David Lowe

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.

Oze Marsh 尾瀬ヶ原

Hiked on Oct 20, 2016    Sep 3, 2020 . Ozegahara Marsh 尾瀬ヶ原 – Lake Oze 尾瀬沼 – Sanpei Pass 三平峠   Duration: 2 days   Distance: 24.4 km   Elevation change: 169 metres   Highest point: 1760 metres   Start:...

The Kurasawa Japanese Cypress

The Biggest Cypress Tree in Tokyo This remarkable tree in Okutama on the outskirts of Tokyo traces its ancestry back to the Muromachi era around 600 years ago, though some have estimated its age closer to 1,000 years. Either way the Kurasawa...

Tracking the Headwaters of the Shinano River

The Source of Japan’s Longest River All great rivers need to start from somewhere and Japan’s longest – the 367 km (228 mi) long Shinano River is no exception. The difficulty arises however when trying to pinpoint the actual source of a river...

Mt. Kobushi 甲武信ヶ岳

Hiked on Oct 2, 2016    Jul 15, 2020 . Moukidaira 毛木平 – Mt. Kobushi 甲武信ヶ岳 – Jumonjitouge Pass 十文字峠   Duration: 3 days   Distance: 24 km   Elevation change: 1173 metres   Highest point: 2475 metres  ...

Hiking in Japan: Sourcing Water from the Trail

Would you Drink the Water from this Lake? I did and suffered no ill effects. Anyway, before we get into that let’s rewind a little. Recently, I received an email from someone asking whether it’s safe to drink water from the mountains around Tokyo...

Mt. Kitayokodake 北横岳

Hiked on Aug 23, 2016    Aug 1, 2019 . Futagoike 双子池 – Mt. Kitayokodake 北横岳   Duration: 3 days   Distance: 20.1 km   Elevation change: 242 metres   Highest point: 2472 metres   Start: Kitayatsugatake Ropeway...

Minobusan: Kuonji Temple

The Perennial Home of Nichiren Buddhism From a distance the 1,153 metres high Mount Minobusan looks rather innocuous, however belying its mild exterior is the head temple of the Nichiren Shu order of Buddhism. In short Nichiren Shu is an offshoot of...

Exploring the Backroads of Minakami

A Couple of Minakami’s Finest Sights Aside from chronicling the deepest railway station in Japan and partaking in an onsen or two, I also checked out two other great sightseeing spots in Minakami. It should be noted however that access to both...

Takamiiwa Rock 鷹見岩

Hiked on Jul 19, 2016 . Dainichi-goya 大日小屋 – Takamiiwa Rock 鷹見岩   Duration: 2 days   Distance: 7.3 km   Elevation change: 572 metres   Highest point: 2092 metres   Start: Mizugaki-sansou   Finish: Mizugaki-sansou...

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