19 November 2023
Not as long as I hoped for
Mount Takanosu from Lake Okutama to Okutama station
I thought it would take longer!
My day started at 5:12am as I had planned and warned myself. My bag was already packed with drinks and snacks and my clothes were all ready to go. I had no problem getting to Shinjuku on time to get the Okutama Holiday Express 1, the first train to Okutama. There is some conflicting information around about this train, on Sunday it does not split in half at any point, instead it goes to Ome, where you change trains (mad sprint across the platform) to a shorter train with the same name.
It does not stop at many places between Shinjuku and Okutama, but it goes slowly a lot of the way, so it still takes nearly 2 hours.
The train is only for hikers, and was completely full, so the next mad sprint is to get from Okutama train station to the large number of buses departing 1 minute after the train arrives, you have to run! I got my bus.
I stayed on my bus past the main part of the lake where the dam is, to where I would start my 20km hike, which I completed in exactly 6 hours. I was surprised by this, all info I could find suggested 7.5 hours was a good time. These guys must stop for a cooked lunch!
I took so many photos including lots of Fuji, so I will tell the rest of my story with the photos.
I think I got off at a stop named Atami. But you will probably need a map on your phone to do this hike, so get off when the bus gets near the start point on the map. They have provided a nice sign.
There are a few houses at this stop, the people that live here have this view all the time. No matter how I rotate that photo it still looks crooked. I have been to Lake Okutama a few times before, it is the best place for hiking day trips from Tokyo.
More lake, looking away from the dam. Dam is up next damn it.
There is the damn dam. I do the Vegas vacation joke every time I come here.
Lets get hiking. The first bits were seriously steep, and because I thought I was in for a really long day, I went really fast.
The autumn colours were however, finally colourful.
As I got higher, the leaves were more on the ground than the trees. I lost the trail a few times. In some spots they have put a rope to guide you where the leaves are particularly deep. I wore long pants today because I knew it would be a wading through leaves day.
The scenery changed a few times. Here is a dead pine forest.
Fuji was a constant companion through the trees (look closely, it's there!), do not worry, there will be clear shots later.
Up on the ridge, it got a bit rocky, and the leaves were um, deader, so it was easier to follow the trail, and go quickly due to the relative flatness.
Those are some other snowy mountains, somewhere up past Nagano.
But don't panic, there is Fuji. There will be a lot more Fuji below.
There are a lot of ways to climb this mountain, I climbed it probably the most challenging way on the way up. Near the top it joins a lot of other paths and the trees thin out and great views are there to be had.
Another random shot of those other snowy mountains.
And another random shot of Fuji. I will over Fuji.
Hmm, the trail became a ravine! A muddy ravine. Easy enough to walk around it.
This last bit is actually really steep, although does not look it in the photo. I saw 2 other people before getting to this bit where the trails all join together, here you can see 2 different other people near the top.
And on the top, a few people, including some with their Bunsen burners preparing a 3 course meal. There is a much shorter way to climb but that requires a car. I think the people having a picnic probably drove.
Quite high today, but not as high as my attempt to climb Mount Ibuki that was cancelled due to landslide.
Stance time. Light was not great for it but getting Fuji in the shot was more important than correctly lighting my mullet.
I spent maybe 5 minutes at the top, time to start the run down!
Although, still time for a bit more Fuji.
I used my zoom to zoom in on it for a special treat.
Then I took a heap of selfies still zoomed in, right up my left nostril. Once I realised I zoomed out and here is my head plus Fuji. OK no more Fuji.
I lied, but now I mean it, no more Fuji.
The path down was mostly like this, wide and not too steep, it made for quick progress. My bear bell was ringing furiously.
However inexplicably, there was then this really really steep bit, I had to go from tree to tree.
Thankfully it levelled out again.
I liked this mossy section a lot.
It gets cold enough here at night that the ground freezes in shadows, these bits were still frozen in the afternoon.
Now to continue descending down a corridor of trees.
Whatever that mountain is across the valley, I have climbed it, because I have climbed all the mountains on that side.
It started to get colourful again as I went further down, and a bit rocky.
But then, another muddy trench! I had to go down into that trench.
The further down I went the more colourful it became.
Retina burning.
The last bit on the actual trail became a pine / cedar forest again but this time with some sun shining through. I like photos like this.
Right before the end of the trail it is Indiana Jones time. I made it across.
And this is the end of the trail, after this it is a forest road. I recommend if you do this loop that you do it the way I did it, because getting to this start point up a road would be quite boring. It is still 2km to go.
Down the road a bit, and the first signs of the residents of Okutama.
Almost back at the station, I have crossed this bridge many times before.
The ravine at Okutama is nowhere near as nice as it Mitake, which is a photo I took at the start of this trip. They know it is not as good, so they strung a wire to discourage people from taking photos.
And finally, here is the station. Although today did not take as long as I had hoped, I still rate it as a top 5 hike in Japan. Great scenery. Good workout. I hope to do it again one day.
It goes without saying, tonight will be a short outing in the local area only!