Tours with Oku Japan allow you to experience Japan up close and personal, utilising local trains, buses and subways to get around. Walking around villages, towns and cities is an integral element of all our trips, so you’ll need to be active and happy to tackle stairs at train stations that may not have disabled access. Likewise, our Self-guided cycling tours allow a style of travel and freedom suited to those who are accustomed to taking independent hikes or rides at home or abroad.
When deciding on your tour, it’s important to keep in mind that our Trip Level ratings are relative to the tours that we offer. While we have refined our guide based on feedback and experience, we know that there is no comprehensive rating system that will apply to every person, be it on foot or on a bicycle.
You won’t need to carry your main luggage with you while on the trail, as this can be sent ahead by courier, allowing you to travel light with just a daypack. And, you will have the 24 hour contact information of our Japan-based, bilingual operations team, who will be happy to assist as needed while you are on tour.
Our moderate walking tours may not have dedicated days of trail walking, but you will still be on your feet for much of the day to experience all the sights we want to show you.
Our moderate cycling tours are suitable for anyone looking for an opportunity to try some quiet roads, cycle paths, or some accessible and cycle-friendly routes. Distances are typically no higher than 50 km / 30 miles per day.
Our active tours generally have dedicated days of trail walking, with some days of over four hours and with some ascent and/or descent.
We recommend active tours for anyone who does regular walking or hiking, and is comfortable to walk for up to a full day with some climbing and descending.
If you do not exercise regularly, then you should undertake a program of walking to prepare and get the most out of your trip. Start by doing walks of three to five hours from about three to six months before your trip.
You may not cycle every day, but you do keep yourself relatively fit and may enjoy riding your bike weekly. The route may include some steeper, short climbs here and there, with overall cycling distances generally up to 70 km / 40 miles per day.
We recommend active cycling tours for leisure cyclists with a good level of physical fitness. You might prefer flatter terrain in general but you also don’t mind some hills, and the occasional steep climb at your own pace.
Those on an active trip have a decent level of physical fitness and are comfortable with some longer days of cycling
If you do not exercise regularly, then you should undertake a program of cycling to prepare and get the most out of your trip. Start by doing cycling of three to five hours from about three to six months before your trip begins.
Our strenuous tours generally have multiple dedicated days of trail walking, with some days of up to six hours or more and significant ascent and/or descent.
We recommend strenuous tours for anyone who does regular full-day walking or hiking, and is comfortable to walk for extended periods on consecutive days, with much of each day involving ascent and descent.
We recommend our strenuous tours for people who are already fit and active.
Routes include some long and / or steeper climbs. Distances generally range up to 80 km / 50 miles per day.
We recommend Strenuous cycling tours for those who cycle frequently. You ride regularly at home and enjoy cycling as a form of exercise. You occasionally spend the day cycling to explore routes that feature some steep uphills. Those on a Strenuous trip are expected to be healthy and fit, and ready to take on achievable challenges.
We suggest our Strenuous tours for people who are already fit and active.
Our challenging tours have consecutive dedicated days of trail walking, with walks of six hours or more and significant ascent and/or descent.
We recommend challenging tours for anyone who does regular full-day walking or hiking and is comfortable with walking for extended periods on consecutive days, with most of each day involving ascent and descent.
Compared with our strenuous tours, challenging tours may have fewer days without walking and subsequently less opportunity to relax in between.
We suggest our challenging tours for people who are already very fit and very active.
Cyclists suited for challenging tours are of good fitness level and are also a relatively experienced cyclist who enjoys physically challenging and rewarding rides of distances up to 80 km / 50 miles and above per day. Challenging trips would also be suitable for ‘Strenuous’ trip level riders looking for more challenging cycling.
We recommend Challenging cycling tours for those who cycle frequently and have a good level of physical fitness.
You often ride weekly and are up for the challenge of some long days of cycling. The routes you typically cycle at home will generally include some difficult climbs, as well as longer distances overall.
We suggest our Challenging tours for people who are already fit and active.