After fabulous climbs on Mt. Shari and Mt. Rausu, I was sad that my time with my guide (and now, friend) Ido had to end–but I was looking forward to my solo climb of Mt. Asahi.
Read moreCHAPTER 32: From Snow to Snow
hiking in Japan
CHAPTER 30: Water Over Rock
Sharidake (Mt. Shari) is a 1,547-meter stratovolcano in northeastern Hokkaido, near the Shiretoko Peninsula. Due to its remote location, my friend and guide Ido Gabay (of Hokkaido Nature Tours) arranged for us to spend the night before the hike in a lovely mountain hut near the trailhead, so we could get an early start…
Read moreMakuyama, Blooming Trees, and Soft Serve: Yugawara’s Ume Festival
Last weekend (February 26), I headed south to the town of Yugawara, in Shizuoka Prefecture, to climb a mountain and attend an ume matsuri–a festival dedicated to the blooming plum tree blossoms (known as ume in Japanese).
Read moreNew Year’s Eve on Mt. Tsukuba (筑波山) (2021)
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
Read moreAn Autumn Visit to the Dragon King
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:
Read moreOn Crying-Bug Mountain (Nakimushiyama) [No. 144-146]
![On Crying-Bug Mountain (Nakimushiyama) [No. 144-146]](https://www.susanspann.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Nakimushiyama-Summit-720x300.jpeg "On Crying-Bug Mountain (Nakimushiyama) [No. 144-146]")
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.
Read moreHiking Mt. Tarumae [No. 139]
![Hiking Mt. Tarumae [No. 139]](https://www.susanspann.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Tarumae-West-Summit-720x300.jpeg "Hiking Mt. Tarumae [No. 139]")
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.
Read moreHiking Mt. Yotei
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.
Read moreHiking–and Riding–on Daishiyama at 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
Read moreSeikanji – a Hidden Mountain Temple in Kyoto’s Higashiyama Ward
While visiting Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera on July 6 (2021), I made a side trip to visit Seikanji–a mountain temple with beautiful views that most visitors don’t even realize is there.
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