The Tokai Nature Trail or Tokai Shizen Hodo is one of Japans long distance trails. After a proposal in 1969 from the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare to create a long distance hiking trail work began in 1970. The trail was completed in 1974. Originally the Tokai was 1,350 kilometers (838 miles), currently it is 1,697 kilometers (1054 miles).  The trail takes you through eleven prefectures, starting in Tokyo and ending in Osaka.