21/05/2020 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Norikuradake Hiking and Hirayu Onsen　　乗鞍岳と平湯温泉

June 2019, Wake earlier than usual as we plan to climb, well hike a bit, on Norikuradake Mt. Norikura. We drive to the Honoki-daira free parking area to take the bus to Tatamidaira by way of the Norikura Skyline. Tatami-daira is the highest bus stop in Japan, which was certainly news to me. The bus fare is 2,300 yen return and the shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes. Norikura Skyline is open from May 15th. to Oct. 31st. Tatami-daira　　畳平 From Tatami-daira there are various hiking routes, from the gentle stroll round the flower meadow, Ohanabatake, to the hike to the top of Mt. Kengamine, the highest peak of the […]

11/05/2020 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Nakasendo from Magome to Tsumago 馬籠から妻籠

June 2019, Kisomura michi no eki is fine for shachuhaku. The traffic did not prove to be a problem. The toilet is modern but does smell a bit. It has no natural ventilation and the automatic fan is not effective enough. That’s my diagnosis – for what it’s worth. Nakasendo from Magome 馬籠 to Tsumago 妻籠 From the michi no eki we drive Route 19 towards Nagoya but branch off and travel through Tsumago and on up to Magome to walk the famous section of the Nakasendo. This is the old Edo era road from Kyoto to Edo, today’s Tokyo. Along this route were numerous – 69 in fact […]

10/05/2020 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Togakushi Kodo and Okusha, Lake Kizaki　戸隠古道、木崎湖

July 2019, Otari michi no eki Otari michi no eki is a noisy place, even on a Sunday night. It is on a straight stretch of road at the bottom of a long hill so the trucks, of which there are many, really get up speed, sweeping down or taking a run up for the climb. They roar past very close to the parking. The morning is bright, hot and sunny so we think we will grab the chance to walk Happo-One and see the view. It is only a 10 or 15-minute drive but during that short period the cloud has rolled in and the nearby hilltops are lost […]

08/05/2020 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Tsugaike Shizen-en, wetland flowers 　栂池自然園

July 2019 Hakuba michi no eki Hakuba michi no eki is a very reasonable place to spend the night. The traffic does not bother us, but it does become very busy on Sunday morning. A group of enthusiasts of an older model VW Golf show up and hang around for a while. We wait too, hoping the weather will clear. There is a thin drizzle, but the forecast is brighter or at least drier later in the morning and we are planning to walk Tsugaike Shinzen-en. This is a high plateau wetland noted for spring flowers. Tsugaike Shizen-en(Nature park) To reach the wetland hiking course it is necessary to take […]

06/05/2020 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Yatsugatake line, Yashimagahara wetland 八島ヶ原湿原

July 2019, Yatsugatake Echo Line Kobuchizawa michi no eki was fine for an overnight stay. Even on a Friday night it is not so crowded and very quiet. The morning is dry, but overcast, as we set off for Kirigamine following the Yatsugatake Echo Line and Vinas Line. This is a good drive, even on a weekend though the weather is, of course, suspect. At the Kurumayama ropeway station the clouds are hemming in the mountains, so we don’t think it is worth the price of two tickets so pass on by. We do stop a little later at a spot, to view flowers, that offers a trek up the […]

30/04/2020 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Nishi-Izu, Matsuzaki and Dogashima　西伊豆

July 2019, Shimogamo Onsen Yunohana is not a bad place to stay but it is low lying, backs on to a river and is surrounded by foliage. In the rainy season it is hot and full of mosquitoes. Our night was not as bad as I make this sound and we both slept well. The dismal weather is a problem. This area is famous for views of Mt. Fuji and that is out of the question. As we drive the coast road R.136, the glimpses of the cliffs and coastline urge us to stop and admire the scenery. However, as in many areas like this, where the land drops abruptly […]

27/04/2020 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Nikko Senjogahara and Tokyo Odaiba

June 2019, Oze Katashina michi no eki, as expected, was an excellent place to stay. The toilet facilities must be the best of any michi no eki in Japan. I have never seen better from Kagoshima to Wakkanai. Unfortunately, due to panic induced by a sudden, torrential downpour, we forgot all about the special toothbrushing room, so that remains untested. Nikko Senjogahara We set off for Nikko, following R.120, to walk at Senjogahara. We have walked here before, in winter, but that did not prepare us for the huge number of school groups. When we returned to the Akanuma car park after our walk, there were 18 tour buses parked. […]

31/03/2020 / Last updated : 21/03/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Urabandai hiking – Goshikinuma, Nakasenuma　五色沼、中瀬沼

June 2019, Intermittent rain during the night at Ura Bandai michi no eki. The morning is overcast and threatening. Ominous clouds hang over the mountains. Goshikinuma We plan a short walk by the coloured ponds of Goshikinuma. Rain is forecast from 11am. but we hope we can manage a brief hike before then. After we set off, the weather improves and we are walking in intermittent sunshine. The weather remains changeable and the wonderful coloured ponds are frequently dimmed by cloud cover. This Goshikinuma hike is an excellent, easy walk (3.6km) for almost everyone. The path is mainly flat, the woods open and airy and the ponds a startling range […]