Back to Japan for even more - Oct and Nov 2017 - Page 6

My highway overpass window on Kobe revealed another day of 'blue' sky in Japan. Except its terribly polluted again.
I had hoped last nights sudden wind would blow it away, no such luck.

First I had to get to the trail, its a bit of a walk from Ashiya station, there were lots of other hikers to follow, and the Lawson convenience store next to here was full to the brim, I had to line up for ten minutes to pay for my Pocari Sweat.

Lots of people, impossible to get lost today, on the way up anyway.

This is the real start of the trail. Its very steep and rocky for about 90 minutes up past here. This is also where I had to threaten to kill a Japanese man for accusing me of stealing plastic bottles.

It was slow going, but the view was great, except for the pollution. Often trails have no view due to trees, this one has exposed rocks a lot of the way up.

Kobe, or its suburbs anyway.

This is not the top, its not even halfway up. Its the top of the rock garden hiking part. Some people went back down a different way from here. Where would be the fun in that?

Nice view though, lots of color today, but I didnt photograph it well.

Here I am. The slow going to this point due to single file and waiting meant I hadnt even broken a sweat. Others were draped in a towel continually drying their sweat, Japanese people always hike with a towel.
I was wearing shorts, and glad I did, but not one other person was, I was checking. Later in the day I saw some trail runners at the top in shorts.

A short while after the end of the rocky garden, you pass a golf course, right on the side of the mountain. It wont be the last one today either, there are lots of country clubs up here and a tollway road that tunnels through the mountain connecting them all.

I still had to get up there and hike all the way along it. Thankfully the crowds were thinning a bit now.

An example of todays leaf color. Probably not the best example.

There are also lots of flood control barrier things all the way up, which create waterfalls and spots to appreciate the view.

Some more color and a waterfall. No bears today, but there are lots of wild boars, I saw one. The locals were yelling at it and trying to video it, it was terrified and charging off through the trees at full speed.

Its starting to look a long way down and a very long way from the city. I checked my GPS to make sure I wasnt wandering off into oblivion.

And here we are at the summit proper. I did not stop.

View, I had to go along the ridge path to those towers on the left, and then some distance beyond them too, before starting to head back down.

The far side of the mountain is more cities. Nishinomiya apparently. Never heard of it. A guy taking the same photo pointed and said that to me, I checked the map on my phone, he was absolutely right!

POLLUTION. Osaka to the left, Kobe to the right.

Not even sure whats that way!

The path along the ridge was great, up and down a few times but also flat sections. It kind of follows a road and you have to cross the road a few times, which is full of motorbikes and tour buses.

Starting to get a bit superfluous with the photos now.

I was really enjoying the view for many many hours.

And now I am at one of the many cable car top stations, where you can have lunch, but I didnt, nowhere to sit, expensive, no time, got to keep moving!

As you can see the top of this peak is very developed, lots of little shops selling expensive crap to tourists. There are also lots of hotels built on cliffs up here.

Some more view, featuring people enjoying the view.

This is actually a different golf course to the one earlier. They have included covered hiking trails through it for people like me, but have tried to stop people seeing into the course. I found this spot to peer in though.
Apparently Donald Trump is in Japan playing golf today. Maybe he is here.

The crowds thinned completely. I think most hikers took one of the cable cars down. I selected a path down, and had it completely to myself, but it appeared to be a really long way back to civilization.

The long path down was great, and featured every kind of scenery, dark wooded parts, lots of streams to cross, waterfalls, colored leaves etc.

Heres a stream I had to cross, I never saw another person for 3 hours on the way down! Hence the 'first everybody, then nobody' title of todays post.

The light was very good at times.

I kept passing similar flood control artificial waterfalls, at least ten of them.

Then I got to this. It is much bigger than it first appears to be. I had to have 3 different attempts to get over before I found a way where I didnt plummet to my death.

Then I came to a surprise tunnel. It goes under the toll road. My theory is they really dont want pedestrians or cyclists to find a way onto that road, there is a long road tunnel under the mountain just past this point.
It was pretty great going in this tunnel in the middle of nowhere, and absolutely freezing inside.

And then I came out at a random spot on the side of the road, and a few hundred metres later had this great view! However its still 5km to a train station, all downhill, an easy jog.

A bit more of the great view from here. Lots of really really nice houses up here. Lots of stairways connecting streets that require switch backs due to how steep it was.
Reminded me a lot of the mid-levels area of Hong Kong. Only a lot quieter. No convenience store to be found! I really wanted a banana.

I thought the view was good enough to warrant a smug looking selfie.

Back up there in the distance is where I had come down from.

And then, after 30km and 7 hours of hiking and running where I could, back at the station!
Another great day of hiking in Japan.

The colorful station area of Sannomiya.

Lots of streets extend up the hill, I dont think I ever went up there before.

And after going on a rant about the racist guy earlier, here is what I presume is the nazi party of Japan bus.
Its hand painted black, with the rising sun flags trailing at the back, the guys in it wearing arm bands and headbands.
When they saw me taking their photo, the guy delivering the manifesto over the loudspeaker system got particulalry animated.
I like to think he was ranting about me. The speakers on this bus were seriously loud, I could hear it all night from blocks away.

And heres the reason for tonights post title.
5.5 years ago I went to Pyramid curry here for lunch, when I visited Kobe for the day.
Its an independent store, not part of a chain, and the same guy was still running it, I remember him, he sings as he prepares the meal, and has a pony tail.
I explained to him that I visited many years ago, he didnt believe me, said I was making it up to get discount!
I said I didnt want a discount, and googled 'lostorwhat kobe pyramid' and there it was, my last visit. I showed him on my phone, and he burst out laughing.

Great curry though. Very spicy, and the rice is shaped like a pyramid, how could it possibly be bad? Its the best Japanese curry I ever had, and I have now had it twice.
Curry photos really are terribly pointless, its brown goo on rice, but I dont care, I put them here anyway.

The central Kobe one of these is 2 levels high and very spacious. Looks deserted up this end but theres a lot of people in the distance.

The local parking garage has a shark with an animated LED display.

Overpass, long exposure, starbeams.

Sannomiya also has a very large red light district. The people of Kobe are particularly sinful.

Last pic for this evening, an enormous coffee shop. Maybe I will go there in the morning before heading back to Shin-Osaka to get the train to Gifu.

My early morning wander around Kobe first came to this dilapidated semi abandoned area. I was looking for Motomachi and thought this was it, it was not.

Remember, in Japan, no rubbish bins, just piles and piles of rubbish bags, everywhere.

Not sure what this old building was, lots of security guards in cars surrounding it. Maybe Trump is staying there.

This is the ubiquitous roadworks sign. I like that they have a little picture of a man doing the apology bow.

Motomachi. Miles long, snakes around a bit, starts off old, gets newer, full of cyclists trying to kill me at this time despite the no bikes signs up everywhere. Rebels.

Almost forgot, I only found the Kobe Chinatown this morning. Quite large, seemed legit. Lots of dumplings and congee for sale for breakfast.
I am staying in Yokohama after Gifu, which has an even larger Chinatown. I will speak Chinese there and get strange looks.

Heres a bit more Chinatown, there were many such gates. You know you are in Chinatown when stores are getting fresh bean shoots delivered daily.

The last bit of my walk, between the tracks, miles and miles of closed garage doors. I dont know how many of them still have shops behind them or if they are closed permanently these days.

And now, Gifu station area. Complete with gold samurai statue, holding a gun. He's doing it wrong.
Sky here is less polluted, good news!

And heres my room, its very large, I am considering sub letting one of the corners to someone.

Here is just one random street, nice roofs, very modern.

A completely different street, more roofs, nice sunset though.

This roofed shopping street is apparently themed on the city of Florence. I am yet to work out how. The proper covered streets are a labyrinth, there is a Takashimaya hidden amongst the middle of it all.

One of the lesser roofed shopping streets, no people to be seen.

Even though its under a roof already, this guy has also erected a tent around his izakaya, just to make sure.

By building a roof over everything they got rid of all the Yakuza in Gifu, and I presume most of the people.

This pub is under a roof, but its only for Irish losers.

Here is tonights loudspeaker idiots, conveniently parked under a roof.
There are actually quite a few police on the other side of the road where I am also standing watching whats going on.

I headed down a roofed street back to the station and found an Ippudo, world famous Ramen as found in Taipei and Sydney. Best ramen of my trip so far!
The spoon on the left had the extra hot chilli sauce I added, which was delicious.

First I had to change trains at Ogaki, which is actually a castle town, and also the start of the Yoro line that goes up a long valley to many other castles.
I might go there tomorrow, then again Gifu is also a castle town, theres a big castle on top of a hill in Gifu somewhere. The weather was perfect as you can see.

On my run up from the station I forgot to take a photo of the mountain from afar until too late, you will see it on my way back...
Heres the start of the trail, in woods, I expected a fully exposed trail so this was surprising. Let the fun commence! I was running up hill here.

The woods didnt last long. This is the top of the lower ski field, theres a few lodges, all shut, but they have vending machines and toilets.
This is already quite high up, probably nearly an hour from the trail start. The plateau is deceiving, the bottom is a long way down from those buildings.

A bit further up, enjoying the all day views.

The views were golden at times, I turned the color down, it was more golden than this!

After I got over a ridge I could finally see the summit peak. It looks very far away, I better get a move on.
This was one of very few flat bits actually, It was constant switchbacks for 90% of the journey.

A nice bit of colorful forest, and people on the path ahead, I will pass them soon. The summit still looks a long way off.

Probably already past peak color here. This is one of the very few sections in amongst some trees.

Rock garden. The path was generally rocky, probably 2/3 of the time like this. My shoes look wrecked!

At times the summit was in cloud. I was concerned I would be freezing cold up there. I was not, not at all.
This photo makes it look like its downhill. I assure you its not, not at all.
I like to say not at all.

Nearly there. Its a lot steeper down than it appears. I always say that.

Slightly superfluous, but I like the clouds. I say superfluous a lot.

Almost there, still pushing hard, sweat was running off me, down my back, down may pants, down my legs, filling my shoes!

And finally, at the top. I was quite pleased with my progress.

There are a few different summit markers, over there is the little village that you can get to from the car park on the other side in high heels.

There I am.

The official summit marker I think, someone has piled up their gardening tools at its base.

The far side of the mountain. This is the most prominent mountain for a long way in any direction.
Because of its prominence, you have this situation -
'Mount Ibuki is well known for receiving the world's heaviest snowfall in recorded history. On February 14, 1927, the depth of snow at the top of the peak was 11.82 m (38.8 ft) according to government records, which is a world record.'
Today, 0 feet.

Me again, squinting. You can see the carpark in the bottom right of this pic.
A lot of people hate the fact you can drive to the top. Whilst it detracts from the mystery somewhat, cause when you get to the top theres a few hundred people up there who drove up, I dont have a real issue with it.
They have at least done a pretty good job of hiding the road, if only they could bury the huge high voltage electricty towers that are all over the mountain.

I took a couple more shots.

Last one, time to head back down the same way, no photos on the way down, too treacherous, had to put my camera in my little backpack and do up the straps.
I never fell over once, my shoes are awesome.

There is a little temple thing at the bottom. I checked the bus timetable, none for 3 hours, guess I will have to jog back to Omi-Nagaoka station then.
You can just see the summit of the mountain in this shot.

On my way back I remembered to take a shot of the mountain from afar, peak at the back, quarry on the left, ridge on the right has the road along it and inside it.

OK, one more, the way I went back to the station was on an old train line, at least I assume it was. It was flat, the right width, long sweeping curves.
At one point it went under the Shinkansen track, it was fun standing under it as they flew over head.
Today was a great day indeed!

Pictures will be quite boring, and there wont be many because I was tired, and I have taken all of these photos before.
Here is the ferris wheel on the side of the buildings, kind of defeating the purpose by blocking the view.

I remembered all the streets of Nagoya have twinkling lights, and they still do.

This is in amongst all the department stores, they were still putting up the christmas lights here having taken down the halloween ones.

Same spot, but looking in the other direction.

My dinner has everything.
A tiny slice of roast beef, thats the only meat.
A salad complete with some sort of super creamy dreassing which I would prefer it didnt have.
Then a small rice omelette, baked potato that needed to be baked more, and bread roll with butter injected inside.
Yes, my dinner had rice, bread and potato.

The famous Nagoya landmark. They call it the tv tower but these days I assume its a phone tower.

The streets around this part of town are all neon. Lots and lots of streets. Nagoya is large.

And after another long walk, I am back at the station, with its futuristic looking station buildings. I am not sure if they were both finished last time I was here? I shall check shortly.