Torisawa Station to Otsuki Station

 Greetings cave critters.

I went for a hike from Torisawa Station on the Chuo train line to Otsuki Station on the same line the other day.  I've hiked quite a bit in this area before, but only on the north side of the Chuo Line.  The hills to the south offer some perspective on places I've been before and I really like that.  This isn't the most photogenic time of year though, so I didn't get that many great pictures.  I'll just put up a few today.  

Bonus points if you spot the photobomber.

Mt Gangaharasuri is one of those mountains.  It's view of Fuji is famous because it used to be on the 5 yen note.  Last year I climbed it two weeks in a row and missed seeing Fuji because of clouds both times.

Mt Iwadono stands out when you take the Chuo Line out to Yamanashi.  It's worth climbing if you're in the area and have some spare time.  The view of Otsuki from it is really neat.

Saruhashi ("Monkey Bridge") Station is another station between Torisawa and Otsuki so if you are interested in hiking in this area there is a shorter option than the route I chose.  I'm a glutton for punishment.  I like to get in as much distance as I can during these days with lots of sunlight.  

Incidentally, the Saruhashi that the station is named after is worth taking a peek at if you're in the area.  There is a little gorge and a famous old bridge.  It's not that big a deal though.  Only if you're in the area.

https://www.google.co.jp/maps/place/Kai+Saruhashi/@35.6155932,138.9800679,17z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x601941987b67b1e9:0xffd552fe490c29dd!8m2!3d35.6157453!4d138.9802273?hl=en

More in the near future.  Take care.  I hope you can see and appreciate something beautiful today.

Lk 5:16

Off the beaten Path

 Hello cave critters.

As it's rainy season and I have had some other things going on in life, my last few hikes have been less exciting than most.  I didn't even take any pictures on the last one before yesterday's.

Even though I haven't been anywhere particularly "exciting", that doesn't mean that it hasn't been worthwhile.  Yesterday I took a walk from Takao Station and went in a big circle to the south of Mt Takao.  Takao is a little mountain, and the hills on this side are even smaller.  There are a few nice viewpoints but that really is of no matter during rainy season!  With not too much change in elevation, it is possible to pack in more miles of distance.   And, even off the beaten path, there is lots of cool stuff to see.  I was particularly surprised that this path is dotted with lots of wood carvings like these.

Yuck

I saw a pretty cool frog too, but I couldn't get him to pose.

Looking down at the Sagami River between Sagamiko and Tsuiko

This place is called Ukai Toriyama.  Pretty snazzy.  This is probably a 15-minute walk from Takaosanguchi Station.  I had seen this on the net once when my wife was looking for a place to watch fireflies.  I was surprised to stumble upon it in person yesterday.  Pretty classy joint.  https://www.ukai.co.jp/toriyama/

Until next time . . .

 

Golden Week on Kobushigatake

 

Hello cave dwellers.  Leave your club at the door and pull a rock up to the fire.  Let me share some cave drawings with you.  

I took an overnight trip to Kobushigatake on Tuesday and Wednesday.  It was my 3rd time on that mountain.  I have on the trails to its south, west and north.  This trip was because I wanted to take the trail to the east so as to bag Mts. Happu and Karisakarei.

Kobushigatake is a great mountain!  Some of my favorite pictures have come from my treks around it.

Even though the tenting area at the Kobushi Goya (hut/lodge) was full, it didn't seem crowded.  Everyone is so considerate about noise and not getting in each other's way.  I generally like people that hike anyway.  I find a lot of kindred spirits on a mountain like Kobushi.

This is the lodge itself.  It's only open from late spring until early winter.  Indeed, there was enough snow around that many hikers were wearing crampons in the area.  I left mine at home and regretted it.  I took a look at the koya's blog just now and saw that it had snowed last night and covered the tenting area.  

https://kobu2475.exblog.jp/

Reservations, etc. can be found here https://secure.kobushigoya.net/.

This is some swag I bought at the goya on my first trip up.  This is called 手拭 ("te" new" "goo" "ee"), which means hand towel.  At the bottom of the hand towel, you can see some stamps.  They have some cool rubber stamps in the lodge.  I always make sure I put a stamp on this towel and on whatever book I've brought with me to pass the time overnight.

The people that run the Kobushi goya are so nice.  When the master of the lodge heard that this was my third visit, he presented me with this bandana.  Thanks!

Even though visibility wasn't the greatest on this trip, the mountains never cease to dazzle me.

One thing I noticed on the way down was the smell of deer.  If you have followed this blog, you know that I rescued some antlers off a deer carcass a few months back.  In order to clean the stubs up, since they had some flesh still attached, I boiled them.  The other day when I was descending from Karisakarei, I realized that I recognized a strong scent that I first encountered when boiling those antlers.  Pretty cool.

Caught a glimpse of this guy (fox) crossing the street near the Mitomi Michi no Eki.  I am lucky I got this snap.  He was a good 100 yards away.  If he had not stopped and looked both ways, I wouldn't have gotten my phone out in time.

That's all for a while.  I have some stuff to take care of next week and won't be in the mountains again for at least two weeks.  Take care.  Make sure to leave your email address to stay posted.

Otsuki-shi to Uenohara-shi hike

Greetings cave dwellers.  I hiked from Yanagawa Station to Uenohara Station (on the Chuo Line between Takao and Otsuki) yesterday.  

Unfortunately, I lost my binoculars.  😢😢😢Now I can't 👀as far as I used to.

I'll just put a few pictures up.  Visibility wasn't great, so there aren't many to choose from.  Too bad.  One spot had what would be a great view of Fuji.

This day I was hiking to the south of Koshu Kaido (Route 20) and the Chuo Line for the first time.  This picture is looking north to the other side.  I've hiked these mountains in the picture below before.  

I really, really like seeing places from different perspectives.

Passing through the residential area between the trailhead and the station I was impressed by the flower gardens in private homes.

Next week I am planning an overnight to Kobushigatake.  I am looking forward to that.  It will be interesting to see how crowded it will be during this year's Golden Week.

 

Mountains rock

Greetings cave dwellers.

I had a full day of doctor's appointments this day.  If I were to compare it to car maintenance, I would say they checked under my hood and kicked my tires.  They checked my oil and other fluids ran computer diagnostics and tested my emissions.

I was kind of depressed about this health check because for more than a year my schedule has allowed me to go hiking every Wednesday and I didn't want to break my streak.

On the way home from the hospital I realized that I could get in a short hike if I hurried.  I got home at 3:30, was out the door by 3:40, and on a trail by 4:15.  I was able to get in a few miles and was on my way home not long after dark.  It wasn't as far as I would have liked and there wasn't that much to see but just being in the woods is so rejuvenating.  

I've been on these particular mountains several times but never at this time of day.  The sights and sounds were different at twilight than during the morning or afternoon hours.  The sound of the birds singing around sunset was particularly exquisite.

This area is just a few miles from Musashi-Itsukaichi Station and is accessible by bus or car.  There is trout fishing and camping nearby.  It's near the Jurigi intersection and not far from the Seoto no yu onsen.

Thank God for nature.  Thank you to the Japanese for keeping the mountains clean.

I did this hike during the golden hour but, unfortunately, this area doesn't have many great views.

Make sure to subscribe to stay up to date.  I should have an interesting report next week.

The Glory of Point of Sale Selling/100 Famous Mountains' Swag

Welcome cave dwellers.  Let me tell you about the 100 Famous Mountains.  In Japanese 100 Famous Mountains is written 百名山 and pronounced "hyaku meizan".

In 1964, a mountaineer by the name of Kyuya Fukada wrote a book about what he determined were Japan's most famous 100 mountains.  The content has become a bucket list for many hikers.  The present emperor was hiking his way through all the mountains on the list until he had to give up hiking when he ascended the throne.  (I would have given up becoming emperor if I were given the choice.)

I've climbed 9 of them.  That basically includes most of the ones I can get to for a day trip or, at most, a one-night stay.  I want credit for climbing more than 9 though.   Some of them I've climbed 5 or 6 times.  (Did I say 9?  It's 10.  Of all mountains to forget, I forgot to include Fuji among my list.)

Yesterday I returned to one of the 100, Mt Daibosatsurei.  The lodge at the Daibosatsurei Pass sells a lot of swag.  When I get the chance to do one of the 100 for the first time, I always buy some memento, usually a badge.  I wasn't planning to buy anything yesterday because I already had something.

Some of the things the lodge sells are banners and noren* which list the mountains.  Seeing this, I thought it would be a cool topic for a post and whipped out my iphone to take a picture.  *( Noren are traditional Japanese fabric dividers hung between rooms, on walls, in doorways, or in windows. They usually have one or more vertical slits cut from the bottom to nearly the top of the fabric, allowing for easier passage or viewing. )

When I pointed my phone at the noren, I encountered this sign:

I took the point well.  Since I put so much effort into posting my pictures on this blog, I'm a little sensitive to the idea of stealing images and don't want to do something similar to someone else.  (I hope they don't mind I took a picture of the sign.)

The sign worked.  I bought a banner.  I like it.

You can see each of the 100 listed with their elevations.

This is my badge for Mt. Daibosatsurei.

I get a kick out of the use of the word "EIKO" on this badge.  Eiko translates to glory.  It often makes me chuckle because Japanese like the word eiko and use it at times we probably wouldn't use glory. 

Up it has gone onto the wall of my second mancave.  (As you know, my real mancave is the mountains.)

That's probably my last post for a few weeks.  I can't go to the mountains again for another 15 (but who's counting?) days.  It's just as well.  My hiking boots are at the cobbler for some needed repairs.

Take care.  I hope you can enjoy something beautiful today.

 

Just about the perfect day on Mt Daibosatsurei. 大菩薩嶺

 

Welcome cave dwellers.

One of my favorite mountains is Mt Daibosaturei.

Yesterday was one of my favorite trips up it.

Grab a handful of trail mix and let me show you some stuff.

This mountain has a lot going for it.  Some of the views are really breathtaking and from different parts of the trails, you can see in all four directions of the compass. 

 

This lodge at the Daibosatsurei Pass is one of the many lodges in the area.  There are also family campgrounds and the like in the area.  Many of the facilities are accessible by car and not that far from the mountain so this mountain is family-friendly.  There are also more arduous trails available for more of a workout.  The route I chose yesterday was 20 miles.  It didn't feel that long because it was so much fun!

I bought some swag here yesterday.  I think I will make another blog post about that.

Mt Fuji!

Missed it?  Look again.  Unfortunately, Fuji was playing hide and seek today.

Peanut butter on homemade banana bread.  This bread is really yummy even though it's healthy.  Comment for the recipe.

One of the wonderful things about yesterday's trek was that I didn't see many people.  I don't think I saw more than 10 hikers the whole day.  I felt like I had the mountaintop all to myself.  

This mountaintop is so unremarkable that they didn't even write the name on the marker.  I liked the name, though so I stopped by.  The name is 中指, "Nakayubi", which translates to "Middle Finger" in English.

This is a kamoshika.  It's a serow, in English.  Sometimes they are called Japanese antelope.  I bumped into this guy near dusk.  For all the time I spend in the mountains, this is only the third time I have seen one.