Hinohara Village ‘Takimeguri’ Waterfall Tour Continues This blog post continues my Hinohara Falls Tour Hinohara Takimeguri ひのはら滝めぐり a photographic journey of the 13 main waterfalls in Hinohara Village, Tokyo. Apart from the four...
A Nature Fix Without Leaving the City With Tokyo in the grip of the worst June heatwave since 1875 means hiking nearer to the city will have to take a back seat thanks to the searing sun, sky-high temps, and pea-soup humidity. As I write, central...
Hiked on Jun 18, 2022 . Daimyojin Observation Deck 大明神展望台 – Lake Sagami 相模湖 The trail via Kenkyoji Temple has been repaired, and it is now possible to undertake the hike as a loop course, starting and finishing at the Sekrozan Iriguchi bus...
Hiked on May 24, 2022 . Jinzasan 神座山 – Mt.Shakagatake 釈迦ヶ岳 – Shindo Pass 新道峠 Duration: 2 days Distance: 18.4 km Elevation change: 1028 metres Highest point: 1793 metres Start: Himine jinja mae Bus Stop ...
Planning and Managing Risks on the Trail During my formative days hiking in Japan, I must confess I didn’t devote much time to planning my hikes even the overnight ones. My usual approach back then was print out a hike some random person posted on...
Hiked on May 5, 2022 Jul 3, 2022 . Nanahaneyama 七跳山 – Hinatadani-no-atama 日向谷ノ頭 – Toridaniyama Refuge Hut 酉谷山避難小屋 Duration: 2 days Distance: 30.4 km Elevation change: 1098 metres Highest point:...
Backpacking Food Ideas and Meal Planning A common question I get is what food I pack for an overnight hike. The simple answer is foodstuffs that I enjoy eating and not too much as food is heavy. In stark contrast to my first overnight hike, when I...
Hiked on Apr 19, 2022 . Kaze no Kamisama 風の神様 – Mt. Koyashiro コヤシロ山 – Mt. Minashi 実成山 Duration: 3 hours Distance: 8.5 km Elevation change: 402 metres Highest point: 609 metres Start: Arai Bus Stop Finish: Arai Bus Stop ...
Bask in Fujisan’s Shadow On my latest getaway to try and sneak in one final hike before returning to my teaching post, I spent a night at Fumotoppara campground just a hop, skip and jump away from Mt. Ryugadake. Fumotoppara is located in Shizuoka...
Hiked on Mar 29, 2022 . Stone Buddha 石仏 – Hashita-toge 端足峠 – Lake Motosuko 本栖湖 Duration: 5 hours Distance: 11.1 km Elevation change: 550 metres Highest point: 1485 metres Start: Lake Motosuko Bus Stop (Blue Line) Finish: Lake...
Hiked on Mar 20, 2022 . Mt. Yougaisan 要害山 – Tenguiwa 天狗岩 – Umabikisawa-toge 馬引沢峠 Duration: 4 hours Distance: 11.2 km Elevation change: 228 metres Highest point: 414 metres Start: Miyanohira Station (Ome Line)...
3-Day, 3-Season Backpacking Gear (Updated 2022) It’s been a couple of years since I last whipped out the scales and took inventory of the gear, I take with me on a three-season, three-day hike. Not surprisingly the bulk of the stuff I carry is...