Hiking Map Book
Michinoku Trail Club created new Hiking Map books, which have been available for purchase since October 2020. This switch to selling map books (from previously distributing older maps for free) will help make sustainably managing the MCT in the private sector possible.
In addition to showing the MCT route, the Hiking Map Books show the information hikers need: elevation changes, places hikers may want to visit on their walk (including satellite facilities, places to get water, restrooms, places to stock up on food, restaurants), the distances between each point, and more. They cover most of the information you should need for planning your journey, and during your hike.
Each Hiking Map Book also has basic information about what that section of the trail is like, access information, weather data, and local contact information, which can serve as a reference for working out details like figuring out how to get there and what gear and clothes to bring.
One Hiking Map Book contains information for 100 kilometers of the trail, so the over 1000 kilometers of the whole MCT course is covered by a compact 10 book set. One Hiking Map Book weighs about 36 grams. The A5 paper size (about the size of a paperback book) makes the maps easy to carry.
Enjoy your time on the Michinoku Coastal Trail with a Hiking Map Book as your trusty companion!
Sections
- Book-1 Kabushima to Kuji Station (Hachinohe to Kuji), 93 km
- Book-2 Kuji Station to Settai Station (Kuji to Miyako), 99 km
- Book-3 Settai Station to Rikuchu-Yamada Station (Miyako to Yamada), 106 km
- Book-4 Rikuchu-Yamada Station to Kamaishi Station (Yamada to Kamaishi), 121 km
- Book-5 Kamaishi Station to Rikuzentakata Station (Kamaishi to Rikuzentakata), 129 km
- Book-6 Rikuzentakata Station to Motoyoshi Station (Rikuzentakata to Kesennuma), 102 km
- Book-7 Motoyoshi Station to Onagawa Station (Kesennuma to Onagawa), 114 km
- Book-8 Onagawa Station to Ishinomaki Station (Onagawa to Ishinomaki), 102 km
- Book-9 Ishinomaki Station to Natori Trail Center (Ishinomaki to Natori), 82 km
- Book-10 Natori Trail Center to Matsukawaura (Natori to Soma), 97 km
Price
Per book: 1,650 yen (tax included)
Full set of 10 maps: 14,850 yen (tax included)
For a list of places selling the Hiking Map Books, click here
Data Book
The Data Books covers information on places along the entire Michinoku Coastal Trail course.It contains information useful for hikers that didn’t fit on the Hiking Map Books. Data books are well known to thru-hikers of long distances trails like the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail, for example, with hikers planning their journey while consulting both their maps and their data book.
The Hiking Map Books also give distances between and information about major points, but the Data Book shows distances and information in much greater detail for the entire course. This information was carefully gathered by hikers who surveyed the entire MCT on foot themselves, and includes cumulative distances from the southern and northern terminus, elevation differences, nearby stations, toilets, sources of water, stores and more.
This Data Book was made by hikers, for hikers, making it easy to calculate that day’s target distance, check where the nearest places are to stock up on food, stay at a hotel or take a break, and see how much elevation change is in store.
The Data Books are made from A5 size paper (about the dimensions of a smaller paperback book), the same as the Hiking Map Books.
Use it as a supplement to your Hiking Map Books and see how much easier it makes planning your hike!
Price
Per book: 1,650 yen (tax included)