Your Kisobuddy
Local guided walks along the Nakasendo and hidden Kiso trails.
What is KisoBuddy
Hi, I’m YUTA HACHIYAMA.
I am Your Kisobuddy.
Based in Kaida Highlands, along the old Hida Kaido route linking the Nakasendo and Takayama, I help travelers discover a quieter, hidden side of Japan.
I guide quiet, small-scale walks from the Nakasendo to the Kaida Highlands and the sacred landscapes around Mt. Ontake, always shaped by local knowledge, safety, and the pace of each guest.
Through these routes, I hope to share experiences where the everyday life of rural Japan reaches you as something rare, personal, and deeply memorable.
Why I guide here
Many travelers know Kiso through well-known Nakasendo places such as Magome and Tsumago, but the region does not end there.
Beyond Nakasendo, there are older mountain paths, forest trails, highland landscapes, and places where history, local life, and spiritual tradition still meet.
I guide here to help travelers discover the authentic Kiso — a quieter, deeper side of the region that still feels lived-in, rooted, and real.
Why Kaida
Kaida Highlands is a quiet mountain area embraced by Mt. Ontake, long regarded as a sacred peak. Here, dramatic mountain scenery meets the quiet everyday life of rural Japan, offering another side of Kiso beyond the better-known Nakasendo route.
Shaped by forest, water, open sky, light, and the presence of the mountains, Kaida holds a stillness and depth that feel distinctly its own. It is not only a place to pass through, but a place to pause — a meaningful base where walking, rest, and time in the landscape can deepen your experience of Kiso.
What we offer
I offer more than local walking tours.Through quiet routes such as the Hida Kaido, the Ontake Kodo, and the forests of Kaida Highlands, I create experiences that open a deeper connection to the land, its people, and its rhythms.Depending on the season and the day, this may include encounters with local craftspeople, time by cold mountain water, simple forest care experiences, and other moments that are only possible through close knowledge of the region.Kaida can also serve as a quiet base for deeper journeys through Kiso and beyond.