hiking – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

New Year’s Eve on Mt. Tsukuba (筑波山) (2021)

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Blog, Hikes January 1, 2022January 1, 2022hiking, hiking in Japan, hyakumeizan, Ibaraki, Mt. Tsukuba, Tsukubasan

In December 2018, I established a new, personal New Year’s Eve tradition: I climb a mountain. In Japan (as elsewhere) New Year’s Eve is a time for personal reflection, and I reflect on myself, my year, and the world around me better on a mountain trail than just about anywhere else. The New Year’s Eve climb is also my way of expressing my hope that I’ll keep moving forward (and upward) and keep returning to the mountains in the coming year. This year, I chose to go back to the proverbial “scene of the crime”–the site of my original, 2018

Hiking Mt. Muine (Sapporo, Hokkaido)[#140]

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Blog, Hikes December 15, 2021December 10, 2021hiking, Hokkaido, Hokkaido Hikes, Hokkaido Nature Tours, Japan, mountain hut, Mt. Muine, Muineyama

Last September, I headed up to southern Hokkaido for a week of traveling and mountain climbing with my friend Ido. He knows Hokkaido far better than I do, so when he was extra excited about our climb of Mt. Muine, near Sapporo, I knew to expect something special . . . and as you’ll see, Muine delivered.

An Autumn Visit to the Dragon King

Susan Spann Blog, Hikes November 22, 2021November 21, 2021autumn, foliage, Gorge of the Dragon King, hiking, hiking in Japan, Ryuokyo, Tochigi, Tochigi hikes

On the first weekend in November, my son and I headed up to Tochigi Prefecture to hike the Ryuō-kyō (Gorge of the Dragon King). This was my third hike through the gorge, but the first time for my son, and I hoped we’d timed it correctly for autumn foliage. As you’ll see, it didn’t disappoint:

On Crying-Bug Mountain (Nakimushiyama) [No. 144-146]

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Blog, Hikes November 8, 2021December 3, 2021autumn, hiking, hiking in Japan, Japan, koyo, mountains, Nikko, Tochigi, travel

On October 24, I headed north to Nikkō, in Tochigi Prefecture, to hike a new-to-me trail that included Nakimushiyama (鳴虫山), an 1,103-meter mountain not far from Nikkō station. The route went up and over three smaller peaks, too, and though much of the trail is surrounded by trees, there were a few spots with beautiful views as well.

Hiking Mt. Tarumae [No. 139]

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Blog, Hikes November 3, 2021December 3, 2021hiking, hiking in Japan, Hokkaido, Hokkaido Hiking, Hokkaido Nature Tours, Japan, mountains, Mt. Tarumae, Tarumaesan

My friend Ido* and I kicked off my recent (Autumn 2021) hiking trip to Hokkaido with an ascent of Mt. Tarumae–a 1,041-meter active stratovolcano not far from Tomakomai in southern Hokkaido.

Hiking Mt. Yotei

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Hikes August 30, 2021December 3, 2021hikes in Japan, hiking, hiking in Japan, Hokkaido, hyakumeizan, Japanese mountains, Mt. Yotei, Yotei, Yoteizan

Mt. Yotei, also known as Ezo-Fuji for its resemblance to Japan’s most famous peak, is a stratovolcano located in Hokkaido’s Shikotsu-Koya National Park.

Hiking–and Riding–on Daishiyama at Kinosaki Onsen

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Blog August 20, 2021December 3, 20211000 summits, Daishiyama, hiking, hiking in Japan, Hyogo Prefecture, Kinosaki, Kinosaki Onsen

To celebrate my 50th birthday in July (2021), I headed five hours southwest to Kinosaki Onsen, a famous onsen (volcanic hot spring) town in Hyogo Prefecture. In addition to some of the best hot spring baths in Japan, Kinosaki is famous for the Japanese white storks that live and nest in the area (there’s a preserve within bicycling or walking distance of the onsen town)–and the large white birds also lend their name to the Stork Express, the train that runs between Osaka and Kinosaki Onsen Station. Although the “nature” portion of the hike wouldn’t start until I reached the

A Morning Walk at Lake Ashi: Hakone, Japan

Susan Spann Blog, Hikes July 28, 2021July 25, 2021Bakery & Table, Hakone, Hakone Jinja, hiking

Later this week, I’ll share a recent hike I took along a preserved section of the Tokaidō–one of the major travel roads of 17th century Japan–but the day began with a walk along a different, and more modern, path along the shore of Ashinoko (Lake Ashi), which I’m sharing here today

Hiking the Jogasaki Coast: Picnical Course

Susan Spann Blog June 1, 2021June 1, 2021hiking, hiking in Japan, Izu, Jogasaki, Jogasaki Coast, Jogasaki Kaigan, Picnical Course

The Izu Peninsula juts into the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo. The northeast portion of the peninsula is called the Jogasaki Coast (城ヶ崎海岸 – Jogasaki Kaigan), and it’s home to a pair of excellent hiking courses that run through portions of the Izu Peninsula Geopark. It’s a great hike at any time of year, but particularly in the summer, when the coastal breeze helps mitigate the heat and humidity.

Hiking Marudake From Otome-Toge (Hakone)

Susan Spann Blog May 26, 2021May 26, 20211000 summits, Hakone, hiking, hiking Hakone, hiking in Japan, Marudake

Earlier this month, I took advantage of a sunny Sunday and headed out to hike another “new-to-me” trail in Hakone: Marudake (1,154 m) via Otome-Toge. As always, the hike information is at the bottom of the post. I caught the highway bus from Shinjuku to Otome-toge; the route goes through Gotemba–where I caught a great view of Mt. Fuji–always an excellent way to start the day. I’ve hiked the first part of this trail several times, and the view from the Otome-toge bus stop is one of the best anywhere when Fuji is in a cooperative mood. She was a

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