Mostly Japanese Mountains: Sunrise over Mt. Asama, a volcano I've been dying to see

S'up?

What's going on, cavedwellers?

I'm a bit worse for wear today. As I was returning from my hike this morning, I felt fatigue and muscle aches I don't usually feel. It was not until I started writing this post and did some reflection that I realized what was going on. I was not tired from just today. It's the cumulative effects of my activities over the last month. I realized that in 10 outings this month, I logged 150 km. A lot of that was trail running, so my knees have taken more of a pounding than usual. No wonder my middle-aged body was rebelling.

Waking up at 1:00 am and heading toward a mountain for the sunrise may have something to do with fatigue. Ya think? 🤔

Regardless of the fatigue, it's been worth it. I walk (and run) so much because I like it, and I've scratched some satisfying things off my bucket list.

. . . about Mt. Asama

This is an active volcano and has been off-limits for the past three years because of the possibility of eruption. It's the most active volcano on the main island of Honshu and the Japanese Meteorological Agency classifies it as A. Whatever that means.

On May 22 of this year, the eruption alert level was lowered to Level 1, and hikers have been allowed to get to within 500 meters of the caldera. Due to the air quality, there is still that restriction. The adjacent peak called Maekake is climbable, but the actual peak of Asama, at 2,568 meters, is still off-limits.

Area:

This is on the border of Gunma and Nagano Prefectures. Asama is at the highest and easternmost extremity of a ridge that runs about 15 km from Karuizawa in the east to Mts. Yunomaru and Eboshi in Tomi City in the west. Between Asama and those peaks, there are several ski areas, an athletic center for training at high elevations, a high elevation wetland, and many lodges and onsens. It's a great place for outdoor sports all year round.

One of the first bucket lists that I completed upon moving here was to bag every peak along that ridge--except for Maekake and Asama, of course. I have had so many great experiences taking in the flowers, observing the wildlife such as serows and deer, and snowshoeing throughout the area.

Location:

Map: ***If you want a link to the latest Yama to Kogen map, comment and I'll get you a link. This link is to a printable topo map of this area.

Starting and stopping point:

Tengu Onsen/Asama Sanso

Peaks bagged: Asama/Maekake(浅間山・前掛山)

(First-time) peaks # 1,112

Getting there/getting around:

I drove.

A bus from Komoro Station can take you to the Asama Tozanguchi Bus Stop--about a 50-minute walk from the onsen. If you're going by public transportation, the Takamine Hotel at the Kurumazaka Pass is probably easier.

Helpful Info

Weather Information:

Tenkura weather forecast for Maekake

Time and distance

YAMAP's Estimate Time: 7:22 Distance: 12.7 km

The Caveman did it in: Total Time: 5:22 Break time: :25 Distance: 13.8 km

Elevation: Lowest: 1,411 m Highest: 2,524 m Total Ascent: 1,236 m Total Descent: 1,236 m

Technical considerations/difficulty:

Nothing technical. There are no ropes, chains or ladders to speak of. It can get windy above the treeline.

Facilities:

My starting point was at the Asama Sanso/Tengu Onsen. There is lodging there and an onsen. There are also horses that you can lead around and, I think, probably ride.

About halfway up the trail, at a free resthouse called the Kazankan, there are public pay toilets.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:

This is something I've been hoping to do since moving to the area three years ago. I'm disappointed that it got cloudy before the sun came up, and I wish the caldera were visible from Mt. Maekake. Still, it was a great hike, and I'm glad that I did shoot for sunrise because I had the mountain to myself, and it is getting busy these days. I'm not the only one who has had an eye on the alert levels, and many hikers are making a beeline to Asama to cross it off their bucket list.

(Along with all the regular stuff such as maps, headlamps, boots, feet, and brains, . . .) don't forget:

to make use of technology. One of the apps I have is called peakvisor. It's main function is to identify the mountains in your pictures. One function of Peakvisor that I used on this trip was to identify the time of the sunrise and the exact place the sun would rise. This helped me point my smartphone in the right direction in anticipation. (Unfortunately, the sun was hidden behind clouds, but I knew where it was.)

Let's look at some pictures.

This is what Asama looks like in winter. Doesn't it look like a chocolate dessert dusted with confectioner's sugar?

The Tengu Onsen has parking for ¥500.

The other option for a trailhead is by the Kurumazaka Pass by the Takamine Hotel.

I've been to both places numerous times. My choice of this particular trailhead on this morning came down to a simple matter of time. The Takamine trailhead is about 8 minutes further up the road.