David grew up in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, with hiking and outdoor pursuits being a major part of his life for as long as he can remember. He has been writing, snapping photos, and sharing his adventures on RIDGELINEIMAGES.com since 2013.
At university, David majored in environmental management and holds a Graduate Diploma of Education. He has been living in Japan for over 15 years, first in Fukushima Prefecture and now in the Tokyo Metropolis. With a love of hiking and photography, he felt the best way to combine the two was a blog to provide some inspiration for others to enjoy the myriad of trails and outdoor offerings on Tokyo’s doorstep. You can follow David on Instagram @ridgelineimages.
A Panorama of Mountains from Tama Lake in Tokyo. The Tokyo Metropolis sits on the Kanto Plain, the largest lowland area in Japan and home to around a third of the country’s population. To the east, the city is bordered by the Edogawa River and Chiba...
Hiked on Oct 28, 2021 . Mt. Kinpu 金峰山 – Mt. Asahi-dake 朝日岳 – Odarumi-toge 大弛峠 Duration: 2 days Distance: 24.3 km Elevation change: 1089 metres Highest point: 2599 metres Start: Mizugaki-sansou Bus Stop...
Warm and Lightweight 3-Season Sleeping Bag When it comes time to bed down for the night, getting a good kip is of upmost importance irrespective whether on a leisurely overnight hike or a multi-day trek. Key to this of course is a warm, comfortable...
Hiked on Oct 23, 2021 . Yaga Station 谷峨駅 – Mt. Ono 大野山 – Yamakita Station 山北駅 Duration: 4 hours Distance: 11.3 km Elevation change: 557 metres Highest point: 723 metres Start: Yaga Station (Gotemba...
Eight and a Half Years in the Making Last week RIDGELINEIMAGES.com along with its indomitable editor-in-chief quietly chalked up the 100th hike. Yoku ganbarimashita if I might say so! Mind you these aren’t the hyakumeizan (100 top mountains) but...
Hiked on Nov 2, 2021 . Naka-no-dake 中ノ岳 – Mt. Ishiwari 石割山 – Mt. Hirao 平尾山 Duration: 2 days Distance: 25 km Elevation change: 1214 metres Highest point: 1681 metres Start: Tsurushi Station (Fujikyuko Line)...
Hiked on Oct 2, 2021 Nov 15, 2022 . Higashisenba 東仙波 – Mt. Karamatsuo 唐松尾山 – Mt. Kasatori 笠取山 Do not attempt this hike unless you have experience in route-finding and make sure you carry a topographic map and handheld...
As I Live and Breathe A prime example of how askew and erratic things have been of late is the arrival today of my Olympic tickets for the Tokyo 2020 men’s mountain bike race. What the dickens? Yes, you read that correctly and more than two months...
Highlights From the Men’s Cross Country Race As you probably guessed from the title, last Monday I went to see the men’s mountain bike race at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. I know it’s not a popular thing to say due to the current state of...
Hiked on Jul 20, 2021 . Tsubame Onsen 燕温泉線 – Mt. Myoko 妙高山 – Mt. Hiuchi 火打山 Duration: 3 days Distance: 24.3 km Elevation change: 1292 metres Highest point: 2462 metres Start: Tsubame Onsen Bus Stop...