For many, Japan is a bucket-list destination, but for Cam, it's a "happy place" that perfectly balances rugged nature with serene culture. After winning our recent competition with Get Lost Magazine, Cam packed his bags (and brought a best friend along) for an unforgettable trek along the historic Salt Road Walk with Guided By Nature. We caught up with him to chat about the food, the views, and what it's really like to let experts handle the logistics while you soak up the scenery.

 

1. You won this experience via a GBN and Get Lost Magazine competition - can you explain your enthusiasm to win a trip to Japan, and what your entry was?

Simply put, Japan is my happy place. I absolutely love it over there. Not only that, but my idea of a good day in Japan is getting out into nature to climb a mountain or two, then returning back to town for some amazing food and a soak at the nearest onsen. This competition felt absolutely tailor made for me. Of course, I never dreamed I’d actually win!

My entry? Given the prize was all about Japan and had a 25 word limit, I figured most people would probably write a haiku… so I wrote a ‘hike-u’ instead.
 

2. Who did you take with you, and would you recommend doing a guided walk with a close friend? 

I took one of my best friends with me, and we had an unbelievable time. We’re both big Japan fans and were both there to make the most of the trip in every way, whether that was immersing ourselves in all the cultural components, getting to know the guides and other people in the group, kicking back at the onsen or hanging out in the evening drinking sake.
 

3. What were you expecting from a guided walk, and did this match or exceed - or other?

The trip as a whole absolutely exceeded my expectations, and has set the bar extremely high for any future guided walks! It was a whole new world for me, as I’m used to being out on the trails on my own or with my family, as opposed to being alongside a dozen other people. The walking was a lot more leisurely and a lot more social, and gave me a hell of a lot more context. I’m usually beelining for a summit and missing out on the history of the trail I’m on, or the meaning of the shrines on the way. I’m certainly not stopping to forage for edible plants or learning much about the ecology of the forest. This trip was all about those kinds of insights, delivered as we walked by our incredible local guides. (More on them in a minute!)

The itinerary for each day wasn’t just walking, either. Each day had a really good mix of stuff in addition to getting out on a trail. There’d usually be an activity of some sort, like traditional paper making or visiting a museum, as well as lots of great food and some downtime to visit the onsen or hang out.

It’s also worth pointing out just how LUX this trip was. Everything was taken care of for us – we were ushered from place to place, and no expense was spared. The planning and logistics were handled so smoothly. Super impressive. 
 

4. Tell us about a moment, or three, from the trip that stood out?

Dinner on the first night! We went to a restaurant called Mûrir (ミュリール) in Itoigawa which is this gorgeous, modern venue in the middle of sprawling rice fields. We were given a tour of the greenhouses and farm, then had a private sitting. The vibe was farm to table fine dining, with course after course of exquisitely prepared and presented dishes, each with a full explanation from the staff. And in a delightful touch, even the tableware was selected based on a theme, telling the story of rice production from preparing the fields through to harvest. Incredible food, and a fantastic chance to get to know people in the group.

Karaoke! There’s no better ice breaker and it was a blast hanging out with other members of the group AND our guides, having some drinks and finding out who has the best/worst taste in music. Duets of A Whole New World will just never get old.

We had access to a fantastic onsen on every day of this trip, and I loved every moment of my time spent at them, but there was one particularly magical night when it was absolutely bucketing down and we were sitting in an outdoor rock bath, blissing out at the sensation of the rain drops hitting our shoulders and heads while relaxing in soothingly warm water. For some reason the outdoor lights weren’t on that night either, so it was even more meditative. I could have stayed there all night.
 

5. What was the food like?

The food on this trip was absolutely incredible. It’s hard to have a bad meal in Japan in general, but this was next level. Breakfast each day was typically a multi-course Japanese feast which was always more food than any sensible person should eat. Dinner was ALSO typically a multi-course Japanese kaiseki banquet, so think local cuisine, seasonal ingredients, tonnes of variety, and incredible presentation. And then lunches were a bit more of a curveball. Sometimes we’d have a bento box during the walk, at other times we might eat at a restaurant that has been around since the Edo era. These would be opportunities to meet the proprietors and hear all about the history of the place, or to take part in an activity like cooking our own rice on a traditional hearth.

The trail climbed slowly at first, offering views of rice fields against the Japanese Alps as the backdrop. We snacked on native plants from Paul’s impromptu “trail tasting menu” which included cocoa leaves, peanut butter leaves and berries with questionable aftertastes.


6. What were your guides like, and did they teach you lots about the place?

Our guides were first rate. Our lead guide Paul-san, in particular, had so many incredible insights into the history of the trail, the culture of the areas we were walking through, and the ecology of the landscapes too. The Shionomichi trail is his pet project and he’s lived in this area for many years, so he really knows his stuff. Not only that, but he was excellent company. Our other guide, Miki-san, grew up in this part of the world so knows these mountains like the backs of her hands, and was similarly knowledgeable and awesome. It’s also worth highlighting that, in addition to the two guides with the group, there was a third person – Ito-san – working behind the scenes to handle logistics to ensure that we’d have a bus waiting for us at the end of a walk, or that a restaurant was ready to accommodate us. Every single day went so smoothly – this whole itinerary was incredibly well organised.


7. What was the accommodation like?

The accommodation was definitely a highlight, with a great mix of traditional ryokan hotels and more modern establishments. There’s just nothing better than donning a yukata and heading to the onsen at the end of the day, and this ritual was one of my favourite things about the trip as a whole. Each evening we’d have a soak, eat an incredible meal with the group, then hang out with whoever was up for it, drinking and chatting.

8. Did you make new friends on the trip?

I absolutely made new friends on the trip. Over the course of the nine days you wind up chatting with absolutely everyone, and it was so nice to discover that they were all lovely people. A few of us are actively keeping in touch, so it seems like only a matter of time before we have some kind of catch-up!
 

9. How did you feel when you wrapped up the journey and how have you felt since?

When the journey wrapped up and I was deposited back into the real world, it was pretty disorientating. Wait, I have to make plans for myself? Decisions about what I’m doing? No more meals magically appearing in front of me – Hogwarts style? After nine days of having everything taken care of for us, this was a bitter pill to swallow. The real world? Nowhere near as awesome as rural Japan fantasy land.
 

10. Any other comments about the adventure??

What was so special about this trip was that it gave me so many of the things I look for when I come to Japan – immersion in the culture, getting out into nature, learning about history and traditions, meeting locals, relaxing in bathhouses, eating incredible food, and so on – but it was more than that too. It was also all the joking around, laughing, chatting and having fun with the group and the guides that ultimately made it even more memorable. Also, getting nine days in Japan with one of my besties was unreal! Huge thanks again to Get Lost Magazine and Guided by Nature for making this dream a reality!

Inspired by Cam’s journey? Our Japan Salt Road Walk follows this ancient trading route through mountain villages, forests and onsens, offering the same balance of culture, nature and ease. Explore the full itinerary and discover what it’s like to walk Japan with everything taken care of in the link above.