Recent hikes

Hike date: September 6, 2026 Today I ventured into the Asama range to see if I could get a view from Mt Takamine for the first time ever. I had climbed this easy peak a few times before but each time it had been shrouded in cloud. The signs were promising as I drove up to the trailhead at Kurumasaka pass and could clearly see the outcrop of Takamine to my left. Then disaster. As soon as I parked the car the fog rolled in and I could barely see 10 metres in front of me. Still

Hike date: September 5, 2026 I’d never heard of this mountain until I found it on a map. Anything involving castles looks interesting and was only 25 minutes drive from my other climb this day so I decided to give it a go. After easing my car through the impossibly narrow streets of Kiso Fukushima I crossed the river and soon found the trailhead. Here the path forked in two, and carefully following the GPS I found myself in somebody’s garden and looking into their open front

Hike date: September 5, 2026 It was only 14 degrees when I started today and it felt like the first blast of autumn. Today’s hike was to the well-known satoyama of Mt Kazakoshi in the Kiso valley (not to be confused with a mountain of the same name in nearby Iida). I’d wanted to come here for a long time but I’d always been put off because the total driving time is about the same time as it takes to climb this steep peak. Anyway I was keen to arrive early because I’d heard th

Hike date: August 30, 2026 Yesterday's poor weather continued overnight and I abandoned plans to head for the Alps. Instead I decided to hike the one part of the Central Divide Trail that I hadn't walked before. The trail links the two table mountains of Kirigamine in the east and Utsukushigahara in the west. North of here the water flows to the Sea of Japan, while to the south it flows into the Pacific Ocean. I parked my car at Tobira pass in the middle of this unknown secti

Hike date: August 29, 2026 Today’s plan was to take my tent into the North Alps, but by Wednesday this week it was clear that the weather wasn’t going to cooperate. Instead I headed to the nearby Yatsugatake range for a short hike that would hopefully not be too badly affected by the rain. As predicted there were only a few cars at the free parking space at Mugikusa pass. Within a few metres it was clear why. The rain was pelting down and the trail was flooded from downpours

Hike date: August 23, 2026 I climb Mt Ontake every year the volcano is safe and every time I'm blessed with good weather. This year was no exception with blue skies, and clouds only rising after lunchtime when I was heading back down. Ever since the 2014 eruption that killed 63 people I've climbed Mt Ontake from the Kurosawa trailhead. Today I decided to go back to the Tanohara trailhead, which I had last used just 3 weeks before the eruption. Tanohara is another 40 km after

Hike date: August 22, 2026 With bad weather forecast for the afternoon I decided to rush up nearby Mt Amagoi for my nature fix today. I successfully negotiated the narrow 7 km forest road to the trailhead and parked in the small grassy space next to the trailhead. There was only one other car so I knew I had the mountain almost to myself as I started up the wooden steps at the start of the trail. Up and up I went into the silent misty woods with bear spray primed. Fortunately

Hike date: August 16, 2026 I climbed these two mountains from the Mikuni Tunnel on the border of Niigata and Gunma prefectures. The car park was a small lookout point and the trailhead was a hole in the concrete wall at the start of the tunnel followed by a slippery makeshift tree trunk bridge over a gully. The lush forest that followed was beautiful with bright shades of green although I was horrified to reach the Mikuni Pass and find that my shoes and socks were crawling wi

Hike date: August 15 Unlike its famous and incredibly crowded Tokyo namesake, Mt Asakusa is a quiet and remote peak at the end of a narrow forest road that had me praying that nothing would come in the opposite direction. I had wanted to come here since visiting nearby Mt Sumon last year, and was delighted to finally make it, and all without incident on the terrible road. After finally arriving, I parked in the surprisingly large car park and began climbing the steep trail th

Hike date: August 14, 2026 This was my second time on Mt Tairappyo. The first time the weather had not been great and there was limited time, so this time I was determined to make the diversion along the undulating ridge line for my first visit to Mt Sennokura. There were surprisingly few vehicles in the trailhead car park, but I had high hopes for the hike and climbed the steep and seemingly endless wooden steps in anticipation of views to nearby Mt Tanigawa. Unfortunately t

Hike date: August 13 I had forgotten much about Mt Makihata since my first visit here several years ago. I was therefore pleased to go here again and soon remembered the remote location and narrow winding road to the trailhead car park. I also soon remembered the steep muddy climb through the forest with occasional breaks in the trees to see views of the huge mountain ahead. Because of the heavy snow in this region the tree line is low and before long I was struggling up the

Hike date: August 10, 2026 Today I made my first visit to Mt Asama since it was closed in 2022 due to increased volcanic activity. It's been a few weeks since restrictions were lifted, but the car park was already filling up significantly when I arrived at 6:10. I had climbed this mountain once or twice a year until 2022, but I was soon enjoying the familiar route through the forest, past the waterfall, through Kamoshika-daira with its serows and along the acidic river to the

Hike date: August 9 Today I hiked to Mt Yoko via the super steep Somazoe ridge. I arrived early at the tiny car park in the resort area on the Yamanashi side of the Yatsugatake range. The trail begins in the exclusive resort, and I was soon walking among the expensive second homes and imported luxury cars before the real climb started. The path rose relentlessly through the forest before rising above the tree line at 2,400 metres. Unfortunately the views were not great due to

Hike date: August 6 With thunderstorms threatened for the afternoon, I changed my plans for the day and headed out early to nearby Mt Moriya. It's a good morning hike just a few minutes drive from my house that would get me back in time before the rain fell. I decided to take the long course up the mountain beginning at the famous Suwa Taisha shrine. After a steep, relentless climb through the forest and past the numerous bear warnings I finally arrived unscathed at the east

Hike dates: August 1-2, 2026 This weekend I carried my tent to Tsumetaike camping site for a 2-day hike to Mt Jii and Mt Kashimayari. It's one of my favourite hikes in the North Alps, although this time I was not blessed with the views or good weather I've had on previous visits. Anxious to avoid the high mountain hut charges I carried my tent up the steep Kashiwarabara Shindo trail and was disappointed to see that the weather forecast of cloud and sunny weather was correct a

Hike dates: July 9-11 Kumonodaira is sometimes called the final frontier in Japan and it's certainly one of my favourite mountain areas. This three-day hike took me from the Shin-Hotaka trailhead to Kumonodaira via Mt Sugoroku, Mt Mitsumata-Renge and Mt Washiba. I arrived early at Shin-Hotaka, less because of the long hike and more because of the limited number of free parking spots. The first day involved a long walk along the forest road before hitting the Koike-Shindo trai

Hike dates: July 21-23, 2026 Mt Kita is the second highest mountain in Japan and most commonly accessed from the Hirogawara trailhead, an hour's bus drive along a long forest road closed to private vehicles. This hike involved a couple of nights in a mountain hut and a long ridge line hike through Mt Ainodake and Mt Notori deep in the South Japan Alps. I was able to enjoy spectacular views over the Alps and Mt. Fuji, and the appearance of several raicho (rock ptarmigans). Vie

A hike to two mountains in the South Japan Alps

Hike date: July 20, 2026 Mt Amakazari is one of the hyakumeizan (100 famous Japanese mountains) and is located on the border of Nagano and Niigata prefectures. I hiked to the summit from Otari village on the Nagano side across a fast-flowing mountain stream, up a steep slope and onto the table mountain above. This mountain is famous for its autumn foliage but I didn't lose out because in this season the mountain flowers were in spectacular full bloom. Check here for more info

Hike date: July 19, 2026 Mt Myoko is one of the hyakumeizan (100 famous Japanese mountains). Located in Niigata prefecture, it is an active volcano, albeit one that has not erupted for thousands of years. I hiked from the Tsubame onsen village, and completed a demanding loop course along some little used trails through the valley. The chain section with its narrow traverse was especially memorable, as was the steep scramble up the volcanic rock at the summit. As ever on this