ThisIsOsaka! Hiking Group
We are a group that (when the weather allows) does monthly hikes around the Kansai area. Our hikes are free and everyone is free to join. We visit beautiful areas in the mountains of the Kansai region that normally range from easy to moderately difficult, 7-12 kilometers. We choose places that can be accessed by train so everyone can join. The locations we go are always interesting, but one of the best things about our trips are the cool people we spend the day with from all over the world. If you are getting the urge to breathe some forest air and move around a bit, join us.
The hike schedule is rendered in the browser. Enable JavaScript to see dates and the RSVP form; the safety guide below works without it.
Calendar & gathering points
Find the hike and date you are interested in and tap the "I'm Planning to Go" button so we have an idea of the group size and if everyone has made it on time or not. If your plans change, the same form takes you off the head count.
Bear safety
Bear encounters are rare on the routes we walk and we intend to keep it that way. This is how the group handles it, and the four checks we run before every hike.
🐻 Let's Talk About Bears
As you may have heard, bear sightings and attacks have been increasing in Japan recently. Being a group that goes out in the wild, we're taking this seriously and paying attention to ensure that we are being as safe as can be, while enjoying the outdoors around Osaka.
The probability of being injured by a bear is extremely low, magnitudes lower than the chances of bathtub mishaps, automobile accidents, natural disasters, and still much lower than the danger from Japanese hornets. Encounters have just been in the news because there has been an increase, from a handful each year, to 12 this year nationwide. Although low risk, this should not be ignored, and like other risks in society, we need to take care. Here's what we're doing to stay safe:
- Sighting Maps & Verification: We check our hiking locations on "bear sightings maps" regularly, and especially right around the day of the hike. Our hiking locations have been free of bear sightings and we would cancel immediately if one were sighted along our route. We also track real-time trail conditions, including animal sightings.
- Hiking in Groups: The chances of encountering a bear drop significantly as group size increases. We have people designated to bring up the rear of the group and their prime directive is that no one goes behind them.
- Assistant Training: All of the student assistants on the hike have had basic training in how to act in case of a Japanese bear encounter. We'll also make sure everyone knows how to act before we leave.
- Daylight Hours: We make sure the hikes take place during the daylight hours, well after dawn and dusk when bears are active.
Our 4-Step Route Screening Process:
Because official sighting data in Japan is non-centralized across prefectural borders, our team runs a four-step check before every event: (1) Check the Bear Map app for general nationwide reports; (2) Check the official municipal/prefectural wildlife page for the target zone (e.g., Kyoto GIS, Kobe City, Hyogo wildlife boards); (3) Conduct cross-referenced AI & local search to catch breaking local notices; and (4) Monitor YAMAP live trail logs on hike morning.
I hope this has the effect of lowering instead of raising anxiety. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.
Trail archive
Every card is a route we actually walked. Filter by region, grade or distance, then open the route notes for the transit, water and weather details we wish we had known the first time.
I'm planning to go
No payment, no ticket - just a name so the leader knows who to wait for at the station. Plans changed? This same form takes you back off the head count.
Organizer head count
The passphrase keeps the head count off the public page. It is a deterrent, not encryption: every RSVP lives in this browser only.