JR Fukuchiyama Line Disused Railway Trail

The JR Fukuchiyama Line Disused Railway Trail follows the original single-track route that hugged the Mukogawa River gorge until 1986, when the line was rerouted through long modern tunnels and the old tracks were abandoned. After years as an unofficial (and technically off-limits) adventure, JR West formally reopened the path to the public in 2016, and it has become one of the most beloved easy hikes in the Kansai region. The roughly 4.7 km route runs between Namaze Station in Nishinomiya and Takedao Station in Takarazuka, and because it was built as a railway it stays almost perfectly flat the entire way — suitable for families and casual walkers, though the gravel-and-sleeper surface calls for proper shoes rather than sandals. The highlight is passing through six original brick-and-stone tunnels, the longest over 400 metres, which have no lighting whatsoever and turn pitch-black in the middle: a flashlight or headlamp is genuinely essential. Between the tunnels the trail crosses old iron railway bridges with the clear Mukogawa River and forested cliffs below, and the gorge transforms with the seasons — cherry blossoms and fresh green in spring, deep red and gold maples in autumn. Many hikers finish at the far end near Takedao Onsen, a quiet riverside hot-spring hamlet, making it easy to reward the walk with a soak before catching the train home.