summer trek, 10 days, 7 hours walking

We are a family of four members who love walking, high mountains, nature and shrines. We are looking for a 10 day trek in Japan, visiting real nature and walking every day 6 or 7 hours. It will be around 3rd and 20th August.

We heard about Kumano Pilgrimage route and also about Yakushima Island. Could you recommend us some kind of trek or telling us some information about these two treks? Thank you very much.

Kumano and Yakushima sound very good to me.

Here are details about the Kumano routes:
http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/

Yakushima basics:
http://www.yakumonkey.com/2007/07/hiking-trails.html#

If you are more into higher mountains, you should look into the Northern Alps and the Daisetsuzan Mountains.

I've never done the Kumano pilgrimage route, so can't give firsthand insight, but it might be better suited for a long trek with family. Depending on the section of the route you choose, you will pass through towns where you can stay overnight and/or stock up on food/supplies.

The inner part of Yakushima -- where the truly unspoiled nature lies -- is quite remote.

As if often mentioned, it rains a lot on Yakushima, so consider if you are willing/able to potentially do a slog on slippery trails for several days without any civilized comforts.

I did a five-day trek in there a couple of years ago, and it poured rain everyday except one. The trails were like small rivers, so good shoes and sure footing were essential. Combined with the humidity, even Gore-Tex couldn't keep me completely dry in those conditions. I kept one set of dry clothes to sleep in, and then switched into soaked clothes for trekking during the day. The island was beautiful, but walking in wet clothes was obviously not pleasant. Wearing a raincoat on top, and just tights and shorts on the bottom made it a bit more bearable.

If you decide to do an extended trek in there, be prepared to take all the food and camping supplies needed for the duration of your hike. There are quite a few emergency huts, so you probably won't need a tent if you time your trek correctly. None of these huts are manned, and none have running water or electricity. The quality of the huts varies widely, with some being large, clean and comfortable, and others being small, dank and creepy. There are hordes of extremely determined mice in all of them, so you need to hang your food.

There are streams where you can acquire water, but be sure to boil it or use purification tablets.

Alternatively, you can do a series of day trips from the outer circumference of Yakushima. That way you can base yourself in one of the small towns. One thing to keep in mind is that public transportation is sparse on the island, so a car would be far more convenient.

I am not sure if you would need 10 days on Yakushima, regardless of which option you choose.

Depending on your and your family's age, physical fitness and experience, I would be inclined to suggest a look into the Japanese Alps, particularly the North Alps. There are manned lodges/huts along the popular routes in summer, and the views are beautiful. However there are dangerous sections, so proper discretion should be taken.

Thank you so much for your useful information!

Due to the hot weather and typhoon season we have decided to do two different treks: one in Hokkaido (about 9-10 days) and another North of Honshu (about 5-6 days), but we will keep all this information for the next time we go to Japan, in a better season.

We've read about Shirakami Sanchi, which is also UNESCO World Heritage Site. As you said, Japanese alps seem a really good place to trek.

We also decided to stay 20 days in Japan, and combine both trek and culture. Kumano option had this two sides of Japan, but according to what we found of Hokkaido seems that it's more nature and there are no so much shrines and temples.

Now we are looking for traditional cities, villages or Mountain Shrines to know more about rural Japan. It would be perfect find a trek in the North of Honshu that passes through this places.

And finally, if it could be posible, do some special activities in the water as rafting, scuba diving or just enjoying beautiful beaches, gorges or rivers to swim.

Again, thank you very much!! :)