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HIKE JAPAN
Hike Japan is an independent tour operator and in-country agent specializing in guided walking holidays and tailor-made tours for individuals and small groups. Covering Japan from the island of Yakushima south of Kyushu , to the Kii and Hida mountain ranges in Central Japan , and the island of Hokkaido , the routes have all been meticulously researched and the itineraries continuously improved. The tours feature nine of the thirteen UNESCO World Heritage natural and cultural sites listed in Japan .
The tours are for the naturally active and adventurous. Accommodation in the countryside is usually in traditional ryokan, family-run minshuku, Buddhist temples, and mountain lodges. ‘Going Japanese' means being served delicious, freshly prepared, seasonal food, and of course enjoying onsen - amazing natural hot spring baths in 
some great locations, and sleeping on futon. The aim is to have fun whilst discovering something of the essence of what makes Japan such a wonderful country.
Bob Heffill Director
Bob began researching the possibilities for a new outdoor business in Japan in 2002. Hike Japan was then established, and the first Hike Japan tour was in autumn 2003. Bob's connection with Japan goes back 30 years, to 1973, when his parents were diplomats in Tokyo . After nine months living in Japan , he studied Japanese language and literature at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies. He then worked in Japan as an English teacher in state schools for three years on the JET program. He has spent much of the last twenty years working as a Japanese translator and interpreter and is a Member of the Institute of Translators and Interpreters. He has recently translated Against the Wind, a book by Yasuyuki Ozeki about a bicycle journey he made from Tokyo to Dublin in 1998, and co-translated the recipe book, Nobu Now!, by super-chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Bob did his Mountain Leader training in North Wales in 2001. Based in Japan , he is Director of Hike Japan and its main guide.
2008 Tours
Imperial Pilgrimage Route · Mountains of Central Japan · Early Summer Walks in the Heart of Japan ·
West Japan Explorer · Ocean Deep Mountain High · Mountain Spirits ·
Land of Fire · Tateyama to Kamikochi Alpine Route
Tokyo office tel: +81 (0)3 5226 1169