SHINPI TRAIL

Описание: SHINPI TRAIL
A magnificent crossing through Chubu-Sangaku National Park's southern realm, uniting the historic cities of Matsumoto and Takayama. "Shinpi Trail" transforms this route into an extraordinary long-distance journey, weaving together ancient pathways and time-honored roads through nature's grandeur and human artistry.

official site
https://shinpitrail.com/en/
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https://www.instagram.com/shinpitrail/

Shinpi Trail Charter
For countless generations, the souls of Shinshu and Hida have dared to bridge towering peaks, creating pathways where commerce and culture could flourish as one unified spirit.
Where volcanic fires once raged, the majestic Hida mountain range now pierces the sky—the revered Northern Alps. The rain falling on the slopes become mountain streams, carving sacred valleys that carry life both eastward and westward. In these blessed watersheds, communities took root and bloomed,
weaving the rich tapestry of satoyama culture around the great mountain guardian.
Gradually, courage connected the villages across eastern and western slopes. The storied Kamakura Kaido and Hida Shindo dare to cross the mountain's formidable heights—routes that soar beyond 2,000 meters into the realm of clouds.
These passes—Tokugo, Nakao, Abo, Nomugi, and Hirayu—became arteries of life,
carrying dreams and goods across the vast Hida mountain embrace. In Meiji times,
this interconnected realm from southern Shinshu through Hida to central Gifu formed such unity that it was designated as one prefecture, testament to its profound cultural bonds.
Yet these paths served more than commerce—they became chapters in Japan's mountaineering legend. Monk Banryu blazed trails from Matsumoto toward Hida lands. William Gowland,
who christened these peaks "Japan Alps," and Walter Weston, who gifted modern climbing to Japan, journeyed from Takayama through high passes to Kamikochi, crossing Tokugo Pass toward Matsumoto on foot.
Modern progress with tunnels and highways has let these walking paths fade into memory. Mountain communities have scattered, and the once-unified Shinshu-Hida heartland has fragmented, absorbed into urban centers like Matsumoto and Takayama. Today's "Northern Alps" attract climbers from around the globe to Kamikochi's eastern gateway.
Yet this popularity touches only mountain peaks, leaving unexplored the vast cultural treasures that these ranges have nurtured.
Mountain rains still divide at ancient watersheds, flowing east through Azusa River toward Matsumoto's plains,
west through Nyukawa (Kohachiga River) toward Takayama's basin. These remain the twin valleys born of Hida's mountain heart.
Reconnecting these valleys through a single trail—as ancients once did—creates encounters between locals and wanderers
that reveal nature's deeper gifts. Long-distance walking awakens our feet to earth's rhythms,
opens hearts to wildlife's whispers, and nurtures insights for building better tomorrows while preserving paradise for future generations.
Shinpi Trail embraces these sacred purposes through unwavering principles, dedicated to their fulfillment.