LAURENCE MACKINreviews Hiking in Japan, Lonely Planet, £15.99
Matsuo Basho is the master of the haiku, and he took much of his inspiration for his concise, elegant verse from his far-ranging wanderings in Japan. It is fitting and entirely pleasant, then, that the authors of this guide have seen fit to sprinkle his haiku through its more than 400 pages on what the hiker can expect from the land of the rising sun.
Japan might be famed for its cities and its population densities, but away from the urban sprawl are steaming volcanos and seething jungles, mountains where wild bear populations are increasing, pilgrim trails worn heavy by the footsteps of travellers, and a landscape that is shrouded in legend.
This guide describes 69 Japanese hikes. Each entry has a planning section, followed by transport to and from the trail heads, and then a description of the trail itself, and alternative route suggestions. You will need more detailed maps than those reproduced here, but they should at least give you an idea of the lie of the land.
Along with the punchy entries from Basho are a litany of threads and tales, little bits of enigmatic culture and fairytale surrounding the hills and mountains dotting the pages, though some of it is of a more practical nature – while the history of Sanjo-ga-take might seem quaint, hikers should remember that women are still not allowed to climb the peak, and while the Hidaru monster could be alive and well in the deeper parts of the forest of Odai-ga-hara, the sudden attacks many people in the region complain of are more probably carbon dioxide poisoning, from decomposing organic matter.
The emphasis here is on shorter hikes rather than the marathons that some hikers thrive on, but if your New Year’s resolutions include travelling more and getting some exercise, this could be just the thing for a little adventurous inspiration.