The Hitachinokuni Long Trail is now fully open, creating an approximately 350-kilometre walking route through six municipalities in northern Ibaraki Prefecture, where mountains, rural villages, forests, rivers, waterfalls, beaches and historic sites are connected by one long loop. The trail officially opened in full on September 19, 2026, after years of development, and is now being positioned as a major new way to explore a quieter side of Japan.
The route links Hitachi, Hitachiota, Takahagi, Kitaibaraki, Hitachiomiya and Daigo, bringing together landscapes that are very different from the crowded urban centres most international visitors associate with Japan. The trail passes through areas known as satoyama, a traditional rural landscape where settlements, farmland, forests, waterways and mountain terrain have developed alongside one another.
Rather than being a single demanding mountain route, the Hitachinokuni Long Trail moves repeatedly between mountains and villages. That makes it possible for hikers to experience not only the scenery but also the settlements, cultural sites and traces of local history along the way. The official trail website describes it as a walking journey that connects the natural and human history of northern Ibaraki.
The trail can also be approached in stages. Because it forms a loop, hikers do not have to commit to walking the entire route in one journey. Different sections can be selected according to time, fitness and interests, with official model routes already available for several areas.
For experienced hikers, some sections offer a considerably more demanding experience. The central part around Daigo includes repeated climbs and descents through the mountains and leads towards some of the region’s best-known natural landmarks, including Fukuroda Falls, the rocky peaks of Okukuji Nantaiyama and the Ryujinkyo Gorge.
The northeastern section combines mountain and coastal scenery. Hikers encounter peaks including Eizomuro and Hanazono Yama before reaching areas around Kohama and Sasaki beaches. The route also follows traces of the region’s past, including the historic Salt Road and the Jikkoku Canal, whose history reaches back to the Edo period.
Further south, the southeastern section begins around Hananuki Valley and includes Mount Tsuchidake, where walkers can look across the surrounding landscape. The area also contains waterfalls and historical remains, including the ruins of Kitadaimon Castle, before the route reaches the Kuji River.
The southwestern part of the trail crosses Hitachiomiya and moves through mountain landscapes with varied plant life. Among the natural features found here are Iwauchiwa flowering plants, while the area also carries the history of former gold mining activity.
In the northwest, Mount Yamizo provides another combination of landscape and history. The area includes the Yamizomine Shrine, a site associated with a long religious tradition, as well as a castle-shaped observation deck near the summit with views towards the mountains of Fukushima and Tochigi.
The variety is central to the trail’s appeal. A walk can shift from a forest path to a village landscape, then towards a historic site or a coastal viewpoint. This is also why the project is being treated by Ibaraki Prefecture as more than a hiking development. The prefecture sees the trail as a way of connecting attractions and communities across northern Ibaraki rather than directing visitors towards a small number of individual tourist sites.
The route has also attracted a growing number of visitors during its development. According to Ibaraki Prefecture, annual users increased from 2,091 in fiscal 2020 to 123,749 in fiscal 2025, a rise of roughly 60 times. The prefecture says the trail is intended to encourage longer stays, movement between different parts of the region and greater spending in local communities.
Despite its accessibility, the trail is not a route that should be approached casually from end to end. Some sections contain steep slopes and rocky terrain, and hikers should plan carefully for food, water, weather and transport between trail sections. The prefecture also currently publishes safety information for the route, including warnings concerning bear sightings in parts of the trail area.
For international travellers, the trail offers a different way of seeing Japan. Instead of moving quickly between major cities and famous attractions, walkers can cross a landscape where forests, farmland, old routes, religious sites and communities remain closely connected. The official project has also identified international visitors as an important audience as northern Ibaraki develops the trail as a destination.
The Hitachinokuni Long Trail does not require visitors to wait for a particular season to begin exploring it, but conditions and individual sections vary throughout the year. Its design allows travellers to build shorter walks around their wider Japan itinerary, while more experienced hikers can use the connected route for a much longer journey through northern Ibaraki.
With the full loop now open, the trail gives visitors another reason to look beyond Tokyo, Kyoto and Japan’s other heavily visited destinations. It also places the everyday landscapes of northern Ibaraki, rather than a single landmark, at the centre of the journey.
