Hiking Mount Ougiyama and Momokurayama near Torisawa station
First proper hike and I already managed to get lost, lost enough to require a 1 hour back track after following the wrong path to an abandoned grave of the last guy that went the wrong way. More on that later.
I almost missed the train, again. Some services are still not running due to the great typhoon of 2017. As always, I looked up how to get to my destination on Hyperdia, and left plenty of time to transfer at Shinjuku. Then I got on the train and it didnt move.
Then various announcements were made and everyone got off. Now what! I didnt want to miss my chosen express train out to the middle of nowhere.
So I went one stop in the wrong direction and got on a different train to Shinjuku, I was sure I had missed my next train, but luckily that was late too, I ran onto it just as the doors closed 6 minutes late.
The journey today took me to quite near Mount Fuji, actually the last station I changed at is where the fuji railway to Kawaguchiko starts from.
Its worth mentioning that I changed at Shinjuku onto the SPECIAL RAPID LIMITED EXPRESS AZUSA 7, which went past my destination where I then changed again at Otsuki, and then caught the local train 2 stops back to Torisawa. Train nerds are hyperventilating with excitement at this.
Anyway, once I got off, I had to find the start of the trail, which fortunately today was very well signposted. I suspect thats because you have to go under the expressway along someones driveway, and then cut through the golf course country club waste collection area.
I also passed a few old guys looking after their farms, by spraying enormous amounts of pesitcide whilst having coughing fits, the air was thick with posion, these guys are making sure bees dont make a comeback in Japan anytime soon.
Finally, I was now on the trail proper, and I was excited. I had selected a trail that would go up one peak, along a ridge, down for a while then up another peak, then down to a different station. To fit all this in I had already run to the trail start, because it was a forecast 7 hour journey.
Getting up to peak number 1, Ogiyama, was through pine forests, and up numerous temporary waterfalls. Again today the water had decided the hiking trail was the best path. Fortunately it was rocky in these areas so I could keep my feet dry.
There were a few views of Fuji on the way up before it predictably clouded over when I got to the top.
Then the fun began.
I headed along the ridge, following a path, which became quite dark and overgrown, then hard to follow, then there were huge obstacles and I was no longer sure if there was a path. I looked at my GPS and compared it to the maps of other hikers. I was on the wrong ridge. I then noticed an old grave, at least I presume thats what it was, time to backtrack!
My total detour was about 2 hours, time to run again to make up some time!
I was really expecting at this point to never get to peak number 2, thinking I would just follow the same way back down, but then I decided to have a look over a ridge and I saw a heap of pine trees marked for chopping down.
Sure enough, in amongst them was the actual trail! Now I could get to peak number 2. The trail along the ridge was quite flat so I could run, seeing only 3 or 4 other people as I went, then it got really steep at the end, steep enough to put on gloves and scramble to the top for a good 30 minutes pulling myself up using trees and rocks (but no ropes or chains today!)
Then, despite having seen no more than 6 people all day, there was a group of 50 at peak number 2, Momokurayama.
The trail down from here was much smoother apart from another tricky waterfall section, before I knew it I was back at the next station, Saruhashi, and launched Hyperdia to plan my limited express journey home.
Again though, the train was an experience, despite not being crowded an old man decided to cut his finger and toe nails on the train. Then clean his ears with cue tips, then stick a tissue up his nose and see what he could fish out. The final act was to use that same tissue to scrub his seat back tray, spreading a thin layer of what came out of his nose for the next person to enjoy.
And before my mother says 'he must have been a Chinese', no, he was Japanese, wearing a sleeveless vest, a ping golf hat, carrying a briefcase and reading a Japanese newspaper.
I am convinced Japanese people have lost control of their low level body functions that regulate their noses and coughing reflex. I blame WiFi, genetically modified foods and vaccines.
Torisawa station, mountains on all sides.
I was never really sure where I was going, but I think the peak on the right is peak 1, and then all the way on the left is peak 2. Or I am facing the wrong way and my entire journey is behind me.
As mentioned, good signage, lots of confidence I wouldnt get lost, I was wrong.
One of the farmers has this old Nissan rusting away, ready to be restored, never.
I ran past this nice valley filled with little houses, and was poisoned by old guys killing everything with a mixture of ricin and nerve gas.
Then I hit the pine forest, fun times ahead.
There were lots of these seed pod red plant things along the trail. Quite tasty, but also a little bit mouth burning.
Then I climbed a waterfall for a few hundred metres.
After the waterfall, I was rewarded with my first glimpse of Fuji! So spiritual, many blessing, peace with North Korea if Kim can see Fuji!
Too early for peak color, so this is early color, still yellow, no red, but mild levels of color hysteria experienced.
Then there was one magical red tree. I took a knee to appreciate or protest, apparently taking a knee is to protest, or propose. I proposed a protest to the tree by taking a knee.
Peak number 1, crappy grey weather today ruining glorious Fuji, show some respect weather!
Its me in my Chinese construction worker pants!
My head is bigger than Mount Fuji.
The start of the ridge path to peak 2 was well defined, and flat, so I ran.
Then I got lost and it got dark and scary.
Would I find my way back to the path or be consumed by the trees?....
....thankfully I found this useful sign which told me everything I needed to know.
I was pulling myself up by hand to peak number 2 when I heard all kinds of commotion, its packed full of people!
The view, I tried to make it a bit clearer by messing with lightroom sliders, it was pretty dark by now.
More view.
More of my giant head.
I had well and truly earned my calorie mate today, in total my hike was 7 hours, including the lengthy detour.
About halfway down and you can see the cities in the valley, and some impressive roads and bridges.
It got dark and scary again, but this time the path was real! Clearly others had used it often, including the 50 people having a tea party at the top.
This is where the road starts at the end of the trail. These vending machines have a fantastic view. I tried to make the photo look old timey something or rather.
Then I had to go under a huge bridge again, I stopped to appreciate, then thought it would fall on me if there was an earthquake so I got out from under it.
Then I had to cross what the hike description I followed said was a stream. Today its a raging torrent.
A great day, I typed all this really fast so theres probably mistakes, I will re read later, now I need some dinner!
The streets abd fiid if Kichioji
Tonight I went to Kichijoji, which is quite west but not nearly at the western edge of the Tokyo Megalopolis.
I liked it a lot, I had never been there before. My research on the way there told me it was famous for being where Studio Ghibli is, which is a theme park for people that like anime from the Ghibli studio, and also for having a small zoo.
I however spotted it from the train window earlier today on my way back from the mountains, and saw lots of shiny things, and decided to go back there for dinner.
As it turns out, it is one of the nicest places in Tokyo I have been, very much like Ginza, extremely clean, not overly busy, massive.
Right now I am using my in room washer / dryer, which is very exciting, because its free. Its enormous and has no English and a thousand menu options, some of the characters are the same as Chinese which helps, although one of them clealy says Apple, and another says amusement park. So I suspect Japanese washer dryers can be used for drying apples into apple chips (which I love) and for sticking children inside to spin them like an amusement park ride.
In other news, tomorrow I go to Shizuoka, I have not been there before, the North Korean interactive nuclear missile map suggests its out of range from a direct strike on Tokyo, so thats good.
And now, I am fantastically tired, a feeling I love, struggling to keep typing and finish sentences.
The street outside the station in the terrifically neat and tidy Kichijoji.
Tomato Ramen! Not the same one as the chorizo tomato ramen soup with garlic bread in Shinjuku, but stil, thats what I want! Not yet though, I need to walk around some more before things close.
A very neat and tidy street with nicely manicured trees.
A giant Uniqlo. So very many puffer jackets.
There is also a network of covered shopping streets, almost closing time though.
This one has more of a soothing blue light theme.
There is also a giant Yodobashi, complete with top level food court, not today though, tomato ramen beckons.
And here it is, I selected a vegetarian option with eggplant and heaped coriander. It looks just like tomato soup but theres actually ramen underneath. Each bowl has the equivalent of 20 ripe tomatoes - very good for prostate health.
Then I was in camping goods street, and this awesome place caught my eye. Second hand hiking gear. Some of the jackets they sell for $100 secondhand are $500 new, and looked like they had only been worn once. I bought nothing, my Chinese construction worker pants and a $10 Uniqlo tshirt is all I need.
And here is a long exposure heavily edited shot of the pond in the zoo near the Ghibli studio. Lots of people were jogging around here, and 3 girls were playing tubas. It sounded horrible.