05/01/2023 / Last updated : 18/03/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Oirase Gorge from Lake Towada 十和田湖、奥入瀬

October ’22 Oirase hiking Michi no eki Towada was a better experience than expected. The rain ceased completely before the necessary toilet trips so a dry and peaceful night. The place has rubbish bins so, presumably, Aomori has different regulations from Hokkaido. We had planned to hike Mt. Hakkoda, but the weather forecast for the summit was cold, cloudy and foggy. With little point to slogging up a mountain, we head for Lake Towada and the Oirase gorge We park at Nenokuchi by the lakeside where there is a bus station and a lake cruise boat dock. From the point where the stream leaves the lake to start its journey […]

17/12/2022 / Last updated : 05/08/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Autumn Colours at Numameguri, Daisetsukogen Onsen　大雪高原温泉沼めぐり

September ’22 Shuttle Bus to Daisetsukogen Onsen Wake to a cool overcast morning. As usual, we are one of the last to leave from Sounkyo campsite as we set off on a 30-minute drive to a parking area called Lakesight (by Lake Taisetsu Dum) we are heading to Daisetsukogen to walk with the bears. Here there is a famous trail around marshy ponds for viewing Autumn colours. It is also bear habitat. To start the hike, it is necessary to take a shuttle bus from Lakesight car park to the beginning of the trail. A least, this is so during the peak autumn leaf viewing season. The bus ride of […]

04/12/2022 / Last updated : 18/03/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Diasetsuzan Kurodake　大雪山黒岳

Kurodake Ropeway　黒岳ロープウェイ A cool, cloudy morning. Most people have left by the time we emerge to surprise the deer browsing nearby. We set off to hike Daisetsuzan Kurodake. Sounkyo Onsen is where we board the ropeway to whisk us up to the chair-lift station so we can begin our ascent. One ticket will cover a round trip for both. The ropeway ride is a brief 7 minutes but affords some splendid views of yellowing beech trees and the Sounkyo gorge. Then the chair-lift to the 7th. station of Kurodake (about 1500m) this doubles as a ski lift in winter. It skims you along close to the ground and is a […]

01/12/2022 / Last updated : 16/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Daisetsuzan National Park – Tokachidake Area　大雪山国立公園十勝岳

September ’22 Michi-no-eki Biei Shirogane Biruke　道の駅美瑛白金ビルケ Here, the car park is adjacent to the michi-no-eki ’Biei Shirogane Biruke’ proper, so appears to be almost a shachuhaku annex. Certainly, there were overnighters in double figures. The facilities are adequate, but no rubbish bins are provided. Even though there are vending machines there are no bins for bottles and cans. This irresponsible trend seems to be widespread since our last visit to Hokkaido. Even convenient store ‘Seicomart’ have stopped providing bins outside their stores. Blue Pool　青い池 We start the day by visiting the nearby Blue Pool/pond (Aoi Ike). This is a mineral-rich, probably acidic, pool that has killed the trees where it […]

13/07/2022 / Last updated : 18/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Omijima to Akiyoshidai　青海島、秋吉台

April 2022, Michi no eki Senza Kitchen proves to be an OK place to stay. Even on a wet night the distance from the parking to the covered roofing is not so far. We leave and take a short drive to Omijima island. Omijima Omijima is very popular with scuba divers and when we arrive, in the 300-yen car park, there are various dive school groups preparing to take to the water. We are here to ramble along the Omijima nature coast path. This is an easy (approx. 3.5kilo) walk on a concrete path along the fabulous cliff tops. You can stop at the various viewing points to take stereotypical […]

02/07/2022 / Last updated : 18/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Amanohashidate Walk to Kinosaki Onsen　天橋立、城崎温泉

19th. April 2022 Michi no eki Mikatagoko Michi no eki Mikatagoko is a good place to stay. There is a view of the lake and it is quiet away from the road. On the other hand, the toilet is too small given the popularity of the place and irrationally it has no bins for rubbish. Not even for drink cans and bottles though there are 3 vending machines. I thought this irresponsible. In the morning, we were disappointed to discover that the lakeside walking path does not extend very far at all. There are bird watching hides around the place but few bird at this time of year. Some of […]

22/06/2022 / Last updated : 18/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Hida Asahi village and Hida Furukawa Walk　　飛騨古川

17th April 2022 Hida Asahi Cherry Tree tour　飛騨朝日村 This morning we wander around Hida Ashahi-mura to see the, at least locally, famous cherry trees. We walk around the village and visit 4~5 cherry trees at shrines and temple. These are a little disappointing as they are either past their prime or yet to shine. So, we drive a short distance to visit another Shinmei shrine (Aoya district). Here the cherry blossom is reflected in a handily flooded rice field. At night it is clear that this is very special but in daylight with a stiff breeze rippling the water it is beautiful but not outstanding. Hida Furukawa Having had our […]

09/06/2022 / Last updated : 18/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Shakuson-ji Temple　釈尊寺

April 14th. 2022 This morning we are off to towards Komoro to visit Shakuson-ji, also known as Nunobiki Kannon. This proves to be a very good choice far outweighing our expectations. Shakuson-ji Unimpressive at first, the car park is an anonymous patch of gravel under some trees by the side of the road. There are steps leading upwards. Starting to ascend, We soon find ourselves in a narrow gorge with a small steam, moss covered boulders, tall trees and towering cliffs. As we follow the steps upwards, the gorge becomes ever more dramatic until we come to a small temple gate on our right and high above clinging to the […]