Makihatayama Refuge Hut 巻機山避難小屋 – Mt. Makihata 巻機山 . . Vast Grasslands and Limpid Ponds Mt. Makihata is a broad open peak dotted with grasslands, flower meadows and ponds on the border of Gunma and Niigata. It has been selected as one of...
Japanese Outdoor Gear Manufacturers As a follow up to my recent blog post about Japanese outdoor brands I have decided to make the list a little more expansive thanks to some reader suggestions. The aim is to include outdoor manufacturers which...
Futarayama Shrine 二荒山神社 – Mt. Nyoho 女峰山 – Kirifuri-kougen 霧降高原 . . Where the Lesser is Greater While only a metre in height separates the sacred peaks of Mt. Nantai and Mt. Nyoho they have a vastly different feel. For starters Mt. Nantai...
Mt. Takahata 高畑山 – Mt. Kuratake 倉岳山 . . Tranquil Streams and Expansive Views Mt. Kuratake is the highest peak of the Akiyama mountain range which runs south of the Katsura River on the border between Otsuki and Uenohara cities. It is also one of the...
In Search of Japan’s Northernmost Cycling Road As far as bicycle rides go, they don’t get much further north than this ride in the highlands of Cape Soya – the northernmost point of Hokkaido. So much so that in clear weather a silhouette of...
Japanese Cottage and Mainstream Outdoor Brands With an annual mountaineering market in the ballpark ¥186 billion you would think large numbers homegrown manufacturers are cashing in. The reality is there are very few Japanese outdoor product...
Recollections from my First Hyakumeizan It’s been 19 years since I first climbed Japan’s highest landmark so this Mountain Day I thought it fitting to wind back the clock and revisit my first Nihon Hyakumeizan or 100 Famous Japanese Mountain. “Do we...
Mt. Senmai-dake 千枚岳 – Mt. Warusawa 悪沢岳 – Mt. Eboshi 烏帽子岳 . . Exploring the Southern Minami Alps If you want to enjoy some of the most pristine and rugged nature Japan has to offer than the south end of the Minami Alps is an excellent...
Guidebook to the Magnificent Japan Alps It would seem the only thing rarer than an albino dodo bird, scoring an albatross in golf or stumbling upon a Freshness Burger outlet in Tokyo is an English-language guidebook dedicated to Japan’s mountains...
Fujisan’s Endless Crowds The famous 17th-century poet Basho wrote ‘Rain obscures the scene; But Fuji still exerts a charm Even when unseen’. This sentiment still rings true today based on the sizeable number of climbers who took to the slopes in...
