Sakura no Sato (700m), Mt Myogi, Shimonita Town, Gunma Prefecture, Saturday, March 16, 2024

I had been planning to do this section of the Gunma Fureai no Michi for a while but kept on putting it off since the second half, done more than ten years ago, was closed due to rockfall. As with my previous hike, it was becoming clear that the closure might be permanent so I decided to head out anyway, and just follow the road for the last part. Although I wouldn’t be passing any summits on the way, I hoped to to get a view of the mountains of western Gunma from a park located on the southern flanks of Mt Myogi.

Hiking on the Kanto Fureai no Michi 関東ふれあいの道

Hiking in Nishi-Joshu 西上州

To get to the start of the hike, I would ride the shinkansen to Takasaki and then transfer to the Joshin railway for the one-hour ride to Shimonita. There, I would ride a taxi to a nearby plum blossom garden. I would end the hike at a hot spring facility at the northern edge of Mt Myogi; after a refreshing dip, I could take a taxi to Matsuida station on the Shin-Etsu line, a few stops from Takasaki. The weather was supposed to be sunny, as well as warm for the season. I was looking forward to getting some close up views of one of the three famous mountains of Gunma.

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Going up through the Sakura no Sato Park

View of Hitto Rock (left) Path for Myogi Shrine (right)

Surprisingly, almost all seats on the Joshin Electric line were taken upon leaving Takasaki station, although most passengers got off well before Shinomita, the final station on the line. After a short taxi ride, I was at the entrance of Fukujuso no Sato (寿草の里), a little past 10am. After getting reading for hiking, I made a small donation at the front gate and entered the plum blossom garden, the last day of the year it was open to the public. I made my way along a path under white and red blossoms, slowly heading up the mountain side; at 11am, I reached a viewpoint at the highest point of the garden.

View of Mt Ogeta (right) from Fukujuso no Sato

View of the Plum Blossoms from the Highest Point

I was amazed by the sea of pink spreading down into the valley. Opposite was Mt Ogeta; on the south side, I spotted the triangular shape of Mt Inafukumi, and northwards, I could make out one of Mt Myogi’s many peaks. After a short break, I headed down via a different path, and half an hour later, joined up with the Fureai no Michi, descending from Mt Ogeta on the right. I was now heading north along a road connecting Shimonita with Matsuida, but soon turned left onto a smaller road leading up a valley. On the left side, beyond a stream, I could see the higher slopes of Mt Mido. At noon, I arrived at the Nakamura bus stop, where I turned right, heading up a small mountain road with almost no traffic.

View of Mt Mido from the Fureai no Michi

View of Mt Myogi from the Fureai no Michi

Along the way, I enjoyed the view of plum blossoms trees in full bloom, whetting my appetite for the approaching cherry blossom season. As the road climbed higher and higher, I noticed patches of melting snow in the shade, a reminder of the winter weather that had only just loosened its grip a few days ago. At 1pm, I reached a trail at the base of the Sakura no Sato Prefectural Forest Park (県立森林公園さくらの里), meaning “Sakura Village” and famous for its many cherry blossom trees, supposed to reach full bloom in a few weeks. A short climb took me above the tree tops, their buds firmly closed, and at a fork in the path I stopped to turn around.

View of Western Gunma from Sakura no Sato

Nearing the Open Shelter and Mt Myogi Viewpoint

I was stunned by the impressive view of the long mountain ridge separating Gunma and Saitama, still covered in snow; I had climbed many of these peaks, including the highest one, Mt Akaguna; in the foreground, I could see Mt Ogeta and Mt Mido. A few more minutes up some log steps brought me to an open shelter with a dramatic view of Mt Kondo, the north side of Mt Myogi. Since it was just past 1pm, I settled down for lunch. At 2pm, I resumed my hike and made my way to the rest house at the highest point of the park. Along the way, I had some excellent views of the nearby Hitto-Iwa (筆頭岩 826m), a mini-version of the Matterhorn. Although the trail to the summit is closed, I could follow it all the way to the base of the rocky summit.

Mt Kondo from Sakura no Sato

In the background, Mt Mikabo (left), Mt Inafukumi (center) and Mt Akaguna (right)

I was rewarded with a striking view of Mt Souma, the south side of Mt Myogi and its highest peak, the best view of the day. Since I was on schedule, I took some time to walk along the road above the park to get some more views of the mountains of Nish-Joshu; I could see all the way from Mt Mikabo on the eastern side to Mt Arafune on the western side. At 3pm, after crossing the road, I was back on a hiking path for Myogi Shrine along the Fureai no Michi, heading down a steep, rocky trail, now in the afternoon shade. Very soon, I reached another viewpoint of Mt Souma, this time from below; fortunately, the rocky face was sill bathed in the late-afternoon sunlight.

The Matterhorn lookalike Hitto Rock from Sakura no Sato Park

Mt Souma from the Fureai no Michi

I admired the ragged summit, tantalizingly close but beyond the reach of the casual hiker. Some more descending brought me back to the road I was on earlier; it had taken a long detour around Hitto-Iwa. From this point it was a thirty-minute walk to Momiji-no-yu Hot Spring, which I reached around 4pm. Before hopping into the outdoor bath with a view of Mt Akagi, a made a quick visit to the neighbouring Visitor Center where I was able to examine a couple of relief models of Mt Myogi. The onsen staff were kind enough to arrange a taxi for me, and by 5h30, I was at Matsuida station waiting for the train for Takasaki. Although roughly half of this six-hour hike was on paved roads, I met no other hikers, saw plenty of plum blossoms and had some amazing views of the mountains of Gunma.

Watch a Video of the Sakura no Sato Mt Myogi Hike

Watch the Video of the Hike on YouTube

See a Slideshow of More Pictures of the Hike

Mt Akaguna (1523m), Kanna Town, Gunma Prefecture, Sunday, May 28, 2023 [Mikabo Super Forest Road]

I had been wanting to climb this mountain for a several years, but couldn’t figure out a way to do it as a day trip by bus; even using a share car to reach the trailhead at the Hayataki car park meant a long hike combined with a long drive. In the end, I decided to approach via the “Mikabo Super Rindo”, a 67km forest road that follows the ridgeline from east to west, and passes just below the summit, on the north side. Looking at my hiking map, I noticed I could return via a logging road road on the south side, and thus do a loop hike; it seemed a bit adventurous, requiring me to reply on my GPS. I would take the Takasaki line to Honjo station, where I would switch to a car, and then drive to Shiozawa Pass; I would return via the same route. The weather was supposed to be cloudy most of the day; since no rain was forecast, I still hoped to get some good views. I was looking forward to doing some more exploring of one of the less accessible hiking areas around Tokyo.

First View of Mt Akaguna from the Hiking Trail

Hiking through Green Forest below the Summit

The weather was definitely cloudy as I got off the train at Honjo station around 9am, dashing any hope of sun. Despite the gloomy skies, I enjoyed the drive through Onishi Town and past Kanna Lake, places I had visited on previous hikes. I passed the trail entrances for Mt Mikabo and Mt Tetemiezu, reflecting on how the weather had also been poor on those two hikes. After Kanna Town, I turned right, onto a smaller road leading up the mountain, and parked my car at Shiozawa Pass (塩沢峠), near the junction with the Mikabo Super Rindo (御荷鉾スーパー林道).

The Mikabo Super Forest Road near Mt Akaguna

Green Path and Pink Flowers

I enjoyed the wide view across the valley on the south side: I could see the rounded top of Mt Tetemiezu and the twin peaks of Mt Futago, both on the border of Gunma and Saitama; behind Mt Futago, the summit ridge of Mt Ryokami was hidden in the clouds. I set off at 11h30, and and soon reached the turnoff for the “super-rindo” on the left side. I was glad I had opted to leave my car at the pass; although I could have parked closer to the summit, this gravel road was better suited to walking, bicycling or motorcycling. At noon, I arrived at the trail entrance on the left, as well as an open shelter with a viewpoint.

Light Green Above (left) Light Green Below (right)

Following a Narrow Ridge (left) Walking among the Birches (right)

The view of the Kanto Plain to the east was completely in the clouds; I could only imagine what it looked like on a clear day. I followed the up and down ridge trail westwards, through light green forest; occasionally the vroom of a motorcycle interrupted the background noise of buzzing insects, a reminder of the nearby forest road, mostly hidden by the trees. At the top of a grassy slope, I stumbled upon a cluster of bright red azalea (“tsutsuji“), always a nice surprise, even though I had seen hundreds the previous week.

View of the Top of Mt Akaguna from the Forest Road

Pylon next to the Forest Road (left) Surrounded by Green (right)

I reached the best viewpoint of the day just before 1pm, as I passed through an area clear of trees on the south side. The clouds had thinned and the sun was now shining on the rolling, forested mountains; Mt Ryokami’s ragged ridgetop was now visible; a power line stretched down into the valley, suspended between giant pylons, creating a dramatic effect from where I stood; directly ahead, at the end of a long ridge, was the tree-covered top of Mt Akaguna. Past a pylon, the trail merged with the forest road, but after a short distance, headed up the ridgeline again, along the East Route (東コース).

Power Line Diving into the Valley

Ridgeline Leading to the Summit of Mt Akaguna

This was by far the nicest section of today’s hike, the trail alternating between level and gently climbing portions, giving me ample time to take in the surrounding scenery. After a steep section, the trail merged with the North Route (北コース); a few minutes later, I reached the summit of Mt Akaguna (赤久縄山あかぐなやま akaguna-yama), a Gunma and a Kanto 100 famous mountain. It was about 1h30, so I sat on a low bench for some lunch; although there was no view, looking up, I could see a huge patch of blue sky. At 2pm, I headed back down the West Route, and then followed the Forest Road till the start of the alternate trail back to Shiozawa Pass.

The Usual Hiking Trail is along this Ridge

Walking through a Green Wonderland

It was a challenge to find the main logging road after leaving the Super-Rindo, even with using the GPS on my phone, as many minor offshoots crisscrossed the mountain side. I was relieved when I finally reached one with a signpost for Shiozawa Pass, a little before 3pm. After an easy, slightly downhill stroll, I was back at my parked car, less than half an hour later. As it was still early, I drove a short way to the start of the trail of Mt Odoke (オドケ山). It took 30 minutes to complete the loop hike; although the summit was in the trees, I was impressed by the fancy new, bright red signposts. At 4pm, I set off for the return drive, arriving back at Honjo station just before 6pm.

Walking back along the Mikabo Super Forest Road

One of the many Logging Roads in the Area

I was glad to be able to check this mountain off my to-climb list after so many years, even though I had to settle for a 3h30 hike, about half the time it would have taken from the trailhead at the base; maybe one day I’ll return to do the whole hike, although it would require an overnight stay. I’d also like to explore more of the Mikabo Super Forest Road, on foot or by bicycle, as there are many viewpoints along the way. Hopefully I can do this on a blue sky day.

Watch a Video of the Mt Akaguna Hike

See a Slideshow of More Photos of Mt Akaguna

Mt Mido (878m), Shimonita Town, Gunma Prefecture, Monday, January 9, 2023 [Map Available]

After my Annaka to Annaka hike, I needed to find another mountain I could climb in the winter using the Tokyo Wide Pass. I decided to visit the Nishi-Joshu area, since my last hike there was nearly 3 years ago. I found a suitable peak in my mountains of Gunma guidebook, low enough to be still free of snow, and short enough so I could catch the mid-afternoon bus back. To give myself some extra time, I would get to Shimonita station an hour before the morning bus and take a taxi to the trailhead. Although the hike went up and down the same path, I could check out a couple of viewpoints on the way, as well as this peak’s claim to fame: two tall rock pillars perched on the mountain side. I was looking forward to revisiting Nishi-Joshu after a long interval and getting some new views of the area.

Hiking with the Tokyo Wide Pass

“Old Man Old Woman Rock” the highlight of the hike

Get a map of the Mt Mido hike

This map was developed for Japanwilds with the Hokkaido Cartographer

Find more Japan hiking map s on Avenza

View of flat-topped Mt Arafune from Jijiiwa-Babaiwa

I rode the shinkansen to Takasaki on a sunny, cloudless day and then transferred to the Joshin line for Shimonita, arriving there a little after 10am. It took about ten minutes by taxi to reach the trail entrance, and after getting ready, I set off along a forest road through the cedars. I soon passed the end of the forest road, and by 11am, was walking up a rocky valley; I was finally starting to warm up, thanks to the sun, shining through the bare trees.

Walking among the cedars (left) Mi-n0-Taki waterfall (right)

View of Mt Myogi from the summit

I was extra careful to check for hidden holes, the path being covered in a layer of dead leaves. At 11h30, I reached Mi-no-Taki waterfall, barely a trickle at this time of year. It was also the trickiest part of the hike, requiring a quick scramble up a rocky face, fitted with a rope for safety. Next, a short, steep climb brought me to an intersection at the top of the valley. Here, I dropped my pack and headed left for the short roundtrip to the first viewpoint.

Steep section at the top of the valley (left) Old Woman Rock (right)

Looking down at Jijiiwa-Babaiwa from the second viewpoint

I followed a narrow ridge passing by the base of a rocky outcrop, and after a few minutes, reached a level, rocky ledge, opposite “Jjji-iwa Baba-iwa” (じじ岩ばば岩) meaning “Old man rock old woman rock”), two impressive stone pillars perched at the end of the ridge. Turning around, I had a bird’s-eye view of a deep valley, with flat-topped Mt Arafune in the background. Since it was nearly noon, I found a spot to sit and had an early lunch. After enjoying the view, I made my way back to the intersection and continued along the right branch.

Looking south towards the Mikabo Super forest road

View southeast of Mt Ogeta

I was surprised by how dry everything was, dust flying up from the trail at every gust of wind. After some more climbing along the narrow, twisting ridgeline, I reached the summit of Mt Mido (御堂山みどうやま mido-yama), a Gunma 100-famous mountain, a little before 1am. It was mostly in the trees, but I could make out the jagged summit of Mt Myogi, as well as the snowy top of Mt Asama, both on the north side. After a short break, I retraced my steps to a turn-off for the nearby “Jitoba-ura-tenbosho”, the rear viewpoint of the stone pillars.

Climbing the narrow ridgeline (left) Walking back along the forest road (right)

Late afternoon light filtering down into the deep valley

Standing next to a rocky outcrop, I had a fantastic view of “Jijiiwa-babaiwa”. I continued a little further to the end of the path, where I had a view of Mt Ogeta and the Kanto plain on the west side, and Mt Akaguna and the Mikabo Super forest road on the south side. I found a place to sit and finished the second half of my lunch. It was now past 2 pm so I quickly made my way back down the same way, carefully navigating the descent down Mi-no-taki waterfall, reaching the bus stop just in the time for the 3h30 bus. Back at Shimonita, I boarded the Joshin line for the one-hour trip back to Takasaki, where I transferred to the Shinkansen for Tokyo.

See a video of the Mt Mido hike

Mt Tetemiezu (1047m) & Mt Okubo (980m), Kanna Town, Gunma Prefecture, Saturday, November 20, 2021

I had climbed this remote mountain four years ago but had missed the main viewpoint, slightly off the main trail; the weather hadn’t been at its best either. I decided to give it another try, but this time from the Gunma side, so that I could go up and down via a different route. If I had enough time, I would make a roundtrip to the next peak along the ridgeline. I knew how to get there since I had visited the area twice before this year; however it would be the first time to ride the pass so far down the Kanna river valley. It was supposed to be a sunny day, usual for this time of the year. I hoped to enjoy a peaceful walk along the border of Saitama and Gunma, and perhaps catch the last of the autumn leaves.

View of Mt Ryokami under the dark clouds

I arrived at Shinmachi station before 8h30 and boarded a comfortable minibus bound for Ueno village, about 3 hours away. I got off at a bus stop just past Manba Village, after a nearly two-hour picturesque ride up a remote river valley. The weather had been sunny up to this point, but as I crossed the Kanna river, the sun disappeared behind some clouds and didn’t reappear fully till the late afternoon. I soon reached the trail entrance, covered by a blanket of fallen yellow leaves.

Most of the autumn leaves had already fallen

The trail presented no particular difficulties

I had occasional glimpses of the valley below through the trees, now bare of leaves, as I followed the path up the mountain side. I encountered several forks but the hiking trail was always clearly signposted. It took about an hour to reach Sakamaru Pass (坂丸峠 858m). There, I turned left along a level path through tall cedar trees, below the ridgeline on the Saitama side, looking familiar from my previous hike on this mountain. After a short, steep climb I reached Nagakubo Head (長久保の頭ながくぼのあたま nagakubo-atama).

Left back, Mt Jomine, right front, Mt Okubo

Soon arriving at Sugi pass

Even though, at 1066m, it was the highest point of the hike, it wasn’t today’s summit. At first glance, it seemed totally surrounded by pine trees, but this time I was able to find a viewpoint of Chichibu above a deforested area on the south side. Since it was past noon, I found a tree stump and sat down for lunch. The clouds were in and the views weren’t as great as I had expected. South, I could see the triangular summit of Mt Buko; looking west, I spotted the flatter triangular peak of Mt Jomine. After lunch, I walked along the edge of the open area, and turning around, I saw the double rounded peaks of nearby Mt Mikabo, with some blue sky in the background.

Gazing at Chichibu past the Suzuki

The narrow ridge leading to Mt Okubo

It started to feel cold so I retraced my steps and continued my hike. I saw a handful of other hikers, as opposed to no one on my previous visit, and I was glad this mountain enjoyed some popularity. Ten minutes later, after a short up and down, I reached the summit of Mt Tetemiezu (父不見山ててみえずやま tetemiezu-yama), a Kanto and Gunma hundred famous mountain. Slightly lower than the other peak, it had no view at all. Since I wanted to avoid cooling down, I moved on without a break. After some descending, I arrived at a crossroads under a lone cedar tree, aptly named Sugi Pass (杉の峠 sugi-no-toge meaning cedar tree pass). On my previous trip I had gone down via the path on the right; this time I would need to go left.

Mt Ryokami, a Japan hundred famous mountain

Some sun near the summit of Mt Okubo

Since it was only 1h30, I had time for the one hour round-trip to the next peak. It wasn’t an official trail, just red strips attached to branches along the way, and so it required some path finding. After turning slightly left down a slope through dark forest, I found myself climbing a narrow rocky ridge. It was definitely the most exciting part of the hike. Fifteen minutes later I reached the top of another deforested area and the summit of Mt Okubo (大久保山(おおくぼやま ookubo-yama), where I had my best views of the day, as well as some sun. To the south, I could see jagged outline of Mt Ryokami, looking menacing under dark clouds.

The view from the summit of Mt Okubo

Some autumn leaves could still be seen

After a short break, I headed back the same way and reached Sugi pass a little after 2h30. I followed a gently sloping forest road for about an hour, and then a road for about ten minutes, and arrived at a bus stop on the same road I had used in the morning, just as the sun dipped below the mountain ridge. After getting on the bus, I deciced to get off halfway to take a quick hot bath at Sakurayama hot spring, which I had visited once before after hiking Mt Sakura. I finally arrived back at Shinmachi station at 6h30pm, where I boarded the shonan-shinjuku line for the two-hour ride back to Tokyo.

See the views on the border of Saitama and Gunma

The double-rounded top of Mt Mikabo

Tomioka Alps (Mt Kannari 320m) & the Gunma Museum of Natural History

I had first read about this hike in my Gunma hiking book, but it was too short and too far for a day hike, so I reluctantly set it aside. Later on, I found out that the Kanto Fureai no Michi also went through the area, and I could use it to extend the hike eastwards. The path passed by the Gunma Museum of Natural History which I could also visit, if time allowed. I generally don’t drop by museums on hikes, but this one had a high rating on Google Maps, and I was interested in learning more about the local animals and plants. I was excited about checking out another “Alps” trail; according to online reviews, it was “the cleanest hiking trail in Japan, ” apparently because the locals sweep the leaves off. It was a station to station hike on the Joshin Dentetsu line, a railway line I had used many times before. The weather forecast showed the sun mark for the whole day, so I was looking forward to some good views of the mountains of western Gunma.

The mountains of western Gunma under a grey sky

I reached the small Nanja station a little after 10am. The promised sun was hiding behind grey clouds, and it seemed unlikely that it would emerge anytime soon, a rare miss for the Japanese Meteorological Agency. I kept my fingers crossed that it wouldn’t rain. Every cloud has a silver lining though, and these ones were high enough for the surrounding mountains to be still visible. After half an hour of walking, I reached the small shrine at the base of the Tomioka Alps (富岡アルプス tomioka arupusu), also known as the Kannari Hiking trail.

Mt Inafukumi, climbed 2 years ago

The trail is definitely clean of leaves

It took just ten minutes of climbing to reach the top of Mt Azuma (328m 吾妻山 あずまさん azumasan), and the first views. Looking west, I could see the outskirts of Shimonita village, with Mt Ozawa behind; directly ahead was the triangular shape of Mt Inafukumi. As expected, the trail went up and down along the ridgeline and over several minor summits. I reached the halfway point just before noon where there was a mini natural museum (ミニ自然博物館) consisting of a glass cabinet with various exhibits related to the local plants and animals, a foretaste of my museum visit planned for the afternoon.

The Mini Nature Museum

At the extreme left, the pointed tip of Mt Ushibuse

I reached the second viewpoint of the day thirty minutes later, next to the summit of Mt Kannari (神成山かんなりやま kannariyama). Looking east, I could see the pointed summit of Mt Ushibuse. Directly beneath, a train on the Joshin Dentetsu line was moving along the valley floor (see video). After a brief stop for lunch, I set off again, now heading down to the bottom of the valley. I passed by a somewhat scary statue of “fudosama” lurking among the bamboo next to the trail. At 1pm, I was off the mountain and walking through Tomioka Town. It would take 45 minutes to reach the museum, which was starting to seem like a good place to spend a cold and cloudy winter afternoon.

See the views from the Tomioka Alps

A good thing the museum has a high roof

I spent nearly two hours exploring the Gunma Museum of Natural History, but could easily have spent three hours or more. Of the five sections, the most impressive one by far was “The Age of the Earth” which held full-size dinosaur skeletons and scaled-down animated models (see video and gifs). The most interesting section, for me, was “The Nature and Environment of Gunma.” It contained a forest diorama, and seeing different kinds of trees side by side helped me understand the subtle differences between them. There were also many mounted animals, some of which I had never seen or only glimpsed briefly while hiking.

A fossil dig display

I’ve seen many copper pheasants fly away from me

Visually, the museum is stunning; a pity there are no English explanations. By the time I had satisfied my curiosity, it was already past 3pm, and I had to rush through the three remaining sections. I had originally planned to continue walking the Fureai no Michi and finish at Higashi-Tomioka station. However, I now had to leave that for another day. At 4pm, I walked back to Joshu-Nanokaichi Station, the closest station to the museum. Although the weather was disappointing, the museum visit definitely made it a success. By 4h30 I was back on the train for Takasaki, for the 2h30 minute trip back to Tokyo.

To hear them roar, watch the video below

See the animated Tyrannosaurus Rex

Mt Kongogaya (788m) & Mt Ozawa (1089m), Nanmoku Village, Gunma Prefecture, Saturday, January 11, 2020

I hadn’t been to Shimonita for a whole year so it was time to visit again. Since it was a 3-day weekend, I bought the Tokyo Wide Pass, and used the shinkansen to get an early start. My target mountain wasn’t enough for a whole day hike, so I decided to climb another small peak on the way. I had to walk thirty minutes to the start of the trail since I wasn’t there early enough to get the bus connection – it’s also possible to go by taxi.

Ridge trail leading to the summit

I started climbing around 10am along a forest road that went back and forth up the mountain. Along the way, I had some nice views of Mt Myogi to the North. I soon reached the summit ridgeline, turned right, and followed the narrowest of trails to the highest point of Mt Kongogaya 金剛萱. The summit was crowded with buddhist statues, but since I was the only person there, I had enough space for myself.

The summit was pretty crowded

I had an excellent view of the mountains of Western Gunma or the “Nishijoshu” 西上州. In the background, Mt Asama was flirting with the clouds. To the South, against the sun, loomed the Oku-chichibu mountains, and deep dramatic valleys. I had reached the summit after 11am, later than I had planned, so after a late breakfast, I hurried down the other side.

Southwards are the Oku-chichibu mountains

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Panoramic view from the top of Kongogaya

The path was steep and at times hard to follow – my map sensibly recommended to only use it for descending. I finally reached a level forest road, which, after a lot of switchbacking, got me back to the road at the base of the mountain, but too late to catch the bus to my next destination.

I walked one hour to reach a smaller road, along a beautiful river valley, with towering cliffs on the opposite side. It took me another 45 minutes to reach the actual start of the trail, another forest road. Here there was some damage caused by last year’s powerful typhoons, and for a short section, the trail was difficult to walk.

Some of the trail was damaged due to last year’s typhoons

The forest road started to climb, and soon I reached a pass. To the right, was the start of a proper hiking path that headed South along a ridge. There were good views of the valley I had just walked up. To the right, I could also make out the summit of Mt Inafukumi, climbed just one year ago. The path went up and down along several minor peaks, and as I slowly gained elevation, I started to feel the freezing cold of January. After one last uphill scramble, I finally emerged onto the summit of Mt Ozawa 小沢岳 just after 2pm.

On the right, Mt Inafukumi, one of the highest mountains in the area

The view South near the summit marker was a little obstructed by the top of the trees, but once I moved, with extreme caution, close to the edge of a cliff on the West side, I could clearly see the many ridges and valleys of Western Gunma. Nestled deep below was the small village of Nanmoku. Mt Asamaya was now totally clear of clouds. I could also see the summit of Yatsugatake to the West. I could even see the North Alps through a gap of the mountains. Although it felt chilly while climbing through the shady forest, it was nice and warm in the sun. There was almost no wind and It was very silent. I sat down, laid back, and enjoyed the peace and quiet for a short while.

Mt Asama, a magnificent volcano straddling Gunma and Nagano prefectures

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Some of the views from the top of Mt Ozawa

It was nearly 3pm, and it was time to head down. I had given up on catching the last bus back, and I would have to walk one hour back to the station along the road. I started to jog back down the same way, since there was no other path on the mountain. However, there was a forest road running parallel to the ridge trail, so I decided to follow that for some variety. The road had partially collapsed at one point, and some parts were covered with brambles, so I couldn’t go as fast as I wanted.

Nice view of Mt Asama from the alternate return via the neglected forest road

Most parts of the forest road were quite walkable

The return was uneventful, and I was back on the main road by 4pm. This was one of those rare hikes where I met no other hikers. I didn’t even encounter any animals. Thirty minutes later I passed in front of a factory that looked like something out of Ghibli animation. Shortly after, I got picked up by a passing car. The driver kindly offered to drive me to the train station, even though it was a small detour for him – not the first time I have encountered the kindness of the people of Gunma Prefecture. The driver was employed at the factory, so we had an interesting chat about that. Thanks to him, I was back on a train bound for Takasaki by 5pm.

Dramatic view of Mt Asama the top of Mt Ozawa

NEXT UP: Mt Sekison in Tochigi Prefecture

Mt Myogi Chukan Path, Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture

Even though Mt Myogi 1104m (妙義山 myougisan) is a two hundred famous mountain , I didn’t actually climb to the top (I thought about it though). The reason being that despite its relatively low altitude, this is a dangerous and difficult mountain to climb. I used to think that you could walk up every mountain in Japan, chains and ladders being placed in the dangerous parts, and also Mt Tsurugi (in the Northern Alps) was the most difficult mountain to climb in Japan. However, this title probably belongs to Mt Myogi. All the trails to the summit are marked with dotted lines, meaning “experts only” with multiple danger signs and worrying comments added into the mix (“50m chimney – a lot of people have died here”).

I ended up doing the scenic and safe tour along of the base of the mountain – not only were the views fantastic, but it also included some exciting parts that weren’t dangerous – as long as you’re sure-footed. Finally, Mt Myogi is one of the 3 sacred mountains of Gunma prefecture (the other two being Mt Akagi and Mt Haruna). There are shrines at the start, Myogi Jinja, and at the end of the hike, Nakanotake Jinja.

Hiking in Western Gunma 西上州

HOW TO GET THERE: I had been putting off going to Mt Myogi for years, since I had always thought it was hard to get to. I first saw this mountain while staying overnight with friends in Tomioka; it seemed an exciting climb because of its rugged peaks, but at the same time it seemed really remote. So I was surprised when it took around 2 hours from Ikebukuro station to get to the closest station, Matsuida, on the Shin-Etsu line, a couple of stop before Yokokawa (transfer in Takasaki). The view from the station exit was stunning – there were no surrounding mountains and Mt Myougi seemed quite close. I could also see a snow covered Mt Asama just behind it. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a photo, thinking I would get a better view on the hike, but never did.

There is no bus from the station to the start of the hiking trail. You could walk along the road or take a taxi to Myougi shrine (one hour / 4 km). On the other hand, a taxi takes about 10 minutes and costs about 1400 yen. I’m not really sure about the exact price, since I was able to share the taxi with 3 other hikers, and we split the fare – I paid only 400 yen. One thing I can say for sure is that demand exceeds supply; there were more hikers than available taxis, and I had to wait for a taxi to complete the round-trip before I could get a ride. I still managed to be at the start of the trail just before 10 am – two hours and a half after leaving Ikebukuro station.

There is a bus running from Joshu-tomioka station on the Joshin Dentetsu line, south of Mt Myogi, but not only does it take longer to reach that station by train, the bus also takes forty minutes, basically adding one hour to the travel time, so I wouldn’t recommend going this way.

Ask for a hiking map for the Mt Myogi Chukan path

THE ROUTE: From the taxi drop off point, I headed up the street on the right to the Myogi shrine and to the start of the hiking trail beyond it. In some respects the base of this mountain is similar to Mt Tsukuba – many people visit it to see the shrine and pray. My original plan was to walk the Chukan path (中間道 meaning the middle path) along the base of the mountain. However I wanted to add on a loop that would take me close to the easternmost summit and where I could get some good views (according to my map). Since I had planned to return by taxi, for once I had no concerns about having to hurry to catch a bus at the end of the hike, except maybe getting off the mountain trail before it gets pitch black (after 5pm in this season).

Sugi and Momiji (Cedar tree and Maple tree)

Mt Haruna, one of Gunma’s sacred mountains

Once I was past the Shrine grounds, I left the bulk of the sightseers behind me. I soon saw beautiful momiji (maple leaf tree) showing off beautiful autumn colours. Although the “Koyo” season had already ended on the higher parts of the mountain, it was now in full swing around the base. The path soon started to climb. I propelled myself up the steeper inclines with the aid of the chains lining the path. At this stage, it wasn’t really dangerous, one could easily walk up, but using the chains made it easier on the legs (as long as one has gloves).

Mt Hakuun, so close yet inaccessible

The Southern part of the Myogi range

At one point I reached a huge boulder with chains that supposedly had a viewpoint on top. Thanks to my long legs and arms, I clambered to the top in a matter of seconds. I was standing next to a big-sized “big” Chinese character. The view was great, since it was a blue sky day. In front of me stretched the Kanto plain. To the south was a mass of peaks forming the Northern part of the Chichibu mountains. To the north, I could clearly see the massive bulks of Mt Haruna and Mt Akagi. In the far distance I could make out the snow covered peaks of Mt Hotaka, Mt Tanigawa and various other peaks of the Joshinetsu-Kogen National Park. Winter had definitely arrived to that part of Japan. And of course, just behind me, was one of the steep and rocky peaks of Mt Myogi, Mt Hakuun.

Autumn Colours galore

Believe it or not, there is a ridge route following the top

I had to wait a little to clamber down again since the the rock was currently being tackled by a rather cautious hiker. Finally, I was able to get back onto the hiking trail. Very soon I reached a junction where one route continued straight to the summit, and the other, heading left, went down again, and connected with the Chuukan path. I decided to check out the summit trail before taking it.

Within minutes I was scrambling over rocks again and holding on to chains, but nothing I hadn’t done a hundred times before on other mountains. Finally a reached some steps leading to a ladder, at the top of which was a cave. I ventured inside and discovered a small shrine. On the other hand, there was no more path, just a wall of vertical rock. I retraced my steps, and managed to pick up the trail again to the right of the steps, beyond a towering cedar tree. I wasn’t surprised I had missed it since it wasn’t a path but a steep rocky incline with a chains and some footholds. Now I’ve done a few of these before but none quite as long or as steep. I pulled myself up halfway, but I didn’t feel all that safe – a fall would result in more than a few bruises – so I decided end my little reconnaissance there, and get on with the main hike.

The craggy peaks of Mt Myogi

Past the trail junction, there was another passage with chains, as well as some sunny viewpoints. I stopped at one of them to have lunch. Eventually I joined up with the Chuukan path. It was a very pleasant up and down path (more up than down). There were some truly fantastic autumn colours along the way, and I couldn’t believe how few people there were. Later on, I read on the internet that thousands of people were on Mount Takao the same day.

After a while I reached a series of steps taking me very close to the top of one of Mt Myogi’s peaks. I didn’t expect the trail to go that high, perhaps 1000m, but it was hard to tell from the map. At this point the skies had clouded over a little, but the views were still above average. I was now walking along the base of a cliff. At times the path was carved inside the cliff, like a cave, forcing to walk bent over. This was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the hike!

The long staircase

The low overhang

Later on, I arrived at a viewpoint, reached by a series of rocky up and downs fitted with chains. There were more people here since this spot is closer to the other end of the Myogi range, where there is a shrine and a car park. While waiting for my turn to go down the chains, I took lots of photos of the mountains stretching away to the south. There was one especially that caught my eye – Mt Arafune. It had a very long flat top like a table, quite an intriguing sight.

Lots of hiking possibilities

On the right, the flat top of Mt Arafune

At the end of the path, I was also able to enjoy a great view of Mt Myogi to the North. The sun had come out again, and the whole range was bathed in a late afternoon sunlight, perfect for taking pictures. Once I was satisfied, I headed back to the main path, went down some more, under a rocky bridge, through a picnic spot and then up to another viewpoint, where I could check out the rocky crags I had clambered over just a few minutes before.

The northern part of the Myougi range

Not an easy path

The sun was slowly, but surely, heading for the horizon. I continued my descent, and quickly reached Nakanotake shrine. It was nice to start and end the hike at a shrine. I passed through quickly and got back on the road for the last part of the hike. It took me another hour to get back to my morning starting point. Along the road there were excellent views of some of Mt Myogi and surrounding mountains. The blue skies had returned, so even though the sun had already set it was still light.

Typical Myougi landscape

Mt Kondou the other main Myogi peak

Soon I entered a hiking path going down through a forest, a shortcut since the road make a big loop Eastwards. Very soon I was back on the road. I finally arrived at the turn-off for Momiji no Yu, a very conveniently located hot spring. After a nice hot bath, I called for a taxi; the return leg was more expensive, about 2300 yen, but since it had me almost nothing on the way there, I didn’t mind at all.

CONCLUSION: A medium-level hike with some thrills and great views, suitable for non-experienced hikers, and especially beautiful in the autumn. If it weren’t for the taxi ride there and back, and some road-walking, it would be the perfect hike!