Mostly Japanese Mountains: Mt. Arafune/Kyozuka

Location: Saku City, Nagano and Minaminomaki, Gunma

Starting and stopping point: （Near here)　Arafunedoshita Parking Lot

Peaks bagged: Mt. Kyozuka

(First-time) peaks　None

Getting there/getting around: Car

Map: Yama to Kogen Chizu #21 西上州　妙義山・荒船山

Weather Information: Mt. Arafune's weather (not too far away)

Total Time: 1:57 Break time: :04 Distance: 4.5km

Elevation: Lowest: 1,017m Highest: 1,422m Total Ascent: 430m Total Descent: 430m

Technical considerations/difficulty: There are some steep slopes off the side of the trail but there are no parts that are difficult to climb. The signage is old and hard to read but if you pay attention, you shouldn't get lost.

Facilities: Nothing.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations: This hike doesn't have much to recommend for views. Better views are to be had on the other end of Mt. Arafune at Tomonoiwa.

Speaking of "Mt. Arafune", the naming of this mountain is odd. The peak I went to today is called "Mt. Arafune (Mt. Kyozuka)" and down the trail a little bit, at a much lower point, is "Mt. Arafune." The mind boggles. Why not choose one distinct name for each place? I'm often puzzled by the names of mountains (and streets and towns and people . . . ) here.

Today's listening: The Great Detectives Jeff Regan Before Jack Webb was Joe Friday, he played a few private detectives in noir dramas. Jeff Regan was one radio show. He was also Pat Novak for hire. Those shows are a hoot. Some of the one-liners he delivers are so funny:

“It was hard to figure. It was like trying to throw a saddle on a porpoise.”
“I had about as much chance as a snowball in a Turkish bath.”
“When she said, ‘Hello,’ it melted all over you, like honey on a hot biscuit.”
“He was crumpled up against the desk and she was staring down at him as if she forgot to water the plants.”

(h/t to this site https://thrillingdetective.com/2020/09/22/jeff-regan-2/)