This week, we embark on a unique adventure – a 120km journey along Mito Kaido street by foot, armed with maps, snacks and a comfortable pair of shoes. The challenge is to reach Kairakuen in Mito in eight days. Four people can participate in this interesting expedition, with each person walking 15km a day for two days. Don’t make any prior appointments or bookings at inns and hotels and see what challenges await you. If you do not know how to read a map or get lost, don’t worry. Ask passers-by for help and directions. As you explore Mito Kaido, the locals will also be able to provide you with tips on where to eat or stay. There will be lots to look forward to, with some unexpected surprises along the way. So the success of the trip will depend on accurate information provided by passers-by and locals, and a bit of luck of course.

Start your adventure at Nihonbashi in Tokyo. Begin by visiting a historical spot in Kodenmacho. Make your way to the site of the Kodenmacho prison, which used to be the biggest jail of Japan. Abolished in 1876, the spot is now a park. Continue walking and you will reach Nakamise, popular with tourists for shopping. Stop by the kaicho stupa and make a wish. If you are hungry, go to a popular ramen shop in the area which serves delicious food. Try the shop’s zaru ramen, which is known to draw large crowds. Later, as you roam around, you may want to pick up some snacks such as imo yokan - made from yam - from Asakusa.

Walk along Japanese highway Route 6 at Mito Kaido and you will reach Sumida River, which features a nice view. As you walk from the wards of Taito-ku to Sumida-ku, you will also come across distance signs, which will help you track how many kilometres you have walked. Pass by Yotsugi bridge and enjoy the beautiful view of the sunset. Head towards Kanamachi of Katsushika-ku. On the way, you will pass through Kannana, which surrounds Tokyo’s 23 wards. Once you reach Kanamachi, you will be surprised to discover that there are no inns or hotels in this area; they have disappeared due to redevelopment. You will have to go to Kameari or Matsudo to find accommodation. Walk along Mito Kaido to Matsudo. If it is not too dark by this time, you will be able to see the Edo River. If you feel hungry, munch on the imo yokan you bought from Asakusa. Its sweetness will give you a much-needed energy boost. Once you reach Matsudo Station, make your way to Hotel Gates Inn. Without a prior reservation, you will have to try your luck to see if there are any rooms available for the night. You can have dinner at the izakaya (restaurant) next to the hotel.

On the second day, explore Matsudo City. Visit the Tojo Historical Museum, which used to be a house built by the last feudal lord of Mito. The Tojo Residence has a 124-year history, and used to be part of the residence of Tokugawa Akitake. Do note that admission to the museum is not free. From here, you can enjoy the view of the Edo River and the beautiful surrounding greenery. Continue your adventure by foot along Mito Kaido. Observe the guide boards along the way. As you explore Mito Kaido, you will come across what used to be a hatago (lodging) or the 4th shukuba (post station) of Mito Kaido. It is now a residence and you have to ask the owner for permission to see the interior. The place still retains its original flooring and you will even find some interesting sights such as a bronze mirror and a unique staircase reminiscent of the past. If you are hungry, ask for directions to Hokubu Ichiba (market), which features many delicacies. However, do note the market it closed on Sundays. Alternatively, you can try one of the restaurants near Kitakogane Station. You can ask the locals for recommendations. One of the restaurants, for example, serves a delicious gyutan (beef tongue) set with soup. After lunch, walk to Kashiwa, which is two stations ahead. Ask passers-by or the locals to recommend a hotel or inn. If there is a room available, you can stay at the Kashiwa Daiichi hotel, which charges 5775 yen (S$86.30).

On the third day, begin the second phase of this trip along Mito Kaido, from the Kashiwa Daiichi hotel. Before you head off, remember to bring along some snacks for nourishment along the way. Walk towards Kashiwa Station. Look out for unique spots to break the monotony of walking. Follow your intuition and you may find yourself encountering something interesting. Ask the locals to recommend any special sights in the area. As you walk along Route 6, visit the famous Huse Benten, which is 3.5km away from Mito Kaido. You will need to ask for directions to find your way there. The Huse Benten, which celebrates its 1200th anniversary this year, is beautiful and impressive. Bentendo in Ueno, Enoshima Shrine in Enoshima and Huse Benten are the three prominent Bentens in Kanto. You can even get your fortune told at the shrine here. Walk around and you will come across a large flower garden, where about a million cosmos flowers blossom from May to October every year. After this, go back to Mito Kaido and search for a place to have lunch. There is a famous restaurant in the area called Mimatsuya, which serves items like grilled eel and tempura. Walk for about 30 minutes to the 35-year-old restaurant. After a delicious lunch, walk for 10-15 minutes to the other side of Mito Kaido to see a thatched roof house, which is a rare sight in the area. Located in the town, the building faces the old Mito Kaido. Ask for permission to look around the house. You will discover that the house was built in 1832. According to books, the house used to be a sub-honjin (inn). It was used as accommodation under the sankin kotai system.

From here, continue on your trip along Mito Kaido. After walking for one hour, you will see a beautiful river and reach Toride City in Ibaraki Prefecture. You can continue walking for another hour to Fujishiro, a rural district. But there are no hotels in this town, so to look for accommodation, you will have to return to Toride. You can stay the night at Central Hotel.

On the fourth day, continue your journey along Mito Kaido on foot. Along the way, you will encounter many locals who can give you more tips and nuggets of useful information. You will find out that there are many eel restaurants in the area. Many Japanese believe that eating eel boosts your stamina, so make your way to the famous Tsurumaiya restaurant. The 80-year-old restaurant serves eel grilled by white charcoal. The most popular dish is una don. Farmed eel from Kyushu is used. Eel caught in Ushikunuma was used in the dishes until 1956, after which there was a shortage of eel due to its immense popularity among diners. Many old eel restaurants still remain in this part of Mito Kaido.

After lunch, head back to Mito and make your way to Ushiku City, which is 50km from Tokyo. To look for accommodation, walk to the next town until you reach Hitachinoushiku Station. As the second part of this adventure along Mito Kaido is about to end, ask the locals for directions to a hotel, and cross your fingers that you will be able to find an available room easily.