A Sure Way of Escaping Tokyo’s Summer Heat and Humidity Where is a good place to escape the suffocating heat and humidity of Tokyo? How about Hakone, that holiday mecca out Kanagawa way. So that was the decision we made a couple of months back and...
Tumultuous Beginnings and an Indeterminate Future Sado Island – a population that continues to decline. Back in the halcyon days of 1950 its inhabitants peaked at 125,000 while fast forward to 2011 and it has fallen markedly now hovering around half...
An Eclectic Summer Festival in the Boondocks of Tokyo One of the advantages of living in Tokyo is access to the incredible food on offer. However when the time comes to indulge in some ‘authentic’ foreign cuisine heading along to a Camp Zama...
An Encounter with Charles Jenkins For most people Sadogashima 佐渡ヶ島 or Sado Island conjures up an image of gold mines and a rugged coastline. For me however the first thing that comes to mind is ‘Jenkins’ as in Charles Robert Jenkins the one time U.S...
The Demise of an Ill-Conceived Idea – The Okutama Ropeway It seems de rigueur these days that anyone with an outdoor blog has a category devoted to haikyo 廃虚 or in the English vernacular urban exploration. This genre of writing and photography has...
A Cave, Suspension Bridge and Dam – Ueno Village has it all! Apart from our hike to Mt. Kasamaruyama and visiting the Ireino Sono Shrine we took some time out to visit some of Ueno Village’s other tourist offerings including the Fujido Cave 不二洞...
Hiked on Jun 23, 2013 Aug 24, 2023 . Jizoutoge Pass 地蔵峠 – Mt. Kasamaruyama 笠丸山 Duration: 3.5 hours Distance: 4.3 km Elevation change: 479 metres Highest point: 1189 metres Start: Otsuchi Ueno Village Finish: Otsuchi Ueno Village ...
The Tatami Walls of Nagataro June is a great month for getting out and exploring some unfrequented spots within easy reach of Tokyo before the pervasive summer heat sets in. This entry introduces Nagatoro-machi 長瀞町 an attractive riverside town on...
Hiked on Jul 4, 2012 Aug 24, 2023 . Mt. Bonomine 棒ノ峰山 – Mt. Kuroyama 黒山 – Nasaka Pass 名坂峠 Duration: 6 hours Distance: 14.7 km Elevation change: 577 metres Highest point: 969 metres Start: Kawai Station (Ome Line) Finish: Kawai...
Hiked on May 23, 2013 Aug 22, 2023 . Mitsumine Shrine 三峯神社 – Mt. Kumotori 雲取山 – Mt. Mutsuishiyama 六ッ石山 Duration: 2 days Distance: 29.2 km Elevation change: 977 metres Highest point: 2017 metres Start: Mitsumine Shrine Bus Stop ...
Tama Lake – Seibu Dome – Tamako Jitensha Dori Ave For those looking for a nearby off road adventure try the Sayama Hills mountain bike course. Duration: 1 hour Distance: 13.1 km Elevation change: 63 metres Highest point: 158 metres ...
Hiked on Apr 28, 2013 Aug 24, 2023 . Hinodeyamakita Ridge 日ノ出山北尾根 – Mt. Hinodeyama 日の出山 – Mt. Mitsumuroyama 三室山 Duration: 5 hours Distance: 11 km Elevation change: 652 metres Highest point: 902 metres Start: Mitake Station (Ome Line) ...
Hiked on Apr 4, 2013 Nov 2, 2025 . Mt. Tonotake 塔ノ岳 – Mt. Tanzawa 丹沢山 – Mt. Hirugatake 蛭ヶ岳 Duration: 2 days Distance: 23.7 km Elevation change: 1383 metres Highest point: 1673 metres Start: Okura Bus Stop Finish: Higashino Bus Stop ...
Unearthing the Longest Fish Ladder in Japan On recent nature outing near Okutama I stumbled across non-descript administrative building which just happens to house the longest fish ladder in Japan. The fish ladder is situated along a scenic stretch...
The Spoils of Early Spring Outings Tempted with the lure of warm weather for the first time this year, I made an ill-fated decision yesterday to set out knowing very well I had a good chance of succumbing to hay fever. This ignominious fate first...
A Bodhisattva Inspired Kannon Temple The township of Naguri is more than just a launching pad for local trekking adventures and includes the impressive Hakuunsan Torii Kannon 白雲山 鳥居観音 which makes a formidable statement on the surrounding landscape...