More than 90% of visitors to Japan do not leave Japan's Golden Route

(Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka)

Where do you want your Japan adventure to take you?

About One Life Japan

One Life Japan provides bike, hike, and walking Adventure Facilitation to help you see, taste, feel, and experience the rest of Japan.


Since 2005, One Life Japan has been helping travelers explore parts of Japan's countryside that most never see - on foot, by bike, and at a slower pace. We guide people away from the bullet train lines, the crowds, and the famous Instagram stops into quieter, rural areas where daily life still shapes the experience.

Our home base is in Northern Nagano, near villages like Iiyama, Nozawa Onsen, and Sakae Mura. It's where One Life Japan started, where we have deep ties, and where most of our trips take place. We know the backroads, the rhythms of the land, the seasons, and the people.

Each trip is custom-designed, not pre-packaged. They are based on real experience and on what opportunities present themselves at the time you visit. Some are short and relaxed, others more physically or culturally challenging. Whether it's two-day countryside break, a one-week Bike & Hike challenge, a relaxed family adventure, or a one-month culture and language immersion for students — all are shaped around your timing, comfort level, and what you're hoping to get out of the trip. Nothing is fixed in stone — we plan based on real knowledge of the region and what's possible, not fixed tour dates or generic routes.

We travel mostly by bike and on foot - not to rack up miles, but because it's the best way to truly experience a place . We use trains and transfers when needed, and e-bikes are available to keep things accessible without losing the feeling of moving through a place under your own power.

What we offer is grounded. It's not a fantasy of “lost Japan.” Expect simplicity, not spectacle. Real encounters, not rehearsed ones. It's real, modern life in rural Japan - a flexible way to experience places where the main story is you, and the people you meet - not tourism.

If that sounds like your kind of trip, we can't wait to help make it happen. We don't give you a checklist - we give you space to explore, adjust to your pace, and back you up when you need it. Even if you get a little “lost,” you're never truly lost. We're there to back you up, not hold your hand.


About Kevin — the person behind One Life Japan


One Life Japan is built around real, personal experience. I'm Kevin - the guide and facilitator behind it - and I've spent more than 30 years living, working, and exploring Japan, from the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku to the streets of Tokyo.

In 2006, I moved with my wife to a rural village in Northern Nagano's Snow Country, where I began farming rice, shoveling snow, and guiding tours as One Life Japan. Becoming part of a rural community and living daily life there has given me rare insight into a side of Japan that few visitors ever see - something you can't fully understand without being rooted in it. Through One Life Japan, I share that everyday connection and local knowledge with travelers looking for something deeper than a checklist of sights.

Over the years, I've traveled extensively by foot, bike, train, ferry, and even hitchhiking - leading adventures from subtropical coastlines to Japan's highest peaks, through blizzards, typhoons, and golden rice fields. Along the way, I've developed a knack for finding the path that leads to something special.

I speak both English and Japanese and have a natural way of connecting with locals — whether chatting with farmers in mountain dialects or finding the perfect roadside udon spot.

My background includes:

Before settling in the countryside, I worked in Tokyo in finance and web development. After earning a master's degree in Sustainability Studies in Sweden, I joined one of Japan's leading sustainability consultancies. During the pandemic, when Japan was closed to tourism, I took a break from guiding to teach preschool and kindergarten - something that keeps me young and adds a little extra magic to family trips.

I draw on all of these experiences to create grounded, meaningful adventures that connect people with place - often with a few unexpected moments of real-life hospitality along the way.

Kevin was instrumental in all our very special memories of the most fantastic Japan experiences. Hoping we can come visit you guys soon.
Kristina and me went on a bike tour with Kevin 10 years ago (wow time flies!) and it remains my favorite ever trip
The journey is as much about discovering new landscapes as it is about rediscovering ourselves. Whether you're cruising on a bike, exploring on foot, or simply soaking in a hot bath, you're not just a guest on our tours; you're like family, and part of a community of explorers, dreamers, and storytellers. - Kevin