This sprawling land of reeds, winding rivers, and open sky is Japan’s largest wetland and a sanctuary for rare wildlife. Ancient marshlands and local communities exist in careful balance, shaped by water, conservation, and time.
This dynamic landscape of volcanic peaks, steaming hot springs, and island-strewn seas brings together fire and water in one of Kyushu’s most distinctive national parks.
This vast landscape of volcanic peaks, deep forests, and wild rivers is home to hot springs, adventure, and a rich Ainu heritage. Nature and local communities coexist in one of Japan’s most awe-inspiring national parks.
From former whaling ports and hidden Christian sites to coral-rich seas and quiet farming villages, this maze of islands form a maritime landscape shaped by wind and tide—and faith, community, and commitment.
The GO WILD TOKYO! series introduces eight experiences across the city’s western and southern reaches that showcase the appeal of adventure tourism. These are not just sightseeing itineraries, but travel meant to encounter fascinating ways of life: meeting people who protect forests while welcoming visitors, and innovators creating new experiences through fire, water, and the natural world.
A journey that links the bustling heart of Tokyo with a small community on the city’s mountainous western fringe reveals the story of a pioneering watch company and the traditional artisanship that helped inspire one of its latest collections.
Hamura City, along the middle reaches of the Tama River, is a compact municipality where people and water systems have long coexisted—and where diverse wildlife and human life still share the landscape. In the Edo period, excavation of the Tamagawa Josui aqueduct brought water to Edo. From the Meiji through the Showa eras, construction of the Murayama Reservoir and Yamaguchi Reservoir made Hamura the starting point for sending water to Tokyo—and remain as sources that sustain daily life. Through tours that trace the route of the former Hamura–Yamaguchi Light Railway that was used to build those reservoirs, the Hamura City Tourism Association shares the region’s role and history.
About an hour by train from Shinjuku, the Nishitama area of western Tokyo opens into gentle valleys with clear rivers and forested mountains. Today, this region has become a hub for raising the standard of Japan’s adventure-tourism (AT) guides to international levels—and spreading those standards nationwide. Leading the charge is Fourth Wellness (now Tokyo Yamagawa DMC). Despite its location within Tokyo, the Tama area encompasses a national park and brims with nature, history, and culture. With mountains, rivers, and four distinct seasons that support diverse ecosystems, it is an ideal place both to enjoy adventure tourism and to cultivate professional guides. We joined the field sessions of their guide-training program.
