Glimpses of Japan

I got a chance to visit Haguro-san, one of the three sacred peaks of the Dewa Sanzan. Dewa Sanzan is the collective name for the sacred tree mountains in Yamagata Prefecture; Haguro-san, Gassan, and Yudono-san.  The Dewa Sanzan has been a training ground for followers of Haguro Shugendo, an ancient Japanese religion. It preserves its sacredness with wild mountains and special local cuisines, and rituals and festivals continue today. Visiting three mountains is said to be "a journey to reincarnate." I desperately wanted to visit all three of them at once. Unfortunately, I could only visit Haguro-san this time.  Before visiting Haguro-san, I stayed a night at Shukubo, a pilgrim lodge. It is said the proper way to visit the Dewa Sanzan is to have Shojin Ryori, traditional Buddhist cuisine. By having Shojin Ryori and staying at a shukubo, you purify yourself before entering the sacred area.  Mt. Haguro is the easiest mountain to visit among the Dewa Sanzan. After walking up appro

Back in October, I hiked Mt. Kinpokusan on Sado Island. Although Sado island has only a few mountains, Mt. Kinpku is the highest. I took the most standard and scenic route, starting from Donden Highland Lodge, crossing the peak of Mt. Kinpoku, and ending at Hakuundai. The best time here is said to be May when countless alpine flowers surround the trail. Autumn was also good timing with colored leaves.  Sado Island is located approximately 32 km away from the main island of Japan. It flourished with goldmines, especially during the Edo Period. The island is still known for its goldmine as a historical heritage and the birthplace of Toki (Asian crested ibis). I first thought it would not be easy to access the island; however, it was completely the opposite. Ferries go back and forth about ten times a day! There are two kinds of ferries: Jetfoil and car ferry. Jetfoil is faster and more expensive. Car ferries are slow but cheaper. We wanted to carry our car to the island, leaving us no op

 Back in August, I hiked Mt. Fuji for the first time with my friends. Mt. Fuji is probably the mountain I’ve seen the most - it’s apparent from various places in the greater Kanto area.  I was fortunate that I was able to hike in nice weather. The forecast did not look good until two days before the planned day, which made me worry, and I wasn’t sure if I could go until the day before. As a result, we could enjoy hiking in beautiful weather, which turned out to be one of the best hiking experiences ever.  The hiking route was well-maintained with many signs, and every restroom was clean, as it’s a world heritage. I was surprised to see some mountain huts even sell clothes! I stayed at the closest mountain hut from the summit, called the eighth station Tomoe-kan. Although it was mostly cloudy, I could see the sunrise and hike around the Ohachi-Meguri trail to the highest point in Japan, Kengamine.  Day1 We arrived at the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station around 11:00 AM with the highway bus

As practicing hiking as my hobby, Mt. Nabewari was one of my top-list of trails that I had been willing to visit someday. Mt. Nabewari is not famous for its trails nor shrines; it's known for a hot bowl of udon noodles served at the rest house at the peak of the mountain. I waited until the beginning of December to fully enjoy a warm bowl of udon and leeches. Tanzawa Mountain Range, which includes Mt. Nabewari, is a habitat of leeches, and I heard many people bit by leeches during summer.  So I decided to hike Mt. Nabewari on the first Saturday in December 2020. The weather forecast was sunny, but it turned out to be rain, which made it a tough hike.  I left my house at 4:40 AM to catch the earliest bus from Odakyu Line Shibusawa Station to Okura Bus Stop. Okura Bus Stop is the most common bus stop to hike Mt. Nabewari.  There is a building with a shop, benches, and restrooms near the bus stop where hikers can prepare to start hiking. You can also submit hiking registration here. M