Japan Archives - Gaia GPS

Eight years ago, Jenny and Scott Jurek planned on going to Japan for their honeymoon. But life got in the way, including Jenny’s thriving career as an outdoor gear and apparel designer, Scott’s record-setting Appalachian Trail thru-hike, and the birth of their two children.

In August of 2019, Jenny and Scott shipped their bikes across the world. And with their one and three-year-olds in tow, they left their Boulder, Colorado home to embark on a month-long bike-packing tour across the mountains, beaches and farmlands of Hokkaido, Japan. The family covered 600 miles and camped in a new location every night while carrying all of their own gear.

Tune in to episode 35 of the Out and Back podcast to get all the details about bikepacking in a foreign country with two toddlers. Jenny, who is of Japanese descent, describes the joy the family felt connecting with her ancestors’ homeland. The kids didn’t want to leave! She gets into the shame she experienced growing up with a different sounding last name from her classmates, and how she’s come to cherish her ancestry as an adult.

Jenny describes how she went from working in finance to landing her dream job as a designer for Patagonia. She keeps it real with her and Scott’s challenges of getting pregnant, including two miscarriages; how the AT injected new life into their relationship despite her sometimes harrowing task of driving around the east coast backroads by herself to support Scott on his run; and the struggle of balancing two young children with starting her own business.

Keep on eye out for Jenny’s new business, Always Up. It’s a gear company for active families, and her debut product is a first-of-its-class maternity belt for runners. Get some visuals from the Jurek’s Japan trip by watching a short film Jenny and Scott made about their family trip. Follow Jenny on Instagram for an inside view into Jenny and the family’s busy and beautiful life.

Next episode: Life with Fire

If you live on the west coast, you’ve already woken up to bright red suns and thick, smokey skies this summer. Fire season has arrived. We’ve grown accustomed to seeing fire-ravaged towns on TV. Yet wildfires are actually not all bad. We’ve just exacerbated their scope, and in fact we are the ones who get in the way.

On the next episode of Out and Back, Wildfire Public Information Officer and former wildland firefighter Amanda Monthei breaks down why wildfires remain vital for ecosystem health, and how humans misunderstand this life force. She gets into the history of wildfire management in the US and how we’ve primed conditions for fires of unprecedented scope. Amanda dives into what we can learn from indigenous fire management practices, and how we can learn to better coexist with fire in the future.

Amanda also shares how she grew so infatuated with fire, leading her to work grueling summers as a wildland firefighter and then in the coveted role of a hotshot crew member. She unearths why she left that vocation, and how she’s turned her attention to educating the public about how to coexist with fire, rather than fight it.

Follow Amanda on Instagram, and check out her brilliant podcast on all things fire, Life with Fire.

Excerpt:
Jenny and Scott Jurek wanted to Japan for their honeymoon…eight years ago. But life got in the way, including Jenny’s career as an outdoor gear and apparel designer, Scott’s record-setting Appalachian Trail thru-hike, and the birth of their two children. With two toddlers in tow, the family shipped their bikes to Hokkaido, Japan. They covered 600 miles over a month while carrying their own gear. By the end, the kids didn’t want to leave! Get the inside scoop on the trip and the Jurek’s wild life.

Last episode: Map Points to a Marriage Proposal

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If you’re craving a feel-good story, go back to the last episode of Out and Back. Phoebe Novitsky knew there was something special about Ian Silberman from the first time they met at the dingy basement office of SOS Outreach in Denver, Colorado. The stars never quite aligned for these two expeditionary learning educators. Years later, Phoebe finally mustered the gumption to put her feelings out there. She sent Ian a text. He didn’t respond.

Turns out, Ian was gearing up to lead a 17-day backpacking adventure for his students. It was a rough trip. After Ian evacuated one student with a stomach bug, he noticed that text from Phoebe. The two struck up a text conversation that continued on for the rest of Ian’s trip, their words shrinking the many miles of wilderness separating them. They never looked back.

From taking a wrong turn on Colorado’s Grizzly Peak to bonking on an epic gravel ride, Ian and Phoebe quickly got to know each other through their trials and triumphs outside. And they developed an unbreakable bond in the process. While it may not be about the destination, the landscape played a crucial role in forging Phoebe and Ian’s connection. The couple especially share a love of Buena Vista, Colorado and the surrounding Sawatch Mountains. Ian knew he wanted to incorporate geography into the proposal. He ended up taking it to the next level. Tune in to the episode to hear all about his ingenious plan, particularly how Gaia GPS helped Phoebe and Ian take a trip through time and space to put a ring on their relationship.

Learn how you can make your own memories on the map by using our new feature, emoji waypoints.

Volcanic mountain ranges, hot springs, and world-class powder skiing are enough to put Japan on any adventure traveler’s map. Next time you’re considering an international vacation, here are a few reasons Japan should make your short list.

1) Downloadable topo maps mean it’s easy to navigate.

Whether you’re sightseeing, snorkeling, skiing, or hiking in Japan, you can find your way with the Japan Topo map, downloaded straight to your phone via the Gaia GPS app.

Sourced from the Geographical Survey Institute of Japan, Japan Topo includes contour lines, roads, trails, regional boundaries, and points of interest. It’s currently available to both Gaia GPS Members and Premium Members. We recommend pairing it with the Outdoors topo map, which contains labels in the English alphabet.

2) Japan has its own Alps.

The Japanese Alps, a chain of stunning 10,000-foot peaks, forms the crown of Honshu, the country’s largest island. The region’s trails and national parks make it the epicenter of hiking in Japan.

3) It’s home to thousands of hot springs, or “Onsen.”

Nothing says Japan vacation quite like a dip in one of these traditional hot springs. Credit Japan’s prime real estate along the Ring of Fire for its over 2,500 bubbling mineral pools. Hike to one, or find a resort to relax sore muscles aprés adventure.

Map Tip: Many hot springs, or onsen, are labeled on the Japan Topo base map. Use the Hot Spring icon to find them. (All icons are in the map key on the Gaia GPS Map Legends page.)

4) Climbing Mt. Fuji is a hiker’s rite of passage.

Summit one of the world’s most iconic volcanoes with the hike up 12,389-foot Mt. Fuji, the tallest peak in the country. Plan your climb for July through mid-September while temperatures are moderate and trails are open.

5) Japan powder skiing is legendary.

In lists of the snowiest cities in the world, Japanese towns regularly take silver and bronze (coming in just behind Valdez, Alaska—no surprise there) with 200 to 300 inches per year. Add that to the country’s hilly interior, and you get world-class skiing both inbounds and off-piste.

Map Tip: You can scout out ski resorts in Japan by looking for lift lines (the straight lines on Japan Topo or colored runs on Outdoor Topo. See both below).

6) It has coral reefs.

World War II-era shipwrecks, Pacific reefs, and abundant marine life make Japan just as beautiful offshore as on. The Ogasawara Islands offer divers and snorkelers with Carribbean-blue waters, sandy beaches, and pristine rocky shorelines. You’ll also find a number of national parks on the country’s northwest islands.

7) “Forest bathing” is a thing.

Nature lovers, welcome home. Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing” is the practice of taking in your natural surroundings as a way to reduce stress and promote health and wellbeing. The term was coined in the 1980s, but it reflects a more longstanding cultural appreciation of nature, as well as the value of the Japan’s forested regions and rich biodiversity.

8) Every season puts on a show.

If you can’t plan a vacation to Japan during winter’s fairytale snowfall or summer high season, don’t despair. The fall color show and spring’s famed cherry blossoms (blooming January through May, depending on the region) are just as big of a draw.

9) It’s got history you can hike.

Japan is home to thousands of cultural and historical sites you can visit on foot. The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, for example, connects temples and shrines in the Kii mountain range. It’s one of the country’s 22 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and a great way to experience local history while hiking in Japan.

Map Tip: Use the Japan Topo legend to identify shrines, temples, and historical sites. The map below shows one of each, plus a hot spring.