Mt. Tomuraushi (トムラウシ）

Home of the endangered Japanese pika, Mt. Tomuraushi is a wonderful rocky peak located at roughly the halfway point on the Daisetsuzan trekking route. The scenery and views will certainly make you believe you’ve left Japan.

The hike: First of all, I would like to thank Julian for this hike description, as I climbed this peak while doing the full Asahi-dake to Tokachi-dake traverse. From the bus stop, head to the end of the road and the trailhead. After about 5 minutes of hiking, you’ll cross a forest road, where you’ll find the lovely Higashi Daisetsu hut, which looks like a great place to stay. Click here for the website in Japanese. Continue hiking on the trail for about 90 minutes or so, until reaching a trail junction marked 温泉コース分岐 (Onsen kousu bunki). This is where foot traffic will increase signficantly, as the trail to the right leads down to a parking lot. Most people with cars just drive up here rather than hiking from the hot spring, so if you’ve got your own wheels you might consider doing the same (especially if doing this hike as a day trip, which I don’t recommend). Turn left at the junction for a moderate climb up a well-worn path. If it’s raining then the path will become a nasty mixture of water and mud, so bring gaiters if you’ve got them. After about 45 minutes or so, you’ll reach an unmarked junction, which is where the old path joins the new. The old path is closed, so stay towards the left and climb through an area of thick bamboo grass. This grass is trimmed during the summer hiking season, but may not be maintained out of season, so exercise caution. The next hour or so is relatively gentle until dropping steeply to a the ‘Robin’ stream (こまどり沢). Be sure to boil and filter any water from the stream, because it could be contaminated with the echinococcus parasite. Cross the stream and stay on the right bank (following the paint marks on the rocks if the weather is bad). If hiking before August then you’ll have to cross a rather large snowfield before reaching 前トム平 (Mae-tomu-dai), a great place for a break. The trail will start to become quite rocky now, passing through areas of wildflowers before reaching a small pond at トムラウシ公園 (Tomuraushi-koen). Be sure to follow the paint marks, since it’s easy to get lost if the cloud is in. The scenery is spectacular, and you’ll reach a junction in about an hour or so. To the left there is a small campsite with a water source (again, be sure to boil) but no toilet. Turn right for the steep, 20-minute climb to the summit. It should have taken anywhere from 6 to 8 hours to reach the summit, so be sure to bring plenty of supplies and consider breaking this up into a 2-day hike. You can either retrace your steps to the campsite, or consider traversing over to Hisago-numa hut (ヒサゴ沼小屋), which will take another 2 or 3 hours of ridge hiking. Alternatively, you could consider heading all the way back to Tomuraushi Onsen, but that’d be over 30km of hiking in one day! Click here for some nice photos and a Japanese map.

When to go: This hike can only been done in the summer, when the bus to the trailhead is running. If you’ve got your own transport, however, you can go a little earlier or later in the season. Alternatively, the peak is on the main Daisetsuzan trekking route, and can be approached from the north via Chuubetsu-dake. Be prepared for a lot of snow if attempting before July.

Access: From Obihiro (帯広) station, take a local train on the JR Nemuro line and get off at Shintoku (新得) station. You can also take a limited express train, but it’ll cost twice the amount. From Shintoku, take a bus bound for Tomuraushi Onsen (トムラウシ温泉) and get off at the final stop. At the time of writing, the 2009 bus schedule has not been released, but here is a link to the bus company website for future reference.

Level of difficulty: 4 out of 5 (elevation change 1176m)

Mt. Shirouma (白馬岳）

Mt. Shirouma is the highest peak in the Hakuba section of the Kita Alps and on the top of most Japanese hikers ‘to climb’ list. It also happens to be one of the few peaks in Japan with year-round snow fields.

The hike: From the bus stop, the trail starts between the large mountain hut and the toilet. If you don’t have crampons then you can usually buy simple 2-pointers from the hut which should be sufficient (unless climbing early in the season). The trail initially follows a gravel forest road, passing by a gargantuan concrete waterfall – easily the tallest artificial fall in Japan. The road eventually turns into a hiking trail proper, and you’ll reach a pair of huts and campground, just below the start of the Daisekkei (great snow field). Take a break and inquire at the hut about current snow conditions/avalanche risk. The Daisekkei is not to be taken lightly, as a landslide in July 2008 killed two people and rockfalls are very common. Bring a helmet just in case if you’ve got one. Put on your crampons before stepping out into the snowfield and please wear some eye protection if the sun is out. You’ll be hiking in the snow for most of the way, so just follow the crowds/footprints. Overall it’s not too bad of a slog, and you should reach the ridge line in anywhere from 2-1/2 to 4 hours, depending on conditions. There’s a huge hut staring at you at the junction, as well as a modest campground. Turn right and pass another hut, and you’ll be on the summit of Mt. Shirouma in another 10 minutes or so. The views are outstanding if the weather is good (consider yourself very lucky if it is – Hakuba is notorious for cloudy weather in the Alpine backcountry). From the summit, you’ve got 4 options. You can either retrace your steps all the way back to Sarukura, or continue on the same ridge line over to Mt. Yukigura (雪倉岳) or down to Mt. Norikura (乗鞍岳). Alternatively, you can head down the back side of the mountain towards Keyaki-daira (欅平). This trail is not used very much, so I can’t attest for the condition. A better option might be to stay on top overnight, catch the sunrise, and then hike along the ridge over to Mt. Yari (鎗ヶ岳) and down to Yari Hot Spring (鎗温泉). Take a left at the first junction on the other side of Mt. Yari, and you’ll arrive at the hot spring in another hour. This trail actually ends up back at Sarukura, making a great 3-day loop hike.

When to go: This hike can be done from early June to early October, when the buses to Sarukura are running. You could also go earlier if you’ve got crampons and an ice axe. Avalanches are common in the Daisekkei until the end of May, so be careful if hiking in the spring. Click here if you don’t believe me.

Access: From Matsumoto (松本) station, take the JR Ooito line to Hakuba (白馬) station. From there, take a bus bound for Sarukura (猿倉) and get off at the final stop. Click here for the bus schedule. There are also overnight Alpico Group buses from Shinjuku station in Tokyo directly to Hakuba

Live web cam: Click here

Level of difficulty: 5 out of 5 (elevation change 1702m)

Mt. Asama erupts!

Well, it certainly has been a year for volcanic activity, as Mt. Asama once again sprang to life early this morning.  Here are some images taken from various webcams,  The volcano last erupted in September 2004 and has been smoldering ever since.  The new eruption now means that the entire mountain is off limits, so it looks like it’ll be a while before anyone can go up there again.

1 Year Stats

Hiking in Japan is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month, so I just wanted to thank everyone who’s written comments, sent e-mails, returned my e-mails, linked to this site, and those special few who have given valuable advice and feedback! Keep it up, because that’s what keeps me motivated to write.

Here are some stats from the first year:

Total number of page views: over 27,000

Total number of Hyakumeizan written-up: 95 (only 5 more to go)

Total number of rejected spam messages: 220

Total number of hours of lost sleep maintaining the site: countless

Most popular pages:

1. Mt. Tanzawa
2. Mt. Kumotori
3. Mt. Nantai
4. Mt. Hakken
5. Mt. Yari
6. Mt. Asama
7. Ondake
8. Mt. Kinpu
9. Mt. Hiuchi
10. Kita-dake

Mt. Ainodake (間ノ岳）

Ainodake is the center peak of the Shirane-sanzan trio of summits in the Minami Alps, and is best climbed in combination with adjacent Kitadake, Japan’s 2nd tallest mountain.

The hike: Follow the description outlined in the Kitadake hike, but instead of turning left at the first junction after reaching the top of Kitadake, continue descending on the rocky ridgeline to Kitadake-sansou (北岳山荘). The hut, located at 2,900m above sea level, is open from the middle of June to early November, and has room for 150 people. There’s also a large, exposed campground just behind the hut. Click here for the website. From the hut, it’s another 90 minutes or so of traversing above 3000m to the summit of Ainodake, the 4th highest peak in Japan. The views of Mt. Fuji are just as stunning as they were from Kitadake, as long as the weather is good. If not, then you’re in “no-man’s land” as far as sheltered comfort goes. You’ve got 3 options from the summit. You can either take the right fork and continue along the ridge to the top of Mitsumine-dake (三峰岳) before dropping to the hut and campground at Kuma-no-daira (熊の平), or take the left fork to the summit of Mt. Noutori (農鳥岳), the 3rd and final peak of Shirane-sanzan. Allow around an hour or so to reach Noutori hut (農鳥小屋), which offers similar accomodation to the other huts in the vicinity. Click here for the website. The final option is to retrace your steps back to Kitadake-sansou, following the trail on the right to the Happonba col (八本歯ノコル). It’s an extremely narrow and tight squeeze on a trail reinforced with wooden stairs and ladders. Click here to get an idea of what you’re in store for. At the top of the col, hang a left for the roughly 3 hour ascent back to Hirogawara.

When to go: This hike can be done from early June to early November. The road to Hirogawara is closed in the winter, so it’ll be pretty difficult to get here unless you snowshoe or ski a long way to the trailhead! You could go a little earlier if you’ve got an ice axe and crampons.

Access: From Kofu station (甲府駅), take a bus bound for Hirogawara (広河原). Click here for the bus schedule in Japanese.

Level of difficulty: 4 out of 5 (elevation change 1670m)

Mt. Meakan (雌阿寒岳）

Mt. Meakan is an active volcano located around 20km southwest of Lake Akan in Central Hokkaido. Its current status as an active volcano offers a unique opportunity to stare into the mouth of a hissing volcanic crater.

The hike: From the bus stop, backtrack down the main road for about 100m and you’ll see the hiking trail on your right. The trail starts off in a forested area, where you’ll clamber over exposed tree roots on the heavily traveled path. After about 40 minutes or so, the views will start to open up, and you’ll see the huge, smoldering peak directly in front of you. It looks very close, and indeed it is, but it’ll still take the better part of an hour to reach the crater rim. The vegetation thins out the higher you go, and the summit is not the place you want to be in a thunderstorm, so use common sense if the weather is bad. Once you reach the crater rim, turn left for the short climb to the high point. Marked by a rectangular stone pedestal, the summit offers wonderful views down to Lake Akan, as well as a bird’s eye view of the stinky, hissing, hell-like crater directly below. The conical peak of Akan-fuji towers just to the left of the crater, and on a clear day the peaks of the Hidaka mountains can be seen way off in the distance. From the summit, continue along the rim of the crater towards Onetto (オンネトー). The trail will quickly drop to a saddle at the foot of Akan-fuji. Climb the conical peak if you’ve still got energy and if it’s still relatively early in the day. Otherwise,keep descending on the path towards lake Onetto. You’ll soon enter a forest which becomes quite dense as you approach the lake. Just before reaching the end of the trail, you’ll find a flat, swampy area that looks like a stomping ground for bears, so make sure you have your bear bell with you. The trail ends at a gravel road. Turn right to reach the campground. You could turn left if you want to do the side trip to Yu-no-taki (湯の滝), a hot spring waterfall, but be warned – the free open-air bath has been dismantled in the name of environmental protection, so if you’re expecting a hot bath then you’ll be sorely disappointed. I wouldn’t recommend this side trip as the waterfall isn’t really that big and isn’t gushing out hot water either! Anyway, the campground charges for camping space and the water must be boiled before drinking, so make sure you’ve brought plenty of water with you from Akan-kohan. Walk through the campground and follow the trail that goes around the lake. Lake Onetto is phenomenally beautiful – the emerald green colors put the beaches of Okinawa to shame! About halfway around the lake you’ll find a trail junction on your left. This is the trail back to Meakan-onsen and it’s also an area with a fair number of bears. A late afternoon stroll through here without your bear bell is definitely an accident waiting to happen. It should take about 30 minutes or so to complete the loop back to the hot spring. There are two places to stay at Nonaka-Onsen. The youth hostel is looking a little worse for wear, and was completely booked when I visited, so I opted for the adjacent Kokumin-shukusha, which charges 7000 yen for 2 meals and has one of the best baths in all of Hokkaido. Click here for the website.

Special Note: On November 17, 2008, a small eruption was recorded in the active crater. It is unclear what impact this increased activity will have on the 2009 hiking season, but those approaching in the winter are encouraged to consult with the staff at Meakan-Onsen to get a handle on the current status. Click here for a description in English of the recent volcanic activity.

When to go: This hike can be done from Golden Week to early October, when most of the snow is gone. The road to the trailhead is open all winter, so those with the right experience, equipment, and their own transport could also attempt this in the winter, but I would be very cautious on days with poor visibility and high winds. The road between Meakan hot spring and Onneto is popular with cross-country skiers and snowshoers.

Access: From Kushiro (釧路) station, take a bus for Akan-kohan (阿寒湖畔) and get off at the last stop, which is a large bus terminal. At the bus terminal, change to a bus bound for Onetto (オンネトー) and get off at Nonaka-onsen (野中温泉). Click here for the bus schedule to Akan-kohan. At the time of writing, the bus schedule to Nonaka for 2009 has not been released, but I will provide a link as soon as it is.

Live web cam: Click here

Level of difficulty: 3 out of 5 (elevation change 789m).

Mt. Hijiri (聖岳）

Mt. Hijiri, situated on the border of Nagano and Shizuoka Prefectures, is the southernmost 3000m peak in Japan and home to one of the best panoramic vistas around.

The hike: Although there are several approaches to the peak, I will describe one of the more popular routes via Tayori-ga-shima (便ヶ島). Fill up your water bottles at the picnic area across the road from the mountain hut near the toilets. There’s no water from here until reaching the hut at Hijiri-daira, so take plenty with you. The trail passes over a short hill before reaching a tunnel, where the trail flattens out for a 4km hike on an old boxcar route (the tracks have been pulled up). This area is absolutely stunning when the autumn leaves have changed color. After about an hour of hiking, you’ll reach the end of the road and find a metal box suspended on a pulley system over the river. This interesting contraption has been built to assist hikers in crossing the river, as it’s nearly impossible to cross without wading through frigid water. Use the ropes to pull the carriage towards you, and hop in. It works much better if you’ve got someone else with you to help with all of the pulling. After crossing the river, the trail makes its way through a series of steep switchbacks until reaching an abandoned mountain hut. This would make a really good place to film a horror movie, so I don’t recommend staying in this place unless you’d like to have some nightmares. Continue climbing past the hut, through a small cedar forest and a never-ending series of switchbacks. There are some steep places, but plenty of ropes tied into the hillside to keep you from falling. After about an hour you’ll see a small clearing to your left, which has fantastic views down to the valley below. The path keeps climbing up and up, through a wonder virgin forest filled with beautiful flora. One thing you’ll notice, however, is that a large percentage of the older trees have fallen, which leads me to believe that a massive typhoon must’ve come through here a few decades ago. Because of the dense foliage, you won’t have much of a view of the peaks until just below the main trail junction, so keep a nice steady pace and your fluid intake up. It should take anywhere from 5 to 7 hours to reach aforementioned junction, which sits on the main Minami Alps traverse route. Take your pack off and enjoy the outstanding scenery. From here, you can either turn left for the 3 hour slog to the summit, or save it for the following morning. I would base your decision on the weather and on your physical condition. If you’re going to the hut, then turn right and head downhill past the fences built to keep the deer from trampling the wildflowers. You’ll reach a junction in about 20 minutes, so turn left and follow the wooden planks to the hut. Check into the hut or pitch your tent in anywhere out front. During the ‘off season’, you can stay in the adjacent emergency hut for free. Just bring a warm sleeping bag and plenty of food. The next day, retrace your steps back up to the junction you came from the previous day. From here, the trail climbs up through a wonderful forest towards the summit of Ko-hijiri (小聖岳). You’ll pop out of the tree line just below the summit of this 2600m peak, and you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of Mt Hijiri, Mt. Kamikouchi, Mt. Usagi, and Mt. Fuji. From here, you’ve got a fairly straightforward, switchback laden climb to the summit of Hijiri. It looks close but it’ll take around an hour to reach the top. Take a break and congratulate yourself for climbing the southernmost 3000m peak in Japan! On a clear day you’ll have views of the Chuo and Kita Alps, as well as most of the Minami Alps, Mt. Ena, the peaks of Chichibu-Kai-Tama National Park, Mt. Fuji and Mt. Tanzawa. After a well-deserved break, you can either retrace your steps all the way back to Tayori-ga-shima, or continue on the main trekking route towards Mt. Akaishi.

When to go: This hike can be done from early June to early November, when most of the snow is gone. If you’ve got the right equipment and experience, then you can also do this in the winter, since the hut at Hijiri-daira is converted into an emergency hut from September to June.

Access: This is one hike where you’ll need your own car, unless you come from Sawara-jima or Kita-dake. Alternatively, you could take a taxi from Hiraoka (平岡) station on the JR Iida Line, but it’ll cost you close to 20,000 yen! If you’re rich and want to shell out the money, then tell the taxi driver you want to go to Tayori-ga-shima (便ヶ島) and Hijiri-tozanguchi (聖登山口).

Level of difficulty: 5 out of 5 (elevation change ~2100m).

Mt. Azuma erupts!

Earlier this week, a new vent opened up on the southern side of Mt. Issaikyo in the Azuma mountain range of Fukushima Prefecture.  This is the first volcanic activity in the range in 25 years, and the peak is now officially off limits to climbers.  Here is the description of the hike, so if you’re heading to Azuma anytime soon, it’s best to stick to the western side of the mountain range until further notice.  Luckily, the hiking season is just about over, but those heading in for winter treks are asked to exercise caution.  This photo was taken from the Jododaira blog, and more information can be found there.

The first snowfall of Oze

Snow has finally fallen on the marshlands of Oze. This image was captured this morning by the live webcam just outside of Chozo hut.

Mt. Suisho (水晶岳）

Mt. Suisho, also known as Mt. Kuro, is a spectacular alpine peak located a stone’s throw from Mt. Washiba in the Kita Alps. In fact, most people climb these 2 peaks in succession as a side trip from the main Kamikochi-Tateyama trekking route.

The hike: Follow the same instructions for the Mt. Washiba hike. From the top of Mt. Washiba, continue hiking north on the ridge line (up and over Mt. Warimo) until reaching a junction called Iwakoke-norikoshi (岩苔乗越). If you turn left then you’ll soon reach a 3 way junction down to Kumo-no-taira (雲ノ平), but ignore this and continue on the trail in front of you. In about 30 minutes or so you’ll reach the Suisho hut (水晶小屋). Open from mid-July to mid-September, it’s a very small hut with room for only 30 people. Click here for the website. There’s no reliable water source, so make sure you’ve filled up your bottles at the Mitsumata hut before the climb up to Washiba. Leave your pack in front of the Suisho hut and prepare yourself for the short, adrenalin-inducing climb to the summit. Unlike its close neighbor Washiba, Mt. Suisho is a steep, rocky peak with plenty of chains bolted to make things easier. The views from the peak are stunning to say the least. Retrace your steps back to the hut and make a decision about where to go next. You have 3 options. The first option is to retrace your steps all the way back to Mitsumata and the main trekking route. Option 2 is to retreat back to the junction and descending down to Kumo-no-daira. I must admit that it’s one area of the Northern Alps I have yet to explore, but the area looks spectacular and there’s a hidden hot spring at the end of a long valley. The third option would be to take the only trail you haven’t been on, which will take you across a long saddle and over to an adjacent ridge line. This is the route I took and it should take you about 90 minutes or so to reach Mt. Masago (真砂岳). Just before the summit you’ll find a trail junction that leads down to Yumata Hot Spring (湯俣温泉). This is another of Japan’s hidden hot springs, and there are a couple of huts you can stay at. It really is in the middle of nowhere, and it’ll take a few hours to get there from the junction. Unless you’re anxious to get out of the mountains, I’d recommend staying on the ridge for the time being and climb up and over Mt. Masago. 20 minutes past this peak, you’ll be sitting on top of Mt. Noguchigoro (野口五郎岳), which has incredible views back across the valley to Mt. Suisho. It’s from this vantage point that you can see how Suisho also goes by the name of Mt. Kuro. There’s a hut and plenty of fresh water here. If you’ve still got the energy, then I’d recommend continuing along the ridge to Eboshi hut, which is about 2-1/2 hours further north. Click here for the hut website. I made it all the way from Sugoroku hut to this point in one day, but I was carrying a fairly light pack and was acclimatized to the altitude. There’s plenty of room to camp around the hut and the sunsets are magical. The next day, wake up early and traverse about 40 minutes further north to the summit of Mt. Eboshi (烏帽子岳), one of the 200 famous mountains. The final rock climb to the summit is pretty challenging, but fun. You can continue climbing on the ridge line all the way to Hakuba if you’d like, but please make sure you take a right when descending to the river and not a left, or you’ll end up at Kurobe lake and not at the top of Mt. Harinoki. If you’d like to get out of the mountains, then it’s a 4-hour hike from Eboshi hut to Takase dam (高瀬ダム), which is an 8000 yen taxi ride out to Shinani-Omachi (信濃大町) station. You could also try your luck hitching.

When to go: This hike can be done from late May to early November. Just like the neighboring peaks of the Kita Alps, Mt. Suisho is considered an expert climb in the winter, and challenging even during Golden Week because of all the remaining snow.

Access: From Takayama (高山駅) station, take a bus bound for Shin-Hotaka Hot Spring (新穂高温泉) and get off at the last stop. Click here for the bus schedule. There are also buses from Matsumoto station (松本駅) in Nagano, and there may even be direct night buses from Tokyo.

Level of difficulty: 5 out of 5 (elevation change 1896m).