Yamatomichi HLC Hiking Festival 2026
in Taiwan: Details & Tickets
Yamatomichi HLC Hiking Festival 2026
in Taiwan: Details & Tickets
- Introduction
- Miaoli Hiking Jam
- Imagine Bon Odori Club
live music, one big circle - This Year’s Festival Kicks Off with
Amis Song and Dance - Get a Taste of Taiwan at the “Local Market”!
- Come Together at the
Yamatomichi Bar! - Yamatomichi Flea Market!
Prototypes, production samples, and more - Tent Sauna Party
- Light up the festival
with your own chochin lantern! - The festival Tenugui for 2026
- Parking, public transportation, camping, showers, and pets
- Tickets
- Contact
Tickets go live on August 21 (Fri)
at 17:00 JST
Yamatomichi HLC Hiking Festival 2026 in Taiwan
Date: November 21 (Sat)–22 (Sun), 2026
Venue: Laoguandao Leisure Farm, Miaoli, Taiwan
Admission: ¥9,000 (Free for children in sixth grade or younger)
Capacity: 400 participants
Organizer: Yamatomichi
Special support: Samplus
*There will be no programs or food service on November 22. No backup date is planned.
*All participants are welcome to camp at the venue.
*The Festival Tenugui and Chochin Lantern must be ordered separately from your admission ticket. Orders close at 17:00 JST on August 30, so don’t miss the deadline if you’d like one.
Map
The icon with the red star marks the Laoguan Dao Leisure Farm, the venue for the Yamatomichi HLC Hiking Festival.
Introduction
Yamatomichi Hiking Festival heads overseas to Taiwan
Yamatomichi HLC Hiking is made by hikers, for hikers. It grew out of Yamatomichi HLC, our network of local hiking communities built around three simple ideas: hike, life, and community.
The festival began at Mt. Iwate in northern Japan in 2019. Since then, it has traveled to Mt. Ishizuchi on Shikoku in 2023 and the shores of Lake Biwa near Kyoto in 2024—each home to one of our HLC hubs.
This year, the festival is crossing the sea for the first time and heading to Miaoli, Taiwan.
This isn’t a typical festival packed with entertainment. We keep the program simple because the people are what make it special. Our role is to create a space for 400 hikers from Taiwan, Japan, and beyond to meet, talk, eat, camp, and share their stories.
After all, hikers can find happiness in the middle of nowhere, in pouring rain, or after walking well beyond their limits. So what happens when 400 of them gather in one place?
This November, let’s find out together in Taiwan.
Why Taiwan?
The biggest reason we chose Taiwan is the friendships we’ve built with hikers there over the past ten years. We’ve visited one another, walked through the mountains together, and even set out on bicycle journeys. Some of those friendships now feel more like family.
These relationships eventually led us to launch samplus with Hector and the team at COW Records in Taipei. From there, HLC Taiwan began to take shape, and bringing Yamatomichi Hiking Festival to Taiwan felt like a natural next step.
Holding the festival outside Japan for the first time will bring plenty of challenges. But after everything we’ve shared over the years, this feels like the right place and the right time. Above all, we hope it brings hikers from Taiwan, Japan, and farther afield together.
If you can, don’t head straight to the venue. Spend some time walking through Taiwan’s mountains and exploring the island first. Around Miaoli, you’ll find everything from the red cliffs of Huoyanshan to the deep forests of Jialishan—landscapes best experienced on foot.
By the time you reach the festival, you’ll already have a story of your own. Bring it with you and share it. Different countries, different languages, but the same love of mountains.
See you at the festival.
A Message from Yamatomichi HLC Director Hideki Toyoshima
The Yamatomichi Hiking Festival has finally made its way to Taiwan.
The festival grew out of Yamatomichi HLC. More than anything, we want it to be a place where hikers from different places can come together, connect, and create something new.
This isn’t a typical festival packed with scheduled entertainment. We intentionally keep the program simple, leaving plenty of time for hikers to meet, talk, and share their stories.
The festival will begin with a performance by members of Taiwan’s Indigenous community—a moment to show our respect for the local mountains, people, culture, and history. I can already picture everyone gathered around the stage, taking it all in.
Hike your way to the venue, and let the community bring the festival to life.
See you there.
A Message from Hector of Samplus
山道祭第一次在海外舉辦，而且就在台灣。
對身為台灣人的我來說，這是一件非常有意義的事。
我們用最謹慎的態度準備每一個細節，希望讓來參加的台灣朋友感受到最原汁原味的山道祭，也希望來自世界各地的朋友，除了享受山道祭之外，還能親身體驗台灣的文化、山林、健行、美食，以及這片土地的魅力。
希望你們在台灣度過美好的時光，也喜歡這裡的一切。
歡迎來玩，台灣見！
Bringing Yamatomichi Hiking Festival here means a great deal to me personally.
We’re putting care into every detail to create a gathering that feels true to the spirit of the festival and rooted in Taiwan. Whether you’re joining us from nearby or traveling from farther away, I hope you leave with unforgettable memories—and an even deeper love for this island.
See you in November!
Miaoli Hiking Jam
What better way to welcome hikers than with a great trail? Before the festival, explore Taiwan on foot—or by bike—and experience the island for yourself. Around Miaoli, you’ll find landscapes that can only be experienced on the trail, from the rugged red slopes of Mt. Huoyan to the cedar and broadleaf forests leading to the summit of Mt. Jiali. Here are five routes we recommend.
Mt. Huoyan [Beginner] Day Hike
A 602m peak in Miaoli County, central Taiwan, where this year’s Yamatomichi Hiking Festival will be held. This approachable day hike is known for its dramatic red-brown cliffs and rugged badland scenery.
Route: Mt. Huoyan Trailhead → South Mt. Huoyan → Small Canyon → Grand Canyon → Mt. Huoyan Summit (triangulation point) → Tudigong (Earth God) → Mt. Huoyan Parking Lot (6.4km / approx. 3.5 hours)
Getting there: From Taipei Main Station, take the Taiwan High Speed Rail to Taichung Station. Transfer via the adjoining Xinwuri Station to a Taiwan Railways train for Tai’an Station, then take a taxi to the Mt. Huoyan Trailhead (approx. 2 hours 15 minutes total). Taxi reservations: 0931-432-499
To the festival: Mt. Huoyan Trailhead → festival venue (shuttle bus / approx. 30 minutes)
Mt. Niaozui (Mt. Shangdao) [Intermediate] Day Hike
Like Mt. Huoyan, this 1,437m mountain is located in Miaoli County. Its many rocky ridges make for a varied and exciting hike.
Route: Mt. Niaozui Trailhead → Mt. Niaozui Summit (triangulation point) → Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot (6.5km / approx. 4.5 hours)
Getting there: From Taipei Main Station, take the Taiwan High Speed Rail to Miaoli Station. Take THSR Shuttle Bus 101B to Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters, then a taxi to Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot / Mt. Niaozui Trailhead (approx. 3 hours total).
To the festival: Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot → festival venue (shuttle bus / approx. 45 minutes). After the hike, you can enjoy a soak in the public baths at Tai’an Jingguang Villa.
Mt. Hushan (Tiger Mountain) [Intermediate] Day Hike
Starting from Tai’an Hot Springs, this out-and-back hike crosses the Shuiyun Suspension Bridge before climbing to the summit.
Route: Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot → Shuiyun Suspension Bridge → Mt. Hushan Summit → Shuiyun Suspension Bridge → Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot (9km / approx. 5 hours)
Getting there: From Taipei Main Station, take the Taiwan High Speed Rail to Miaoli Station. Take THSR Shuttle Bus 101B to Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters, then a taxi to Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot / trailhead (approx. 3 hours total).
To the festival: Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot → festival venue (shuttle bus / approx. 45 minutes)
Mt. Hushan–Mt. Jiali–Mt. Tenglong Traverse [Advanced]
This demanding traverse links Mt. Hushan, Mt. Jiali, and Mt. Tenglong, with around 10 hours on the trail each day. Choose between a two-day route or a three-day route with an additional night before walking out on Day 3.
2 Days / 1 Night
A challenging route for fit, experienced hikers, with more than 2,000m of elevation gain.
Day 1: Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot → Shuiyun Suspension Bridge → Mt. Hushan Summit → 2,054m Peak → Dujuan Ridge → Mt. Jiali Summit → Fengmei Creek Campsite (13.8km / approx. 10 hours)
Day 2: Fengmei Creek Campsite → Mt. Jiali Summit → Dujuan Ridge → 2,054m Peak → Mt. Tenglong Summit → Mt. Tenglong Trailhead → Shangdao Road → Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot (16.3km / approx. 10 hours)
3 Days / 2 Nights (Day 1 follows the same route as the two-day plan)
Day 2: Fengmei Creek Campsite → Mt. Jiali Summit → Dujuan Ridge → 2,054m Peak → Mt. Tenglong Summit → Mt. Tenglong Trailhead → camping area below the trailhead (overnight) (16.3km / approx. 10 hours)
Day 3: Camping area → Shangdao Road → Tai’an Hot Springs Parking Lot (approx. 2 hours on foot along a forestry road)
For Both Routes
Campsites: Both plans camp at Fengmei Creek Campsite on Day 1, near Rescue Marker No. 6 on the Mt. Jiali East Route. No reservation is required; sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is space for approximately 20 solo tents and a nearby water source. For the three-day plan, the camping area below Mt. Tenglong Trailhead on Day 2 requires advance booking and payment.
Caution: The first 300m of the descents from Mt. Jiali to Fengmei Creek Campsite and from the 2,054m Peak toward Mt. Tenglong involve difficult downclimbing.
Getting there / To the festival: Same as Mt. Hushan (starts and finishes at Tai’an Hot Springs; approx. 45 minutes by shuttle bus to the festival venue)
Taoyuan to Lao Guan Dao [Cycling] 2 Days / 1 Night
A roughly 150km journey from Taoyuan International Airport to the Yamatomichi Hiking Festival, powered entirely by your own legs. Ride south along Taiwan’s west coast, spending the night in Baishatun, home to the sacred Mazu pilgrimage site of Baishatun Gongtian Temple.
Day 1: Dayuan Station (Taoyuan Airport MRT) → Baishatun Gongtian Temple (approx. 100km / 8 hours including breaks)
Day 2: Baishatun Gongtian Temple → Lao Guan Dao Leisure Farm (approx. 50km / 5 hours including breaks)
Route: Taoyuan → Hsinchu → Miaoli → Lao Guan Dao
Accommodation: Please arrange your own accommodation anywhere along the route for Day 1. Options include the pilgrim lodge at Baishatun Gongtian Temple (from NT$200 per person; reservations by phone at 037-791472 / Chinese only) and NO.37 BAISHATUN (online reservations available through Airbnb and Booking.com).
Note: Approximately 150km and 13 hours in total. It is possible to complete the route in a single day, but it will be a very demanding ride (approximately 9 hours from Taipei).
Free shuttle buses to the festival venue
| Date | Route (Travel Time) | Departure | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 21 | THSR Miaoli Station → Festival Venue (Approx. 50 min.) |
12:00 14:00 |
25 seats each, 50 total |
| Nov. 21 | Mt. Huoyan Trailhead → Festival Venue (Approx. 30 min.) |
10:00 11:30 13:00 14:30 16:00 |
25 seats each, 125 total |
| Nov. 21 | Tai’an Hot Springs → Festival Venue (Approx. 45 min.) |
11:00 13:00 15:00 |
25 seats each, 75 total |
| Nov. 22 | Festival Venue → THSR Miaoli Station (Approx. 50 min.) |
8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 |
25 seats each, 100 total |
Free shuttle buses will run between the festival venue, each trailhead, and THSR Miaoli Station (advance reservations required). Booking instructions will be included in the order confirmation email sent after you purchase your admission ticket.
*No additional buses will be added on the day.
What’s Happening at the Festival
We like our hiking—and our festivals—simple and light, so don’t expect a packed schedule or anything too flashy. But for everyone traveling across mountains and oceans to join us, we’ve prepared a warm welcome.
Imagine Bon Odori Club
live music, one big circle
Bon odori is a traditional Japanese festival dance in which everyone joins a circle and moves together. Imagine Bon Odori Club brings it to life with their own live band and dancers—and once the music starts, everyone is invited in. They have turned every Yamatomichi Hiking Festival into an unforgettable celebration, and this year, they’re crossing the sea to Taiwan for the first time. No dance experience is needed. Follow the dancers, feel the rhythm, and join hikers from Taiwan, Japan, and beyond in one big circle on the grasslands of Miaoli.
｜Documentary Film｜“Imagine Bonbu Tohoku Tour”
This Year’s Festival Kicks Off with
Amis Song and Dance
From the Amis Kakeng Musical Group Facebook page.
Each Yamatomichi Hiking Festival takes place in a different Yamatomichi HLC region, with local performing arts always playing a part in the celebration. This year, the festival will open with the Amis Kakeng Musical Group, a traditional music ensemble from Taiwan’s Indigenous Amis community.
For the Amis people living between the mountains and sea around Taitung on Taiwan’s east coast, singing and dancing are part of everyday life. The group takes its name from the kakeng, a bamboo bell traditionally played at Amis weddings to announce good news. Bamboo becomes flutes, wood becomes drums, and breath becomes song. Playing more than 30 kinds of bamboo and wooden instruments—including mouth harps, bamboo drums, nose flutes, and xylophones—the group combines their sounds with songs passed down through generations, creating rhythms that seem to rise from the earth itself.
At the heart of their performances is joining hands, forming a circle, and singing and dancing together. They won’t simply perform for us: they’ll also teach us a song and invite everyone to join the dance. Coming together hand in hand and moving in a circle feels deeply connected to the bon odori tradition we have long celebrated in Japan. Hikers from Taiwan, Japan, and beyond will meet in the same circle, even when we speak different languages—the perfect way to begin this year’s festival.¥
About the Amis Kakeng Musical Group
The Amis Kakeng Musical Group is a traditional Amis ensemble based in Taitung. In 1994, founder and director Sawtoy Saytay came across one of the few surviving written records of traditional Amis instruments. Through years of fieldwork, he searched for and gathered instruments that were in danger of disappearing, eventually forming the group in 1999. Since 2006, the ensemble has been based at the Amis Folk Center in Taitung, where it works to preserve Amis music, create new work, and foster cultural exchange. Since 2003, the group has performed across five continents, including appearances at the National Theatre Okinawa in 2005 and Expo 2005 Aichi, as well as performances in the United States, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, and at the 2024 Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Hawaiʻi.
Get a Taste of Taiwan at the “Local Market”!
No festival is complete without market stalls! The “Local Market” will bring together vendors and workshops from across Taiwan, including Taipei and Miaoli, run by friends of Samplus and HLC Taiwan. More details will be announced soon—stay tuned!
Come Together at the
Yamatomichi Bar!
If you enjoy a drink, this is the place to be! This year, the Yamatomichi Bar will be run together with House, a bar founded by our friend Randy—who also joined us at the last Yamatomichi Hiking Festival—and his friends. We’ll be serving some of our staff’s favorite drinks alongside a selection from Taiwan.
No cups will be provided. Please bring your own cup!
Yamatomichi Flea Market!
Prototypes, production samples, and more
We’re constantly making new prototypes at Yamatomichi, and if we’re not careful, we’ll be buried under a mountain of samples. So once again, we’re clearing them out! Expect rare finds, mysterious one-offs, factory seconds, and plenty more—come and uncover a hidden gem.
- Purchases are limited to three items per person.
- Items will be put out gradually to prevent immediate sellouts and excessive queues.
Tent Sauna Party
Tent Sauna Party has joined us at every Yamatomichi Hiking Festival since the very first. This year, they’re leaving their home base on the shores of Lake Biwa in Omi-Maiko and crossing the sea to Taiwan! They’ll be bringing one tent sauna for a compact setup. Enjoy the löyly, cool off in the water, and unwind in the mountain air of Miaoli.
- Please bring a swimsuit if you would like to use the cold plunge.
- The tent sauna is pay-what-you-want. If you enjoy the experience, please consider leaving a contribution.
A creative team of sauna lovers specializing in web, video, and design. Based in Kansai, they take their mobile saunas to events across Japan, bringing the restorative experience of sauna bathing into the outdoors.
http://tentsaunaparty.com/
Light up the festival
with your own chochin lantern!
Each lantern features the event artwork and will be hand-lettered with your name before being lit at the festival. Names can be written in Japanese, English, or Traditional Chinese. Together, let’s light up the festival with lanterns from hikers everywhere—and be sure to take yours home as a keepsake when the festival is over.
The Yamatomichi Hiking Festival artwork is printed on the front.
Up to 13 characters can be added vertically on the back. The lettering is done by hand.
To order a chochin, please use the link in the confirmation email sent after you purchase your Yamatomichi HLC Hiking Festival 2026 admission ticket.
Price: ¥3,000 each (You may order more than one.)
Order deadline: August 30 (Sun), 17:00 JST
- You may choose up to 13 characters, which will be written vertically.
- Your chochin will be displayed at the venue.
- Pick up your completed chochin at reception between 7:30 and 10:30 on November 22 (Sun).
Chochin Details
- Type: No. 9 long vinyl chochin lantern
- Dimensions: 24cm diameter × 55cm high
- Color: White with black trim
- Front: Printed with the Yamatomichi event artbook
- Back: Your chosen text, written by hand
Please Note
- Orders are limited to event participants.
- Cancellations will be accepted until August 30 (Sun) at 17:00 JST.
The festival Tenugui for 2026
This year, we’re once again offering an original Yamatomichi Hiking Festival tenugui featuring artwork by Naomi Kazama. Each one is hand-dyed using chusen, a traditional Japanese dyeing technique.
Order by August 30 and we’ll send it to you before the festival. Tie it to your backpack as a sign that you’re headed to the event, and make your way to the venue!
To order a tenugui, please use the link in the confirmation email sent after you purchase your the admission ticket.
Price: ¥2,500
Order deadline: August 30 (Sun), 17:00 JST
Estimated delivery: Early November
Please Note
- Orders are limited to event participants.
- Cancellations will be accepted until August 30 (Sun) at 17:00 JST.
Yamatomichi HLC Hiking Festival 2019, 2023, 2024
Parking, public transportation, camping, showers, and pets
Parking, public transportation, camping, bathing, pets, and waste disposal
Parking
Parking is available at the venue for ¥1,000 per vehicle. Advance reservations are required, with spaces available for the first 100 vehicles. Booking instructions will be included in the order confirmation email sent after you purchase your admission ticket. The venue is approximately two hours by expressway from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport—a distance of around 120km.
Public Transportation
【By THSR】
From Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, take the Airport MRT to Taoyuan HSR Station (approximately 20 minutes), followed by the Taiwan High Speed Rail to THSR Miaoli Station (approximately 25 minutes). The entire journey takes around one hour, including the transfer.
The venue is approximately 25km from THSR Miaoli Station. A taxi takes around 40–50 minutes and costs approximately NT$700–800.
【By TRA】
The nearest station is Tai’an Station in Houli District, Taichung City. The venue is approximately 17km away, or around 25–30 minutes by taxi. The estimated fare is NT$500–600.
*Tai’an Station is not in the same area as Tai’an Hot Springs in Tai’an Township, Miaoli County, where Hiking Jam is held.
Taxis are limited at both stations. We recommend sharing a taxi with other hikers or using a ride-hailing app.
Shuttle buses will run between THSR Miaoli Station and the venue on both November 21 and 22. Please see the “Shuttle Bus” section for details.
*Local buses run only about once a day and are not recommended.
Camping
The camping area at the venue is open to all festival participants. Space is limited, so please use a tent designed for solo camping or a small group, and avoid bringing large tents or shelters. This is a festival for hikers—let’s keep things light with gear that fits in your backpack!
Bathing Facilities
Showers are available at the venue, but the hot-water supply is limited. Please keep showers brief and be considerate of others.
The Tai’an Hot Springs area, approximately 30–40 minutes from the venue by car, has several hot spring facilities open to day visitors. They’re a great place to stop after a hike.
【Tai’an Tangyue Hot Spring Resort（泰安湯悅溫泉會館）】
Enjoy open-air hot springs surrounded by the lush nature of Miaoli. Swimsuits and swim caps are required, and day visitors are welcome. Packages combining hot spring access with a meal at the restaurant are also available—a great option after a day of hiking.
・Day-use admission: Approximately NT$400, depending on the package
・Hours: Weekdays 8:30–12:00 / 14:30–21:00; weekends and public holidays 8:30–21:00
【Onsen Papawaqa（泰安觀止）】
One of Tai’an’s best-known hot spring resorts, with a refined and relaxing atmosphere. Facilities include open-air baths, nude bathing areas, saunas, and hot spring pools. Advance reservations are required due to its popularity, but it’s an excellent choice if you feel like treating yourself after the festival.
・Day-use admission: Approximately NT$800–1,000 (advance reservation required)
・Hours: 7:00–12:00 / 14:00–22:00
【Tenglong Hot Spring Resort（騰龍溫泉山莊）】
A relaxed, unpretentious hot spring inn with a distinctly local feel. Its spacious indoor and open-air baths can be enjoyed at a reasonable price. Hours vary depending on the season, so we recommend checking before visiting.
・Day-use admission: NT$350
・Hours: Please confirm directly with the facility
Pets
Pets are welcome as long as they remain on a leash.
Trash
Please take your trash home with you. Trash from items purchased at the venue should be returned to the vendor.
Tickets
Tickets will be available starting 17:00 JST on Friday, August 21 through the “Purchase Tickets” button at the bottom of this page. Tickets first-come, first-served, and sales will close once the 400-person capacity is reached.
- Admission: ¥9,000 (Children in sixth grade or younger may attend free of charge. Please include the number of children accompanying you when booking.)
- Payment: Credit card (Multilingual checkout is available.)
- Shuttle Bus Tickets: Booking details will be provided in your order confirmation email after purchasing your admission ticket.
Cancellation policy
- Cancellations for personal reasons are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend due to unavoidable circumstances, please contact us.
- If the event is cancelled due to severe weather, a natural disaster, or other circumstances beyond our control, the participation fee will be refunded in full. No alternative date will be scheduled.
- If the event is cancelled, we cannot reimburse travel expenses such as airfare or accommodation. Please keep this in mind when making your arrangements.
Before you attend
- Participation is at your own risk. This includes injuries sustained on the way to the meeting point or during hikes, damage to or theft of personal belongings, and disputes between participants.
- We recommend that all participants have insurance covering accidents and injuries. If traveling from Japan, please choose overseas travel insurance that includes hiking and mountaineering.
- For participants traveling from Japan: Please arrange your own flights and accommodation. Be sure to check your passport’s remaining validity and Taiwan’s entry requirements.
- Daytime temperatures in Miaoli are generally around 20°C in November, but mornings and evenings can be chilly. Please bring warm layers and rain gear.
After purchasing your ticket
Once your purchase is complete, you will receive an order confirmation email. It will also include links to book shuttle bus tickets and parking, and to order a personalized chochin lantern and Yamatomichi Festival tenugui. Be sure to check the email carefully.
Coming Soon
Contact
For questions about the event: support@yamatomichi.com
Organizer: Yamatomichi
Special Support: samplus
Instagram: @yamatomichi ／ @yamatomichi_hlc ／ samplus