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...
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...
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...
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...
No Escalators just 486 steps from the Ticket Gate When one thinks of a deep, subterranean station you would normally envisage somewhere like Roppongi Station in Tokyo which rests at a hefty 42 metres (138 ft) underground. What you probably wouldn’t...
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...
Introducing the Pentax K-70 Since its announcement in early June the release of the Pentax K-70 has been eagerly awaited. This was especially true for someone still cradling a near on six-year-old K-5. The K-70 is a midrange DSLR that succeeds the K...
Tips for Planning a Successful Backcountry Adventure Planning hiking trips back in Australia was generally a pretty straightforward affair; find some willing accomplices, get a hold of a topo map, pack your gear and start driving. All of this could...
Soaking up the Atmosphere at 2,150 metres Having recently travelled over Nobeyama Station the highest train station in Japan (1,345 m) I was fortunate again last week to kick back in the country’s highest outdoor hot spring (rotenburo) at a lofty...
Hiked on Jul 6, 2016 Aug 24, 2023 . Honzawa Onsen 本澤温泉 – Mt. Tengu 天狗岳 – Shibunoyu 渋の湯 Duration: 3 days Distance: 15.8 km Elevation change: 1140 metres Highest point: 2640 metres Start:...
Old-world Charm: Enter Shinano-Kawakami Station The effects of Japan’s declining population are being felt in virtually all aspects of Japanese society, and public transportation isn’t immune from its clutches. A good case in point has been...
A Tranquil Campsite at the Foothills of Mount Kinpu As far as relaxing campsites go, Mawarime-daira in Kawakami Village, Nagano Prefecture is hard to surpass. Last week, I had the good fortune of returning to the sprawling grounds where I camped a...