Michinoku coastal trail self guided walking vacation

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

We have designed this tour to use local public transport as much as possible where this is an option, lessening the environmental impact of extra vehicles on small country roads. There are 5 intermediary train transfers and 1 bus transfer to reach the end point on this tour.

This is to allow self-guided walking on some of the most naturally scenic sections of the trail and of course, walking as a mode of transfer reduces our carbon impact.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

The small family-run inns arranged on this tour serve Kaiseki Japanese Meals featuring locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. This empowers the local communities we work with to use land and resources more sustainably.

We also follow the principles of ‘Leave no Trace’ on our walking tours. We do not leave behind any waste on our tours. On our walking tours we dispose of all waste properly to avoid contamination of water sources. We avoid as much the use of paper, and do as much of our marketing as possible on-line, using internet fax and avoid printing out paper. When we do print we use double side as much as possible.

Guests are also provided with detailed information about how to protect both themselves and wildlife from their own impact. Our guidebook includes some extensive information on how to avoid encounters with wild animals such as bears; part of that encounter avoidance is being careful not to disturb wildlife, staying away from certain areas, and reducing garbage that may attract wild animals.

To be able to welcome our guests onto the trail, the local government works to remove invasive weeds and plants which, if left untamed, can reduce the biodiversity of plants and animals in the area.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

All accommodations on this tour are locally owned with small family run inns arranged for 2 out of 5/6 accommodation stays.

We arrange opportunities for visitors to interact on a more personal level with some of the community members who live and work along the routes with our 'Fureai' experiences. This helps maximize local economic opportunities as these experiences are arranged in small family owned shops and businesses.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

Established through collaborative efforts between the Tohoku Ministry of Environment and local governments across four prefectures, this trail symbolizes the region's revitalization following the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. This tour helps to create income generating opportunities for the local communities still recovering from the devastating effects experienced.

As a tour operator welcoming guests from all around the world, we strive to have a diverse staff and allow equal employment opportunities without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation or nationality.