I spent yesterday and today in the area straddling Doshi and Akiyama Villages in Yamanashi. Yesterday I was in Doshi, on the east. Today I dropped by Akiyama to the north and west. These were my last days of vacation and I had wanted to overnight somewhere but everywhere that I wanted to go (up high) got a good dumping of snow this week. I like snow--but not in April. I really was at a loss for what to do and opted to spend a little time in some out-of-the-way spots. Yesterday's weather was fairly miserable and today's was spectacular. You can tell from these pictures taken from the same spot on successive days.
Yesterday, I started in a little hamlet off the Doshi Michi (Route 413) and hiked nearly 15 miles. Because of the overcast, I didn't see much.
Today, I started from Tomioka Iriguchi in Akiyama Village, Uenohara City, Yamanashi. I bagged a few peaks before joining the trail I walked yesterday for a while and then turning back to my starting point on a logging road. Part of my reason for making these plans was this chance to connect the dots. Maybe it's OCD but I just like to connect the trails I've walked. I was tickled pink when I finally could trace an unbroken trail from my house to the top of Mt. Fuji. Heck, I can trace my footsteps from Tokyo Station to the top of Mt. Fuji.
The weather was spectacular today and it was all-around more pleasant than yesterday.
The logging road paralleled a beautiful stream and I really like walking by running water.
Gradually farms started to pop up here and there along that road. It was a beautiful road. All the residents have green thumbs and each home had plenty of flowers and flowering trees.
After that, my dogs were barking. This felt great!
That's all for now. I don't think I will be able to get out for a few weeks. Until then . . .
I had the chance to take a walk with a friend through Showa Memorial Park in Tachikawa today. I was pleasantly surprised to see the cherry blossoms were in better bloom than I had expected.
The park is a great place for lots of activities. There are rental boats, rental barbecue areas, a waterpark, lots of amusements for kids, a frisbee golf course, many places to eat, miles of bike paths, fireworks in the summer . . . it's a great place. Admission for adults is ¥450. The nearest station is Nishi Tachikawa but you can get there from Tachikawa, Higashi Nakagami or Musashi Sunagawa stations.
Check these links for the lowdown. Look carefully. There are days admission is free!
This dog was posing for a professional photographer. (Actually, you can see lots of professional models and their photogs at this park. It's just that this is the first canine one I've seen.)
While you're here, check out this post. But only if you care about puppies.
Greetings visiting spelunkers. Welcome back to my man cave.
Today's explorations brought me back to the shores of Lake Kawaguchi and its surrounding mountains.
Lake Kawaguchi is in the prefecture of Yamanashi and is one of 5 lakes around Mt. Fuji which together are called--wait for it--the Fuji 5 Lakes. (Who saw that coming?)
This area is beautiful and is treasured as a tourist destination year-round. There's fishing, camping, flower-viewing in spring and summer, foliage to enjoy in the fall and spectacular views of Mt. Fuji in the winter. If nature isn't your bag, you can enjoy the popular Fuji Q Highland amusement park.
The pointy mountain near the middle of this picture was the main destination for the day. It's called Kurodake, (黒岳), Black Mountain in English.
Whatever public transportation you get to the area on, your first stop in the area is most likely Kawaguchiko Station. That's a bus and a train terminal. From there, most people take a local bus to their final destinations. This link can give you more info.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6905.html
I'm a cheapskate and I like to walk anyway so I just started walking from Kawaguchiko Station. It meant walking on the street for an hour before getting to the trailhead but most of that walk was over and around the lake. It's a win-win.
I took this picture from the bridge over the lake. My initial plan was to descend at Shindo Pass (the yellow line) but spaced out and missed the turnoff. When I realized my mistake, I just decided to press on to the next pass. I hate to turn back.
If you wanted to follow the same route I did but start from the lake rather than way back at the station, think Hirose Bus Stop ( 広瀬バス停) near the Shuhoukaku Kogetsu onsen would be a good starting point.
The first interesting thing I encountered was a ratty, closed-for-the-day gift shop. The shop sells already-made models of WWII weapons. Especially Japanese warplanes. There was a smattering of Japanese battleships and carriers but there must have been about 10 zeroes on the shelf. As far as non-Japanese planes, I noticed there were 2, maybe 3 corsairs. Tellingly, no B-29s or B-24s. When I got past the building and saw what was outside, I was in for a surprise.
Wow! That was unexpected.
I would like to have gone into the yard for a closer look but there were signs all over that said "No Entry" (立ち入り禁止). Those signs and the vibe I'd just picked up after looking at the shop's shelves were all the deterrent I needed. LOL. One of the reviews on googlemaps seemed to confirm for me that it was probably best to stay outside.
Soon after that place, the trail started. It was quite steep a lot of the way. This rope at the very start of the trail was just a hint of what lay ahead.
The morning was warm and clear. I was treated to many beautiful views of Fuji.
Unfortunately, it got cloudy about noon so Fuji started to hide even before I got to my first peak.
Did I mention there were a lot of ropes?
It really is a pity that Fuji went into hiding. I walked along this ridge after taking this picture and, were it not for the clouds, would have had unobstructed views of Fuji all along the way.
The city of Fuefuki must have laid out a bit of dough to build this. They must expect crowds because there are two of these brand new observation decks they just built near the Shindo Pass.
I had them all to myself. One of the nice things about today's hike is that I saw only 3 people in the mountains all day.
Mt. "Nkattou" (actually, "Nakattou") on the far right is one of the last mountains of my day.
That's all for today. Drop by the cave again.
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