07/02/2019 / Last updated : 29/01/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Mt.Shirane Yugama and Manza Onsen　白根山湯釜

Summer 2018, Route 292 Our plan for the day was to walk around Mt.Shirane Yugama, a crater lake above Kusatsu. On arrival, we find this is not possible, as the area is still closed after the sudden eruption of last January. Consequently, we decide to drive around and approach from the other side via route 292. We take the toll road (Manza highway) to Manza onsen where we pick up R.292 again and drive to the highest point on a national road – 2,172 meters. This is, of course, pointless but the views are magnificent. On this route, the toll road bit, I was surprised to see two serow; presumably […]

22/01/2019 / Last updated : 29/01/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Lake Nozori & Agatsuma-kyo　野反湖、吾妻峡

Lake Nozori As the forecast for Nikko is still bad, we make for Kusatsu, via a coin laundry in Numata. On the road to Kusatsu, we make a side trip to visit Nozoriko or Lake Nozori. This proves to be further than anticipated and at the end of a long and winding road. It is steep and very narrow, which is fine, but we repeatedly meet dump trucks coming down as, we discover, there is a quarry half way up. We reach a car park overlooking the lake, but high above it, and realize that there are various hiking routes around the lake and over nearby peaks. This is all […]

08/01/2019 / Last updated : 29/01/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Oze wetland hiking　尾瀬

Summer 2018, Hatomachi Touge　鳩待峠 From michi-no-eki Shirasawa, we drive to Hatomachi touge (Pass) to begin our walk. The road, to the trail entrance, is open so we don’t need to take the expected shuttle bus but pay the unexpected 2500 yen parking fee. We have to wait about 15 minutes for a parking space. The attendant assures us one will soon become vacant. How he knows this is a mystery. A bluff based on experience? While we wait, we watch a construction company helicopter take off, perhaps 20 meters from us. We are advised to close all windows as the construction workers hose down the area to lay the dust. […]

06/01/2019 / Last updated : 29/01/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Michi-no-eki in the Oze area

Summer 2018, Oze Hinoematamura michi-no-eki. Michi-no-eki Oze Hinoematamura is very good for a restful night but even in mid-August it was cold. The morning temperature was 9 degrees and our thin sleeping bags not enough even with a blanket. Very early, we put the blankets inside the sleeping bags. This makes a world of difference and we sleep well until, at 8am. Then, sun forces us out of the oven. Today is a driving day, as we plan to skirt round the Oze area to the other, Gunma prefecture, side. This route 252 is a wild ride, until we hit route 17 and the road becomes very dull. Climbing up to […]