MISATO: Ambling along footpaths, a type of walkway that originated in Britain to enjoy scenery and old townscapes in rural areas, is becoming more popular in the Kyushu region of Japan.

Typically, footpaths have been created by local residents, who welcome other people to walk them.

Footpaths are believed to have originated in Britain in the 19th century when ordinary citizens demanded and won the right to walk across aristocrats’ land. In Japan, footpaths started about 20 years ago in such places as Machida, western Tokyo and Hokkaido. Currently, there are more than 400 footpath courses in about 50 areas.

Taking the lead in footpaths to commune with nature is Misato, a town in a mountainous area of Kumamoto Prefecture with a population of about 10,000. The town has 15 courses ranging from four to eight kilometres in length.

The scenery along the courses includes tiered paddy fields, a stone bridge and a satoyama village forest. It takes two or three hours to complete each course.

The courses generally have mild slopes and are not taxing, and many people from other areas can be seen walking the courses at their own pace.

“Visitors enjoy the local scenery, which retains its original characteristics, while local residents rediscover the charms of their regions [through the visitors],” said Kosei Hamada, head of the secretariat of Misato Footpath Association, a private organisation of local residents.

Hamada, who serves as chairman of a non-profit organisation for revitalising the town, learned from an outdoor magazine about five years ago that strolling along footpaths had become a popular activity in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Furthermore, the cost is minimal because the scenery already exists.

As Misato lacked attractive sightseeing spots like Aso, also in Kumamoto Prefecture, Hamada decided footpaths were the way to go.

Hamada first approached administrative entities, local commerce and industry groups, and ordinary people to gain their support and understanding. He then devised courses and created maps indicating spots of interest, toilets and parking lots. He also set up signs along roads and paths.

In April 2013, Hamada established the footpath association. He trained guides and organised a tour in which participants were served with homemade local dishes.

The number of people who participated in events or hiked along the footpaths with a guide stood at 761 in fiscal 2013, but this figure nearly doubled to 1,362 in fiscal 2014. And because a number of people walked by themselves or in their own groups, the figure was much larger, Hamada said.

The walking courses are popular with visitors, with one saying, “I feel refreshed,” and another saying, “I’d like to walk along other courses.” Some local residents said they would continue to cut the grass and clean the paths to support the tours.

In April 2014, an organisation called Footpath Network Kyushu was launched under the initiative of the Misato association. The network was formed by organisations and individuals aiming to make walking courses in Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures.

As the town of Misato is considered the pioneer, it has received a number of inquiries asking to inspect the local footpath situation and requests for the dispatch of instructors.

In Aira in Kagoshima Prefecture, there is a course for touring such historical spots as those related to the Shimazu clan. Part of the course is barrier-free so people using wheelchairs or strollers are able to join in.

The Nakama municipal government in Fukuoka Prefecture set up two courses in cooperation with the University of Kitakyushu. The courses tour around the River Onga pumping station of the Imperial Steel Works. The pumping station has been registered on the World Cultural Heritage list as one of the sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.

There is another move to establish an academic society to study the roles and effects of footpaths from various perspectives. An international symposium on footpaths was held in Nakama at the end of November. People from Britain were invited.

Ruriko Izawa, vice chairman of the Misato Footpath Association, said: “Footpaths are magical in that they vitalise local regions. This can apply to any region.”

—The Japan News

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2016