Hiking in japan

Hello :)

I will be visiting Japan in september.

I want to do a hiking trek that I can see japanese villages, culture, countryside and nice nature.
(I dont like to walk inside a forests too much. any level of difficulty is ok for me).

Do you have any good recommendations?

Thank you!

Amit

How about Kamikochi : http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6040.html

Or Hiking along the Nakasendo : http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6075.html

How about Takaosan?
It's very famous hiking mountain among Japanese, and even rated 3 star in the Michelin Guide.
http://www.takaotozan.co.jp/takaotozan_eng1/index2.htm
Also, easy to access from the center Shinjuku.

Takaosan is nice, but its all through the forest so that might not fit your criteria. I'd second the Kiso Valley or maybe Shirakawago and Gokayama.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6075.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5950.html

There are many different hiking routes in Takaosan, which not involve much walking in the woods.

You can also try Oyama in Kanagawa. It has narrow souvenir street, Tofu restaurants (area is famous for Tofu), cable train, and beautiful shrine. http://www.odakyu.jp/english/destination/tanzawa_oyama/

There are many different hiking routes in Takaosan, which not involve much walking in the woods.

Can you clarify which trails are you referring to?

http://www.takaotozan.co.jp/takaotozan_eng1/course/img/course_map.pdf

I've hiked all of those and even the fully paved trail no. 1 is almost completely in the forest save the first few hundred meters between the station and the trailhead. Or do you mean to just walk around the villages around the base and not climb the mountain itself?

Thank you very much for your answers!

I think I will go to Shirakawa-go and Gokayama.

AMIT