Festivus 2025's Futago Feats of Strength. Sunrise on Mt. Futago in Yatsugatake.

 

Festivus

Every year when it's time to celebrate another trip around the sun on or about my birthday, I celebrate my own festivus a la Frank Costanza with some feat of strength.  

This year it occurred to me that I'd like to see a sunrise from a mountaintop.  I chose one of the nearest mountains of the Yatsugatake Range and headed up there yesterday morning.  I climbed Mt. Futago (双子山) from the Ogawahara Pass (大河原峠).

Since the days are so long and the sunrise is so early now, when I finished I realized I still had a lot of time to kill before work and decided to do a trail run while I was up in that area.  I ran along the forest road to the Futago Ike (双子池) and back.  

It was a win-win morning!  Two treks in one morning.  All before work.   It made me nostalgic for days like this:  

I almost didn't go yesterday.  I already had planned not to go on my actual birthday* because the weather report is bad.  (*Just 1 shopping day left!  Hurry!  No time to shop?  Cash is ok, too.)  I was on the fence about going yesterday morning.  The weather forecast was better than the one for my birthday but still wasn't ideal. It kept forecasting clouds.  Just before I closed my eyes the previous night, I looked at the weather one more time and decided not to go.

Then I woke up at 2 am--as men my age seem to do.  Since I was up, I figured, "What the heck?"  and decided to go.  It worked out just fine.  It was not a picture-perfect sunrise but I did see it.  Actually, the two mountains nearest to where I was were shrouded in clouds.  If I had chosen one of them, I would have missed the sunrise.

. . . about Mt. Futago

By the way, Futago (双子) means twin(s).  It actually gets its name from a pair of ponds called Futagoike (双子池) below it.

Futago is a mountain on the northern end of the Yatsugatake Range.  It's quite close to the Ogawahara Pass Parking Lot on the Tateshina Skyline.  It's also close to the Futago Ike Campground by the Futago Ponds.

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 Mt. Futago.

Starting and stopping point: Ogawahara Pass

Peaks bagged: Futago (双子山)

(First-time) peaks # --

Getting there/getting around:  

Car

Helpful Info

Weather Information: 

Mt. Tateshina Weather Report in English

Tateshina Weather in Japanese

Time and distance

(For the hike)

Total Time: About an hour and a half--but you could be up and back in about 30 minutes, probably.  Break time: About 40 minutes  Distance:  2.5 km

Elevation:  Lowest: 2,058 m Highest: 2,223 m Total Ascent: 198 m  Total Descent: 198 m

(For the run)

Total Time: Under an hour.  I'm not sure  Break time: About 10 minutes or so taking pictures and chatting with the hut's manager  Distance:  7.6 km

Elevation:  Lowest: 2,040 m Highest: 2,090 m Total Ascent: 190 m  Total Descent:  190 m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  

This is a super-easy hike.  It's almost not worth doing on its own--except for my goal of catching a sunrise.

Facilities:  

There is a public restroom at the Ogawahara Parking Lot.  There are also (paid) restrooms at the Futago Hutte Campground.  The campground has tenting sites as well as indoor accommodations and some food and swag for sale.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  

Mt. Futago is nice but I wouldn't make it the only destination if you come to the area.  I would combine it with a longer hike, including some of the other peaks around it.  You might also want to make it an overnight trip and stay at the Futagoike Hutte or Campground.

This is such a nice area.  It's just 26 km (a little over 15 miles) from my place to the Ogawahara Pass.  I'm so spoiled to be able to enjoy these places.  I'll really miss them when it's time to move on in life.

I am so grateful for another year of life.  I'm thankful for the legs to carry me to these places, and for the senses to enjoy all the sights, sounds, and smells when I get to them.

Happy Festivus, Everyone!

Here are some pics

The hike

The run

Part 1--the sunrise

I was going to be too early.

I got to the top well before sunrise.  I just kept walking further down the trail to kill time.

I was on top for about a half hour.  Normally, I wouldn't do that.  I like to bag peaks and don't usually stop for more than 5 minutes or so at a time.  I was really surprised at the amount of bugs up there when you stand still.

Looking westward.

One of those is Otake and one it Kitayoko.

On the trail back to the car.

Part 2

The run to the Futago Hut/Campground

One of the two ponds.

No swimming.

No fishing.

No camping right on the shore.

No touching the water.

I'm almost surprised they allow us to look at it.

The other of the ponds

These are behind the hut

Back to the car.  These people these new arrivals thought they were early.  😂

Well, that's all for this festivus.

If you want to see more of this area, check out this hike encompassing Futago and Mt. Tateshina.

Want videos of the area?  Check out this playlist.

Make sure you subscribe.

I love comments.  I'll take comments in lieu of birthday presents or cash for the next 24 hours only.  Hurry now, while the offer lasts!   Don't forget.  It's the cash thought that counts.

Caveman, out.

Lake to Summit. Lake Shibarako to 100 Famous Mountain, Mt. Tateshina.

 

. . . about Mt. Tateshina and Lake Shirakaba

Well, astute readers will know all about Mt. Tateshina because I last covered it just two weeks ago.  If you're not astute, go find that post.  (It's here:  Tateshina by bike)  (Are you back already?)  Lake Shirakaba maybe new to you.  It is a resort area to the west of Mt. Tateshina nestled down below between the Yatsugatake Range and Mt. Kirigamine to the west.  The lake area is a popular place for runners; many high schools and colleges have training facilities there for their track and field clubs.  Along with several ski areas around Shirakaba, there are onsens, canoes, kayaks, hotels, a teddy bear museum, and a small amusement park are just a few of the attractions available around the lake.

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 Tateshina.

Starting and stopping point: Parking Lot near Tonyagawa Bus Stop

Peaks bagged: Yashigamineseihou(八子が峰西峰) ~ Yashigaminetouhou (八子が峰東峰) ~ Tateshina (蓼科山)＊ *100 Famous Mountain

(First-time) peaks # 927 and 928

Getting there/getting around:  

I drove.  Alpico does have bus service from Chino Station to Lake Shirakaba but the buses are seasonal and run infrequently.

Helpful Info

Weather Information: 

Tenkura's weather forecast for Tateshina

Mountainforecast.com's forecast for Tateshina

Time and distance

YAMAP's estimate: 12:07

Yama to Kogen's estimate: 10:40

Actual Time:  9:21 Break time: :34  Distance:  23.5 km

Elevation:  Lowest: 1,419 m Highest: 2,530 m Total Ascent: 1,734 m  Total Descent: 1,734 m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  

From the lake up to the assault on the peak is fairly gentle and really quite pleastant.  There are wide fields of sasa (bamboo grass) with bevies of deer snacking away.

Mt. Tateshina is a bit steep on the final approaches of whatever trail you use.  Much of the hike is above the treeline through boulder fields where you'll need to climb using chains and ropes.  Thankfully, they are conveniently already in place.

The descent from the Tateshina Sanso starts with a dry creekbed which gradually becomes wider and wider until it is a large expanse of scree all the way down to the first turn at the Takinoyu River where the trail conditions change.  Scree isn't that fun to walk on and I most definitely wouldn't want to have to traverse it in heavy rain.  I imagine it would be treacherous.

The real hard work of the hike is over at this point.  The trail paralleling the river is pleasant.  There is still a lot of distance to cover before getting back to the lake, though.

Facilities:  

There is a public restroom and waterhole near where I parked by the lake.  Among the myriad of touristy things around the lake, the Shirakaba Resort has an onsen available to daytrippers.  For shy foreigners, it's worth noting that it is a mixed bathing facility and that they provide everyone with a bathing suit.  I was actually planning on going in after my hike but the ¥2,000 price tag turned me off.

On the trail, you pass a few ski resorts.  I suppose there are vending machines and public restrooms there.

At the Suzuran Pass, there is a public restroom and parking.

Below the top of Tateshina at 将軍平 (Shogun Flats--how cool is that name--) is the Tateshina Sanso  Hut and on top of Tateshina is the Tateshina Sancho Hutte.  Both places have sleeping accommodations and food but no tenting area.  Both places have great swag.  I bought a t-shirt at the Sancho Hutte a few weeks ago that has become a favorite already.

It's not marked on the trail as a waterhole, but I got water from the Takinoyu River (滝の湯川) on the latter half of my trek.  I hit that about one hour after passing the Tateshina Sanso.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  

If you can, put Tateshina on your bucketlist.  The lake is also nice to see.  If you want a nice walk but aren't into climbing, you could opt for a walk around the lake and enjoy a soft serve ice cream cone on a bench while taking in the views.

I guess the most popular trailheads are from the Tateshina Tozanguchi at the Suzuran Pass, Ogawahara Pass (inaccessible by car in winter) or by the trailhead at Mt. Tateshina's Seventh Station Parking Lot.  (I have climbed Tateshina from the Ogawahara Pass and from the 7th Station after first biking up there.)  If you go via the Ogawahara Pass or from the Seventh Station and only piston (straight up and back) to Tateshina, you could do the hike in 4 or 5 hours.  Suzuran Pass is a bit longer.  My route from Lake Shirakaba is for people who are gluttons for punishment who want to put in a lot of miles.  In the past, I went from Ogawahara Pass and took in Mt. Futago as well as Tateshina.

Well, that's pretty much it for that

Here are some pictures.

 This is Lake Shirakaba

Looking up at Tateshina from the starting point.

Not a lot of bus service here.

Not far from the lake is Zeni Iwa.

They found a lot of old coins here and the theory is that this was the stash of a warlord by the name of Shingen Takeda.

Looking back down at the lake.

The deer love this bamboo grass.

Thankfully, there was a clear path through it.  This stuff is miserable to have to bushwhack through.

Sometimes it is over your head and you cannot see where you are going.

Bambi!

One of many ski lifts on the way

Yashigamineseihou (West Peak, Mt. Yashigamine)

Yashigamine Touhou (East Peak)

Cherry blossoms, still!

Suzuran Pass

(There are restrooms here.)

From here the hike gets more serious

Trailhead at Suzuran Pass

There is a lot of this on the way up.

Actually, it's pretty clear to anyone who has seen Tateshina from a distance that it must be like this.

There are no trees anywhere near the top.

I walked through those ski areas below.  The Lake is on the right side of the picture.

The pin on top.

2,530 meters

The Tateshina Sancho Hutte

The t-shirt I bought has a marten on it.  I think I might have actually seen a marten on this day.  Some small animal scurried across my path too quickly for me to identify it.

Coming down from the top is pretty steep and rocky.

The first time I climbed here was in the snow.

About a half hour ~ one hour below the top is this place, the Tateshina Sanso.

It has really good swag, too, but I've never bought anything here.

I saw a couple that were really at a loss for which t-shirt to buy because there were too many to choose from.

After the Tateshina Sanso, the trail is a dry creekbed of scree.

Looking west.  The lake is below.

Mt. Kuruma is a wonderful mountain.  

In the distance you can see the Northern Alps.

After leaving the scree, the trail becomes gentle again.

The Takiyu River

I came out of the woods here and walked along the paved road back to the Suzuran Pass where I re-traced my steps back down to the lake.

I wistfully took this picture.  My initial plan had been for an overnighter.  I wanted to climb Amigisa, Amida, Akadake and Gongen.  Rain in the forecast thwarted that plan, though.😰

This guy has got game.

I would love to have taken a close-up shot of this couple because their picnic lunch was magazine-cover-level classy.  They had a folding table with linen, real silverware, china, glass goblets . . . with--what would be on a clear day--a second-to-none view of Mt. Fuji.

The license plate shows they are from Tokyo, so this took some planning. 

Hats off, anonymous guy

.

Gals, find you a guy that treats you like this guy treats his gal.

Back to the lake.

Well, cavepeeps.  That's all for today.

I enjoyed that hike a lot.

If you want to see more of the area, check out Mt. Kuruma in snow

or Washigamine in snow.

Make sure you subscribe.

Have a good one.

Caveman out.