Almost-Halfway 100 Summits Update!

Almost-Halfway 100 Summits Update!

I’ve been climbing my way through the autumn, and simultaneously working on the next Hiro Hattori mystery (tentatively titled Ghost of the Bamboo Grove), and it occurred to me that I’ve been a bit remiss in my blogging updates. Whoops . . . The summit count currently stands at 43 – a respectable almost-halfway total, though the coming snow will present some challenges moving forward.

Read more

A Visit to the Tengu’s Seat

After visiting Musashi-Mitake Shrine, which sits on the summit of Mount Mitake, I descended the stairs to the base of the shrine and followed the path around the mountain toward the hiking trail that leads through the “Forest of the Gods.” The trail wound through a towering forest. Crows called overhead, and every once in a while they flew across my path. One even landed on a nearby branch and stared down at me as if wondering why I chose to intrude on his territory. Even though the rain had stopped several hours before, I didn’t see anyone else on the path. Aside from the crows, and

Read more

Stairs to the Summit: Musashi-Mitake Shrine

(Click here to start from Part 1 of this series on hiking Mount Mitake.)  High atop Mount Mitake, northwest of Tokyo, Musashi-Mitake Shrine offers gorgeous views of Chichibu Tama-Kai National Park, home to a number of sacred peaks (including Mitake). The entrance to the shrine looks much like many other Shintō holy places, with a purification fountain: and a torii marking the formal entry to the sacred space: Carved stone lanterns (toro) and ceremonial stones flank the flight of steep stone stairs leading up to the shrine’s main gate. On the day I visited, cool breezes fluttered the flags beside the stairs. Although the clouds obscured my view of

Read more

Hiking Mount Mitake Part 2: A Path Through Shrines & Flowers

(For the story of the cable car ride up Mount Mitake, click here.) After leaving the cable car, I spent some time at the viewing platform enjoying the misty view of Tokyo.  Although the platform sits almost an hour’s walk below the summit of Mount Mitake, it still has a fantastic view. On the morning I arrived, mist swirled up from the valley and distant clouds obscured the view of central Tokyo, which lies a little over an hour by train from Mount Mitake. Even so, the view made me realize just how quickly Japanese trains can transport people from the crowded city to

Read more