I walked the Osaka Circular Nature Trail.
Introduction
This is Yamane from ROCK STEPPERS. This time, I’m writing about my experience hiking the “Osaka Loop Nature Trail,” a path that encircles Osaka. The total length is approximately 300 km. I think it's probably not widely known that such a long trail exists so close to home in Osaka.
This trip was planned together with Mr. Bando from Maunawear. However, we didn't walk together side by side. We split the approximately 300 km in half, with Mr. Bando and I each walking a portion. I walked the first half from the start, and Mr. Bando walked the second half to the finish.
This is a record of my 3-day hike covering the first approximately 150 km.
The catalyst for this project was Mr. Bando. He had previously hiked this entire trail, and I had been interested in it for a while, so we decided to do it together.
The Osaka Loop Nature Trail
Osaka has mountains, and the Osaka Plain stretches out. The Osaka Loop Nature Trail connects the mountains surrounding the plain.
It traverses the mountains of Hokusetsu, crosses the Ikoma mountains, and then enters the Diamond Trail, or Daitore as it's commonly known, extending to the Kisen Alps area along the border with Wakayama. While it sounds grand written like this, what I felt after walking it was a slightly different character from deep wilderness.
While there are mountain climbs, it's more a path that connects satoyama (foothill villages) to satoyama, and hamlets to hamlets. In some places, it's very close to towns, while in others, there are terraced rice fields and farmlands that resemble Japan's original landscape, where human life and nature are immediately adjacent. It felt more like "I traveled on foot" than "I climbed a mountain." That's the kind of trail it was.
The start was around Nose's Chestnut Village. On Day 1, I walked about 40 km, which took about 8 hours.
The Hokusetsu area I walked that day had mountain trails winding through terraced rice fields and farmlands, where the trail itself served as a daily path. The word "nostalgic" perfectly describes it, and I was genuinely surprised that such a landscape existed in Osaka. It was cherry blossom season, and they were truly beautiful, making it a wonderful first day.
The path itself included both paved roads and mountain trails, but there were few strenuous sections, and it was well-maintained and easy to walk. Especially in Hokusetsu, there were many signposts, so I didn't get lost. However, despite being well-maintained, it seemed like not many people visited.
Toyono Town was the only place in this area where I could resupply at a convenience store, so I walked there to replenish. I camped out for the night. I'll talk more about how I camped later, but I found a spot where I wouldn't bother anyone and rested for the night.
Day 2 took me from Nose Town to Shimamoto. It was about 50 km, and I walked for about 12 hours, from around 5 AM to 4-5 PM.
Immediately after starting, I entered the Mino mountains. There were monkeys, but it was a very well-maintained and beautiful forest, with a memorial forest from the Flower Expo, so I made pleasant progress. Eventually, I joined the Tokai Nature Trail. The Osaka Loop Nature Trail overlaps with sections of the Tokai Nature Trail, and I followed that to connect the mountains of Takatsuki and Ibaraki.
The most impressive part of the day was around Izuhara. There were terraced rice fields, stone walls, daikon radishes hanging from eaves, and farming tools left outside homes. It was a satoyama where life was visible as it was.
I grew up in the countryside, and honestly, when I was a child, I didn't particularly like that kind of life. But now, looking back, that experience has become an important piece of who I am, and when I see such landscapes, I feel a sense of nostalgia mixed with reverence. Being on a walking journey allows me to see such scenery up close. It was a wonderful time.
The Tokai Nature Trail is quite well-maintained, but once you leave it past Mt. Ponpon, the path becomes a bit wilder and rougher. While not severely rugged, it made me realize how much effort goes into maintaining the Tokai Nature Trail once I stepped off it.
The weather was good that day, but rain was forecast for the next, and quite heavy rain at that. The remaining 50 km was in the familiar Ikoma area, with a long section connecting Shimamoto to Hirakata via roads. I figured walking 50 km on the road in the rain would be tough, so I decided to change my plan. On the evening of the second day, I returned to the store to change, and decided to do day three in a trail running style. Since I had completely descended into the city, I decided to go back to the store. I spent that night at the store.
The next morning, I set off in trail running gear, prepared for the rain. I had about 50 km left, with about 13 km of that on paved roads.
This was a day that simply felt endless. The road sections were long, and the rain never stopped. There was no room to appreciate the freshness of spring, and some sections offered no visibility at all. At one point, it started raining so heavily, like buckets being poured, that I thought a warning might be issued, and the trail turned into a river. I often encounter rain when I go to the mountains, but this was one of the heaviest downpours I've experienced.
Still, I had no choice but to keep going, and I ran until I reached the store just before evening. By the time I arrived, the rain had stopped, and although it was only 3 days, I felt like the "journey was over."
The merino wool I was wearing was so drenched that it wouldn't have mattered what I wore; I changed immediately upon returning to the store. If I had stayed in my hiking gear, I would undoubtedly have had to stop somewhere. Switching to running gear on Day 3 was definitely the right decision.
For shoes, since walking was the main activity, I chose the Stomprohax Trelwarm barefoot shoes. These are leather barefoot shoes that feel very close to being barefoot, but with some thickness, making them very comfortable to walk in. While long distances might cause some fatigue, I thought these barefoot shoes were a good option for a walking journey.
For pants, I wore long pants from Static. They're not too thick, and the silhouette is good, so I can use them as is even when I'm in the city. I really like them and wear them often.
And for the shirt, since this was a trip planned with Mr. Bando, I wore a short-sleeved shirt from maunawear. Maunawear shirts are inspired by Mr. Bando's past trips and activities, and wearing them further enhances the feeling of being on a journey. They're shirts that lift your spirits.
This time, I significantly reduced my gear, so there was nothing in particular that I regretted bringing or found unnecessary. While there aren't many places to resupply, I was able to reach resupply points faster by speed hiking and covering more distance. If you're walking at a typical pace, preparing with more food, etc., would likely make for a more substantial trip. Please take this as a reference only.
When walking long distances, it's easier to keep your gear as light as possible. The lighter your gear, the greater advantage you have on a long journey. However, you might run out of food or get wet in the rain, so you need to make choices. How much to pare down depends on the season and your physical condition, and there's no single answer in terms of kilograms. If you want to challenge yourself, you can cut down significantly, or if you prefer peace of mind, adding an extra change of clothes is an option. It's a matter of style, so you're free to decide, but it's a waste to carry unnecessary heavy items. If you're wondering what you need, please feel free to consult with us at the store.
It's not a highly recognized World Heritage trail like the Kumano Kodo, but Osaka also has its history. Investigating the trail further should reveal even more interesting aspects. I myself am still learning, and I plan to research it more in the future.