Back to Japan for the 11th time - October and November 2024 - Page 8

Here is the bus stop where I got off and from where I will start the hike. Yes a bus. But I managed to get on the first bus after my train arrived. Getting to here was via Shibusawa station on the Odakyu line. It is a 2 hour journey from Tokyo. The bus back was packed to the rafters. I have a recollection that the last time I came here it was almost a punch up to get on the first bus after the train arrived at Shibusawa. No such drama today. This was a very disjointed description, but no one reads this far into each one anyway.

This is a very popular hike. There are a lot of hiking clubs, and also people who do nature conservation work. I am not sure why they need helmets though. This was the brightest the day would be, it just got cloudier and foggier all day, but never actually rained.

I remembered this bridge from my last visit, where the light was great, blue sky etc. Not today. Why am I messing about at the bridge taking photos? I need to get running so I get back before dark!

My mountains are around to the left, in cloud.

The path today is almost all stairs until you get over the first mountain, Tonodake, at which point it becomes a lot of mud as you shall see.

There were the occasional flat bits to run on more comfortably.

There are also a lot of guest houses and cafes on this hike. Most were strangely not open yet, this one was very busy as I came back down, it is the one closest to the bus stop.

I very much remember these raised planks from last time. There are less now, they have been replaced by wooden stairs in a lot of places.

Still not a lot of colour. Last time was blinding leaf colour. I will stop talking about last time eventually.

This is a rare downwards bit on the way up. The hike has a reputation for being an unrelenting sets of stairs. It is hard on your feet / calves because of all the different types of stairs.

Another cafe, this one was open.

I don't think I was ever more than 100 metres away from another hiker today. This meant no bear bell needed. But also difficult to pull off public urination, but I did...

A lot more stairs.

Last chance for a view, a bit of fog rolling in already.

Here comes the fog.

I like the dead looking bits of hikes in grey weather.

Low bamboo time. This hike is the best low bamboo of any hike I am aware of.

This is the summit of Tonodake. There is a place to spend the night here. A lot of people turn back at this point as on a normal day there is a very good view of Fuji, but the best parts of this trail are between here and Tanazawa.

A lot of fog now, and mud, and low bamboo.

But still more steps. I actually wish there were a few more of those plank things as my shoes got mud through them.

There were however still some of my trusty elevated planks.

Overgrown in some places. My pants also got soaked, but it was not actually cold or raining.

Nearly at the peak of Tanzawa, where I would turn back and re-trace my steps. There is another bigger lodge to stay at just beyond Tanzawa that serves a famous curry, but I do not have time for that before it gets dark.

Tanzawa summit. No one around, where is everyone?

They are all using their bunsen burners to boil water for their noodles in here. Time for me to turn back.

Not the worst of the mud, but it was consistently mud for about 2km. I never fell over in it, I saw evidence that some others did.

Another overgrown bit.

Great fog, but I know the views across the valley towards Fuji are amazing too.

Back at Tonodake summit. I was 2 hours faster than sunset... I clearly went way too fast on the way up.

A lone orange tree to remind us all of what is yet to come this season.

Here is a rare bit without stairs, just rocks. It looks very wet but it was not actually slippery.

I am about to get back to the bus, a concrete driveway and no stairs.

After my packed bus ride back to Shibusawa station I had about 10 minutes to kill before the train back to Tokyo came (they come regularly), so here is a photo from the station up into the mountains I had been up and down still covered by cloud.

This station actually has a full sized Odakyu supermarket inside the station building. Exciting.

And for my last pic, waiting on the Shibusawa platform for my rapid express Odakyu train back to Shinjuku.

Here is the entry to the restaurant and bar area by Kanda station. I think this is the 4th time I have stayed in this area. It is very convenient for the Chuo rapid line, which takes me to the mountains.

In this area, a lot of places were, 'smoking ok'. Not OK!

I recall last time I was here wanting to eat at this ramen place, however since I basically had ramen last night, I decided to look elsewhere. Fascinating stuff this!

And so I ended up with a hamburg steak as they call it. I chose the avocado option (it is under the bean sprouts). These hamburg steaks are always a bit over priced, but the lack of people smoking and lack of a line assisted in my choice.
Tomorrow is definitely not a hiking day!