6 November 2026
Views up the valley
Kosaba Gozenyama loop from Sasazu station
I beat the rain!
Today was a shorter hike with good views in the South of Toyama.
I made a mistake getting there, the train I boarded from Toyama station, by tapping my IC card, does not travel on an IC card line, despite being a JR line. Yep, it is just as confusing as it sounds because Japanese people are stubborn fools.
When I got off the train it was an unmanned station, so I knew my card would now cause a drama the next time I try to enter any station.
I took a bus back from my hike (which I knew I would have to), for which I knew I would have to pay cash, but to resolve my card situation from earlier I had to go into Toyama station again and join a line full of people with. the. same. issue.
Anyway, now for the stats
24,500 steps
14.16km - shortest so far
3 hours 51 minutes
786m vertical ascent
1,053 calories burned
Sasazu station, as mentioned above, no IC card, no ticket machine, despite being a JR station.
The first part of the hike today was up a lonely road to an abandoned ski field, here is the view back towards the Toyama plain.
There were a lot of camp sites in the area, someone is actually camping at this one, amazing.
First view up the valley, from the roof observation area of an abandoned cafe. They had replaced the cafe with a bunch of vending machines.
These picnic areas are all numbered, like you might need to make a booking, optimistic.
Today's standard bear warning, these are everywhere, even in shopping centres in towns, the more interesting ones have a typed or hand written date of last sighting.
A lot of stairs to head up today, but despite first appearances, there was still a good 2 or so hours of actual trail.
I was keeping an eye on the weather.
This observation platform is closed down forever, the Japanese hiking app yamap reports for this hike all feature hikers complaining about it and going on a rant about the Toyama government.
The toilets are also closed, no problem for me, the world is my urinal, I saw no one at all today!
Best view of the day.
Proof that there was a real path for about 1/2 of the hike today.
But also, stairs.
More view, with wires.
There are multiple summits called Gozenyama today, this one is called.... Gozenyama, stay tuned for the next one. Nice summit shelter.
A bitumen path reappeared near the summit, I am not entirely sure why.
Now for some nice autumn trails to the next Gozenyama.
Every now and then there was an off shoot to a ridge for a great view. Nice bridges.
I did not get close to the edge, as it was a certain death level of cliff.
I was very happy with the views today.
And here it is, the other Gozenyama, allegedly named Kosaba Gozenyama.
It got dark and cloudy, I went fast because I was sure it would rain, it did not until I got back on the bus.
Last view shot for the day.
I was very happy with the leafy trail once again today. There were no bears but there were a lot of large ground birds that make a hell of a noise that had me leap into the air a couple of times.
I knew I would be taking a bus back, there is no train for 4 hours, but since I had to wait 20 minutes for the bus, here is a photo of the tracks at Sasazu station.
And as ever, I offer proof that I went on a bus. Getting a bus back to the centre of town is far easier than getting a bus out of town. It was a 45 minute ride back to Toyama station so I could fix up my ICOCA IC card as discussed above.
So far I have completed every hike on schedule, despite the rain and or constant threat of rain.