Trecking Route Guide Books in Japan

山と高原地図（Yama-to-Kougen-Tizu）is the most famous trekking maps and guides in Japane. They are renewed every year, so 2016 versions are available in Japan. You can purchase them from Amazon or the other book store in Japan.

For Mt. Yari and Mt. Hotaka area
山と高原地図 槍ヶ岳・穂高岳 上高地 2015 (登山地図 | マップル)   昭文社 地図 編集部 https://www.amazon.com/dp/439876237X/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_zem6xb70BTN2W
 see our trekking log here.

For Yatsugatake Mountains
山と高原地図 八ヶ岳 蓼科・美ヶ原・霧ヶ峰 2015 (登山地図 | マップル)   昭文社 地図 編集部 https://www.amazon.com/dp/4398762329/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_Cem6xbBV44988
  see our trekking log here.

For Hakuba area
山と高原地図 白馬岳 2015 (登山地図 | マップル)   昭文社 地図 編集部
https://www.amazon.com/dp/4398762345/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_Aem6xb0SQKBF7
  see our trekking log here.

For Myoko area
山と高原地図 妙高・戸隠・雨飾 2016 (登山地図 | マップル)   昭文社 地図 編集部 https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4398762787/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_7xJ4xbBBW6RQE
  see our trekking log here.

To check the all of the series for Japanese mountains...
Mapple: http://ec.shop.mapple.co.jp/shopbrand/nc10502/



They even produce the digital version of them. Following images are the "山と高原地図.app" for iPhone. They have it for Android version.

Open the App, there are only three menu on the top screen. From top to bottom, "地図を選ぶ" is for selection of the maps, "ルート管理" for personal trekking logs, and "設定" is for the settings.

If you select the top menu "地図を選ぶ" for selection of the maps, it appears the purchased digital maps list as follows. As I mentioned above, the maps are renewed every year and digital versions are also updated. So I re-buy the maps about every 2 years.









Just tap the name of the map, the trail map appears as follows. You can check the trail route and the average course time for mountain hikers.

 The map can be enlarged. There are some typical marks to read the maps. It may OK if you can't read Japanese or Kanji, because this is a map. So, you can imagine what they mean.













For example, the displaying time between ⭕️and⭕️ means a normal (for the averaging pace of trekking) course time between them. House marks means lodge or hut, a drop mark (💧) means a water supply.

The settings are very simple. The most frequently used one is an interval for GPS tracking.
You can choose them from 1min to 10min.