Enjoy a midsummer trail perfect for beginners and intermediate hikers in Nagato Gorge, Yamaguchi Prefecture

I had never heard of it before and just happened to stop by, but it turned out to be a national historic site and one of Yamaguchi Prefecture's most representative valleys. Autumn is definitely its peak season, and it seemed like tourists would flock here during the fall foliage season. But on a scorching summer day, I was the only one hiking the Nagato Gorge trail lol. Plus, while there's normally a walking course about 5.1 km long from a spot called Ryugu-buchi to the roadside station "Nagato Gorge," about 4 km of it was closed off for bridge repairs when I visited. So, I couldn't see many of the highlights, but it was still quite good, and the distance was just right for a midsummer day. The college students rafting down the river below looked like they were having the time of their lives.

Nagato Gorge