About 1.5 hours from Tokyo, awaits an extraordinary journey through mountains and rural landscapes

Japan, 1st Oct 2026 – The Hitachi-no-kuni Long Trail, connecting six cities and towns in northern Ibaraki Prefecture, has now fully opened as an approximately 350-kilometer route, Ibaraki Prefectural Government Northern Region Development Bureau announces. 

With its full opening, the Hitachi-no-kuni Long Trail is now the longest long trail in Japan designed as a loop route.

Stretching approximately 350 kilometers, the trail connects a diverse range of local attractions, including lush forests and satoyama landscapes, valleys, coastlines, and historic cultural heritage sites. What awaits here is more than simply hiking toward a destination.

Walk through the region’s natural landscapes, encounter its history, meet the people who call the area home, and experience the local food and culture unique to each place. On the Hitachi-no-kuni Long Trail, a new way to travel in Ibaraki begins—one that allows visitors to experience the region’s appeal in a way that can only be discovered on foot.

And through this trail, Ibaraki offers opportunities to discover the many different sides of Japan.

 

A New Way to Travel in Japan: “Travel by Foot”

 

Hitachinokuni Trail

Unlike mountain climbing, where reaching a summit is the primary objective, a long trail is a route designed for journeys where walking itself is part of the experience, connecting hiking and mountain trails with paths through satoyama landscapes, agricultural areas, and local communities.

Hitachinokuni Trail

 

Along the way, travelers can encounter not only spectacular natural scenery but also the history, culture, everyday life, food, and other landscapes unique to each region.
From forests and valleys to the Japan countryside and coast, every section offers a different perspective on the places and communities along the route.

Japan has a long tradition of traveling on foot, from the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes to the Shikoku pilgrimage.
In recent years, as interest in health and well-being and in spending time in nature has grown, long trails have attracted increasing attention as a new style of travel.

 

Hitachi-no-kuni Long Trail

A 350-Kilometer Journey Connecting Satoyama and Communities

 

Hitachinokuni Trail

The Hitachi-no-kuni Long Trail is a long-distance trail that connects the diverse natural landscapes, food, historical and cultural heritage, and other regional attractions scattered throughout northern Ibaraki Prefecture via hiking trails and other paths. Its concept is “an extraordinary journey of repeatedly walking through mountains and rural landscapes while experiencing both everyday life and the extraordinary.”

One of its greatest features is the opportunity to walk through rich natural surroundings while experiencing Japan’s satoyama landscapes, local culture, and the lives of the people who live there. The trail passes not only through deep forests and valleys, but also through communities, fields, and historic sites, and areas along the coast, where visitors can experience the distinctive scenery of a coastal trail alongside landscapes shaped by generations of human life.

Its convenient accessibility from the Tokyo metropolitan area is another major attraction. There is no need to walk the entire trail in a single trip. Depending on their fitness level, interests, and itinerary, visitors can enjoy individual travel as section hikes or day hikes.

Whether embarking on a long journey or a short one, travelers can enjoy the trail at their own pace. That is the appeal of the Hitachi-no-kuni Long Trail.

 

Discovering a New Kind of Slow Travel in Ibaraki

 

Hitachinokuni Trail

The appeal of Ibaraki is not limited to visiting a large number of tourist attractions in a short amount of time. Walk. Talk with local people. Make something. Taste the region’s cuisine. Spend time in nature.

Through each of these experiences, travelers can slowly come to understand the culture and everyday life of a place.

The full opening of the Hitachi-no-kuni Long Trail represents the potential for this new kind of slow travel in Ibaraki—one centered on taking the time to experience a destination.

Just one to two hours from Tokyo, Ibaraki’s proximity and diversity are among its greatest attractions.

Here, travelers can encounter an incredibly diverse Japan, from the forefront of space exploration to mythology and prayer, traditional crafts, fermentation culture, and satoyama landscapes where local communities continue to live in harmony with nature.

Beyond traveling along the long trail itself, visitors can discover different sides of Japan according to their own individual curiosity.

With the full opening of the Hitachi-no-kuni Long Trail as a starting point, Ibaraki is opening up its diverse attractions as a new destination capable of responding to the curiosity of every traveler.

Discover more: https://kenpokult.com/en/

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Company: Ibaraki Prefectural Government Northern Region Development Bureau
Name: PR
Email: kenpokusinkou2@pref.ibaraki.lg.jp
HP URL: https://visit.ibarakiguide.jp/en/

Media Contact

Organization: Ibaraki Prefectural Government Northern Region Development Bureau

Contact Person: P.R.

Website: https://visit.ibarakiguide.jp/en/

Email: Send Email

Country: Japan

Release id: 49603

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