More than six in 10 adults (66.9%) were found to have hiked at least once in the past year. In particular, more than half said more young people have been visiting mountains recently.
Market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor released the "2026 survey on hiking experiences and hiking culture perceptions" on Apr. 7. The survey was conducted with 1,000 adults ages 19 to 69 nationwide who have a hobby, from Mar. 9 to 10.
The hiking experience rate within the past year rose across all age groups compared with the 2024 survey. ▲ 20s 55.6% → 64.5% ▲ 30s 56% → 62% ▲ 40s 52% → 67.5% ▲ 50s 55.2% → 70%.
Among respondents, 58.8% felt the hiking population has been increasing recently. Many cited "because it is exercise that is easy to enjoy alone (46.1%)" and "because it has newly begun to gain attention as part of leisure activities (36.7%)."
In particular, in their 20s and 30s, the response rate for "as the SNS certification culture spreads" stood out at 40.5% and 39%, respectively.
Embrain Trend Monitor said hiking culture has shifted from the past focus on "summit conquest" to lightly enjoying elevation gain–centered outings and consuming surrounding experiences together.
When choosing a trail, there was a strong tendency to prioritize "is the mountain close to home (43.8%)" and "is the slope gentle (42.4%)." Also, 84.5% of respondents said it seems more people are visiting low mountains near cities or perimeter trails these days, and 82.9% said hiking in the form of light trekking or walks appears to have increased compared with summit climbs.
Among respondents, 53.3% viewed "hiking" positively. The most common reason was "you can enjoy natural scenery (63%)."
Many also associated hikers with positive images such as "liking nature (63.0%)," "being physically fit (48.2%)," "being diligent (44.7%)," "liking exercise (40.8%)," and "being good at self-care (40.5%)."
However, there was a relatively strong tendency, especially among people in their 20s and 30s, to associate images such as "middle-aged men (20s 36.0%, 30s 29.0%)" and "older (20s 28.5%, 22.5%)."
Embrain Trend Monitor said, "Among younger generations, it appears some still view hiking as an activity centered on middle-aged and older adults."