than you think you need in remote areas. I always carried at least 1 Litre but also had the capacity to carry up to 3 Litres. Also, for better or for worse, Japan is the land of vending machines. A lot of remote places still have vending machines, and - from memory - I walked past at least one vending machine every day. There are also some incredible Springs along the trail that provide tasty and safe water straight from the ground. Download the free “mymizu” app (“mizu” means water in Japanese), a crowdsourced app to help people find free water across Japan and the world, including springs. I have uploaded as many water points as I could find along the trail - if any are missing, please add them via the app! I also carried a LifeStraw, but rarely used it.

PHONE SIGNAL

While a lot of the trail does have coverage, there are certainly more remote sections where your phone will not have signal. Make sure you have physical copies of maps and/or are able to use your navigational tools offline. You can check your provider’s coverage maps in advance; for example, my carrier UQ has a map here. You can find similar maps for carriers like Softbank, Rakuten, and NTT Docomo too.

FIRES

Don’t light any open fires unless you’re at a campsite that specifically allows it. If you do have a fire in a permitted location, be responsible and minimise any risk of forest fires.

Wild Animals and Insects

1) Bears
Yes, that’s right! I encountered a bear while hiking near Miyako and the trail does go through some bear habitat. You will see signs warning of bears along parts of the trail - mainly in Aomori and northern Iwate prefectures. Remember, Japanese bears are NOT grizzlies. They tend to be shy and scared of humans. But of course, there are rare cases of bear attacks in Japan (none so far on the trail, as far as I know), so take basic precautions like wearing a bear bell.  

Also, some towns will broadcast bear sightings on the PA system (クマ出没情報 kuma shutsubotsu jyouhou). Prefectural governments even have maps showing latest bear sightings and other useful information (see Aomori Prefecture Bear Page and Iwate Prefecture Bear Page).

2) Bees and Wasps
Keep an eye out for bees and wasps, including giant hornets (suzumebachi) from summer to autumn.

3) Leeches and Ticks

Due to growing deer populations, there are Yamabiru (mountain leeches) in the area around Ishinomaki City and Oshika Peninsula from approximately May through til September. If you’re hiking this section during insect season, stick to trails, wear long trousers, socks, and long-sleeved shirts. You can even tuck your shirt into pants and tuck your pants into your boots or socks. Check yourself regularly, including your packs and clothing. I’ve had leeches fall from trees onto my pack and glad I spotted them before they could do any damage.

GEAR

Take an emergency blanket, torch (flashlight), and first aid kit, as well as other common-sense items that might help you. See a sample gear list here.

Earthquakes & Tsunamis

If you feel a tremor, head directly to higher ground. Tsunami evacuation zones tend to be well-marked in more built-up places. Remain in a safe place until you have been given the all-clear (and not before). Follow the directions of local officials.