Moritake Onsen (森岳温泉) Akita

Location: Moritake Spa Area (In Yamamoto District), Akita
〒018-2303 秋田県山本郡三種町森岳字木戸沢115
Entry (入金): 400 yen
Opening hours (営業時間): 9:00 am to 10 p.m
Phone Number (電話番号):.0185-83-2311
Outdoor Area (露天風呂): No
Sauna　(サウナ): Yes
Mixed Bathing (混浴) No

Rating: 7/10
This onsen, located in the Moritake spa area, about an hour drive from Akita was very rustic and had the feel of an onsen that had been around for a while. The wooden structure housing the bathing area added an aura of history to the whole experience.
The lack of an outdoor rotenburo was a bit disappointing but the onsen scores highly on all other aspects.
The crowd when we were there was definitely local, although the attached ryokan must account for a substantial number of tourist traffic through the onsen too.
We ended up discussing the effect on crime of immigration in Japan and I was surprised by the very biased and narrow view that the men I spoke to held. They in effect blamed the collapse of the Japanese economy over the last ten years on crimes committed by foreigners and I had to explain the difference between economic mismanagement (in Japanese companies, by Japanese managers) and petty crime committed by foreign gangs that gets more airplay on the media outlets. I am not sure they came round to my point of view, but I gave it my best shot.

Tsurumai Onsen (鶴舞温泉) Ugo Honjo, Akita

Location: Ugo Honjo (on the shores of the artificial lake), Akita
秋田県由利本荘市西小人町23-1
Entry (入金): 400 yen
Opening hours (営業時間): 9:00 am to 10 p.m
Phone Number (電話番号): 0184-23-7227
Outdoor Area (露天風呂): Yes, one each
Sauna　(サウナ): Yes
Rating: 7/10

This onsen was decidedly different in feel and ambience to the other nearby onsen in Ugo Honjo. It is also closer to the station, about a 10 minute walk.
The staff were gracious and very helpful and despite the modern décor, the onsen retains some very nice ambience and charm. It was busier than the previous one but not crowded.
There is an attached cafeteria (食堂) serving very reasonably priced delicious food which we duly took advantage of.

Pine Spa Shin San (パインスパ新山) Ugo Honjo, Akita

Location: Ugo Honjo (near the Marina), Akita

Entry (入金): 400 yen

Opening hours (営業時間): 9:00 am to 10 p.m

Phone Number (電話番号): 0184-28-1661

Outdoor Area (露天風呂): No

Sauna　(サウナ): Yes

Mixed Bathing (混浴) No

Rating: 5/10

The onsen is located near the marina at Ugo honjo which is quite a walk from the station. The signposts are not very clear and we nearly gave up looking for it about 50m from the front door as we felt we had been walking for way more than the indicated 700m from the last signpost.
The onsen is very clean, what it lacks in charm it makes up for by having excellent facilities with both the indoor pools and outdoor rotenburo in superb condition, albeit a bit sterile.
A mostly local clientele although there were a few out of town folk among the bathers.

Ideyu-no-sato (Yamabushi Yupoka Onsen), Yamagata

Location: Tsuruoka (near Mt Haguro) in Yamagata
山形県鶴岡市羽黒町後田字谷地田188番地

Entry (入金): 380 yen
Opening hours (営業時間): 9:00 am to 10 p.m
Phone Number (電話番号): 0235-62-4855
Outdoor Area (露天風呂): Yes
Sauna　(サウナ): Yes
Mixed Bathing (混浴) No

The onsen has multiple names which alludes to its dual history as a popular onsen for the travelling pilgrims on the nearby Haguro mountain which houses the Dewa Sanzan shrines and for the local people in the surrounding area. The locals seem to refer to it simply as Yupoka onsen.

Yupoka onsen is accessed by catching the bus form the number 2 stop at Tsuruoka station bound for Haguro and getting off at the Community hall stop. The onsen is right next door.
Although the décor has been upgraded to suit modern tastes, the ambience is still one of a relaxed village onsen with the patrons being overwhelmingly local.

Furofushi Onsen, Aomori

15 Shimokiyotaki, Henashiaz, Fukaura-machi, Nishitsugaru-gun, Aomori Prefecture 038-2327, Japan
黄金崎不老ふ死温泉青森県西津軽郡深浦町大字舮作字下清滝15
TEL:0173-74-3500
Entry: 600 yen
Open: 7am to 5pm
Mixed bathing and women's only pool available

The name Furofushi suggests that by bathing in the golden waters of this seaside onsen, you will not grow old and you will live eternally.

Certainly there is something special about this place. Right at the shoreline, the power of the waves and the sky is unmistakable.

Sitting in the peaceful warm water of the highly saline onsen it is easy to feel connected with nature and ponder the wonders of the world.


Should you choose to stay at the lodgings at Furofushi Onsen,(around 16000 Yen per person) you will be allowed to view the sunset over the Japan Sea, which I'm sure is beautiful. Otherwise, you will be given a plastic wrist ticket, and asked to leave before sunset at 5pm. Regardless, we were very happy with our experience.
With the world heritage Shirakami forest a mere 20 minute drive away, and the nearby Juniko lakes also a beautiful destination, this location has a lot to offer.

An image from Lake Ao within the Juniko lakes area

The shoreline on the drive toward the Furofushi Onsen

Bessho Onsen, Nagano

Bessho Onsen village is home to the oldest hot springs in the Nagano prefecture. There are at least four hot springs in the village, all within easy walking distance from each other. With some very beautiful temples and wonderful old shops, the walk is thoroughly enjoyable.

Should your feet tire from walking there is a free outdoor footbath for you to enjoy as well.

Access to Bessho is via JR Ueda Station. Go up the escalator to the Ueda Bessho line. Return tickets with access to two onsen are available for Y1250. The train takes approximately 27 minutes to reach Bessho from Ueda.

Daishi Yu

Entry Y150

Open 6am to 10pm

Closed every 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month


Daishi Yu is a simple, no nonsense sento like onsen. The tiles are a lovely retro blue that reminded me of dragon scales, and the local elderly were very friendly. The front attendant also handed us maps on entry, and showed us where other onsen were in relation to Daishi Yu. Overall it was a positive experience, but not a highly memorable one.


Oh Yu

Entry Y 150

Open 6am to 10pm

Closed every 1st and 3rd Wednesdays

A lovely temple like façade welcomes you to the Oh Yu Onsen. The facility is large and the inside bath could hold at least 15 people, however I was told by a local that the inside bath is not onsen water, unlike the outside bath which is a naturally occurring hot spring.

The mineral content of the water is said to be good for the complexion, and the friendly locals certainly seemed to have wonderful clear skin.

Oh Yu is famed for its healing powers, ever since a wounded samouri soldier bathed there and his wounds miraculously healed some hundreds of years ago.

The outoor bath was great, the water has a special quality that does indeed seem to affect the skin straight away. I could feel my skin tighten upon entering the water, which I am sure why the Nagano onsens are known as ‘The hot springs of beauty’.

I could have stayed longer in this bath, mosty due to the wonderful friendliness of the local townspeople, with whom I was thoroughly enjoying an entertaining conversation.

Kappa no Yu, Aomori

Kappa no Yu is a beautiful free mixed bathing onsen in the Yagen Valley located in the Ohata-machi, Mutsu city, Aomori Prefecture. It's now one of my favourite onsen in Japan.

Access is via the Shimokita Kotsu bus to Ōhata from Shimokita Station on the Ōminato Line of East Japan Railway Company takes roughly 30 minutes. It takes another 25 minutes after transferring buses in Ōhata. Buses will take you to the Yagen Onsen (薬研温泉) which is located about 2kms upstream from the Kappa no Yu onsen.

Kappa no Yu sits like an emerald pool in the side of a river, and is protected from the sun by beautiful arched maples. Sitting inside the bath one can see a waterfall and hear the river rushing by. It is truly a peaceful and spectacular onsen.

The name of the onsen is derived from local legend. The story goes that the onsen attracts the naughty Kappa creature,who likes to steal and eat children. Thankfully these creatures can be easily deterred from their child stealing task as they love cucumber more than children. If you give them a stick of cucumber, they quickly drop the child and eat instead. Within japanese food, the kappamaki is cucumber wrapped in rice and nori. The Kappa shares its name with this dish. You can see a lovely bronze kappa statue within the onsen, with hand outstretched for cucumber.

Perhaps because of the lack of facilities (there are no toilets or showers, only a change room), the onsen is difficult to locate. The signs with maps in the local area are drawn with quite peculiar scale that seems to only make finding the onsen more difficult.


Look for the giant car park before the tunnel, where there is a mostly obscured wooden sign bearing the name of the onsen when you are travelling along the road toward the onsen from Aomori. The picture below is of the sign from the opposite (returning) direction.

Sukayu Onsen, Aomori

〒030-0111 青森県青森市荒川南荒川山国有林酸湯沢50番地

TEL: 017-738-6400 (Japanese only)

Web: http:www.sukayu.jp

Entry: 600 yen

Mixed bathing

Sukayu nestles into the base of a wonderful hiking trail on the Hakkoda mountain range south of Aomori city about 70 minutes by car. It is a grand and traditional onsen that has been in operation for at least 300 years. The grand bathhouse pays tribute to its history, with majestic cedar beams and a giant fluted ceiling with a central skylight.

Sukayu is famous for being capable of holding 1000 people at once. When we were there, there were about 35 people in the bath, and there was still plenty of room. I dare say 1000 people would be a sardine soup, but it may be possible.

Regardless, the ambience of the onsen is wonderful. With totally white water with a high sulphur and lime content, and at least 3 baths to choose from for either sex, it is a wonderful way to relax.

The giant room housing the baths is continuously misty with steam, giving the whole room a dream like quality that adds to the experience.

The view fromt the ladies side

The grand bath is open exclusively to women from 8pm to 9pm to allow those who don’t want a mixed bathing experience access to the big bath hall.

A sign inside the women's change room

The onsen waters can sting the eyes as they really do have a high sulphur content, so be careful. Unlike many other onsens, it is not recommended that you drink the waters from Sukayu.

The history of this onsen, and the wonderful location at the base of the many beautiful hiking trails, make this an onsen really worth visiting.

Hakkoda san

Otake or 'Mount O' is a very enjoyable hike within the Hakkoda region that begins and ends at a truly memorable onsen, Sukayu.

Hakkoda is located in the Aomori Prefecture, south of Aomori city about 70 minutes by car, and is part of the Towada Hachimantai National Park. There are a numer of buses that will take you from Aomori city to Sukayu, ask at the tourist information centre at the Aomori train station for details.

Hakkoda translates as 'many peaks' and there are a number of routes possible from the same trail head. The visitor information centre located right next to the Sukayu onsen has a useful 3D model that lights up each of the available trails. The centre also provides detailed information regarding the time allocations for each trail from a variety of points along the path.

The trail head is located across the road from the visitors centre.

Wet weather gear is essential if you are thinking of climbing in the Hakkoda region. The range is well known as being the site where almost an entire regiment of fit, healthy and well trained Japanese military men died during a training exercise to prepare for a possible battle with Russia in 1902. Of the 210 sent for training, only 13 lived to tell the tale.

Having said that, Mount O is a relatively easy mountain to climb. The hike begins in a densely forested area with only a moderate uphill gradient.

This path opens out to a wonderful view at a sulphuric rock encased stream, where very little vegetation survives. This lack of tall trees enables a great view across to the neighbouring mountains in the Hakkoda.


The vegetation that does survive in this sulphuric region is very interesting, so this area is worth looking at on the macro and micro levels.

The climb only really begins after the mountain well, where there is a small wooden structure to enable hikers to fill their bottles or take a rest and drink. The first mountain hut is also signposted at this point.

The surrounding marshlands are also full of interesting vegetation.

In the marshland area, there is a pond named the mirror pond. It is supposed to be a wonderful emerald green marvel that reflects the sky and the person viewing the pond. For me it was a misty event.

After crossing the marshlands where the well sits, the path leads into a barren expanse of volcanic boulders held into place with dense wire. It was at this point in the hike, when the day began sunny as summer, that the wind came in icy cold and rain bucketted down.

The summit held a small shrine and a sign worn away from weather, it was really raining hard, so I didn't stop to long to look around. I could, however, reflect on the the fate of the lost regiment and understand how such a situation could have occurred.

Thankfully, there is a very pleasant and well situated second mountain hut just over the peak.

A few groups were already sheltering there when I arrived, and I was quickly offered some hot miso soup by a kindly group of older and well prepared hikers.


The rain eased, and settled into a drizzle, at which point I headed back down the trail. I enjoyed traversing an interesting mix of alpine, arid volcanic rock and deep pools in the grassed marshland areas. I also liked the deep green along the trail.


The path down had a staircase that felt like a cartoon it went on so long and across all array of terrain. I felt glad for it, above the muddy mountain floor.

Walking straigh off the mountain into the Sukayu onsen that has been in operation for more than 300 years, is a truly memorable experience. Despite the weather and the lack of visibility from the peak, I truly enjoyed this hike!

Tazawa Lake in Akita Ken

In Akita ken, to the north east of Akita city about 3 hours drive, sits a beautiful circular lake with incredibly clear, azure water, the Tazawa lake田沢湖.

I was told that a dragon lives in the bottom of the lake, and a neighbouring lake dragon from Hachiryu lake travels to Tazawa lake every winter and spends the winter in the Tazawa. The energy created by both of these dragons heats the waters and subsequently the lake never freezes.

The water is certainly deep enough for two dragons, at 423 metres it is the deepest lake in Japan and stretches for about 20 kms in circumference. It has many wonderful viewing points.

My top Four Viewing Points.

First is the golden statue of the goddess Tasuko
which sits next to a lovely shrine that sells fish food (100 yen a pack) for the very hungry small fish in the lake.

Second is the wonderful view from the brewery (ORAE) on the shores of the lake which serves a variety of very decent Japanese boutique beers at reasonable prices.

Third is the view from the warm waters of Arupa Komakusa onsen, perched high above the lake on the mountain. Even on a cloudy day the view was spectacular and worth the slightly elevated cost of 600 yen to enter the onsen.

Finally, the giant red temple gate on the side of the lake is a wonderful viewpoint.

Mount Chokai and the Tsurumai Onsen

Thursday September 3, 2009

山は逃げない物

Yama wa nigenai mono

The mountain will not run away

-From a hiker at Mount Chokai

Mount Chokai is a real hikers’ mountain. Standing at 2, 236 metres it has permanent patches of snow, and in winter many Japanese enjoy a bit of skiing on the accessible parts of the slopes. It is fondly referred to as ‘Dewa Fuji’ due to its resemblance to the more famous mountain as it has a near symmetrical conical shape when viewed from the Sea of Japan.

There are usually buses going to the trailheads, but they operate only during the high season until the end of August after which they only run on weekends and national holidays, and even then, on a limited schedule. As we planned to do the hike on a weekday in September, we had to hire a car to get to the starting points. Toyota rent-a-car opens at 8am, and surprisingly in Yuri Honjo, the shop closes at 7pm. This only allows for an 11 hour rental period despite the charge being based on a 12 hour period. This point is well worth noting for anyone wishing to hire a car in Japan, as shop hours vary considerably from town to town, with longer opening hours in the bigger towns.

Mount Chokai has many trails leading to the summit. The Fukura () trail is the oldest and easiest trail but the two most popular trails with hikers are the Kisakata (象潟) and the Yashima (矢島) trail.

In general, guide books such as “Hiking in Japan” suggest allocating two days to complete the hike with an overnight stay at one of the mountain huts. Most Japanese people we came across tended to climb to the half way point and spend the night there at the tea house with accommodation rates starting at about 3,500 yen. It’s another 1 ½ to 2 hour walk to the summit from the tea house. The view at sunrise is well celebrated, as the shadow of the mountain stretches into the sea for about 4 kilometres into the Sea of Japan on a clear day, casting a deep azure hue on the sea surface. The name of the mountain in Kanji (鳥海山) suggests that the shadow looks like a giant bird in the ocean, something that is said to be wonderful to behold.

However, it was considerably more convenient to try and complete the trail in a day for us as we had to return the rental car at the end of the day.

We had to choose between the Kisakata and the Yashima trails for the day hike. The Yashima trail takes less time (190 mins) but is more difficult, with steeper gradients that offer little in the way of flat areas. This trail is great for those with a high level of fitness and a desire for a challenge.

The Kisakata trail offers a more undulating path, up over a very high peak, down the side of a valley, then up over the continuing peaks to the summit with a part of the trail going over a permanent section of snow. While it is have a slightly easier to hike, the challenge lies in the distance. The Kisakata trail is approximately 16 kms return, compared to the circa 12kms of the Yashima trail.

We intended to take the Yashima trail as we were limited for time, however the shop assistants at the Toyota shop could not locate it on their GPS navigation system that came with the car. It turned out that the GPS system was actually broken, a fact that we only realized when we attempted to use the navigation system to find our way from the hike back to Ugo Honjo. Luckily we were able to use the road signs to find our way back. As always with travel, it pays to be flexible with the plans you make. We quickly decided to change our plans and take the Kisakata route up the mountain, as the shop assistants could locate that trailhead that is accessed via the Chokai Blue Line which is open until early November.

Again, this is an important point to note – equip yourself with as much information as you can when setting out to the hiking trailheads, ideally with a local map in a language you understand, as GPS systems can be unreliable, even in technologically advanced Japan.

The Hike

The start of the hike is actually the most difficult part of the journey. A winding set of steep steps with a gradient of more than 30% takes you up to a viewing platform from where there are wonderful 360 degrees views on clear days.

On one side you have the Sea of Japan and the beautiful coastline with the various coastal hamlets dotting the shoreline. On the other side are the valleys with beautiful waterfalls, thick vegetation and sheer rock precipices that make for a very ethereal view.

At the viewing platform, we met an older man who had started the descent at 6 a.m and was finishing at 10 when we met him at the trailhead. He kindly informed us of the hike ahead, and was of the opinion that with a 10am start we were unlikely to make it to the summit. This theme would be repeated along the path, with older Japanese always erring on the side of caution when it came to hiking time allowances.

For us, there was no choice. Hire cars and accommodation conspired to give us a 10am start and a 2pm deadline from which we had turn back from hiking in order to make it back to the car while there was still light, and return the vehicle back to Ugo Honjo Toyota without incurring any fines.

From the first uphill battle, it was obvious that Charles and I would be running on different hiking schedules. At the end of the first climb, we separated our lunch bentos and vitamin drinks. Charles handed me the phone equipped with a pre set alarm for 2pm – the time to head back to the car.

I waved farewell to Charles with the sun in my eyes. He strode forwards like a man with a purpose. I could hear the old man’s words ringing in his ears “も無理かも知らない、時間足りない” “Well, I just don’t think you’ll make it to the top, there’s just no time…”

I resigned myself to the fact that I probably wouldn’t make it to the summit. With the pacemaker well ahead, I took my time and soaked in the wonderful environment of the mountain through the cloudy haze.

The path was challenging but beautiful. Every time I stopped I enjoyed the pervasive silence. For the first part of the hike I concentrated hard on keeping a reasonable pace and challenged myself constantly. “Just get up to that ledge over there” I said to myself, from which vantage I would set the next goal.

After the first climb, the path veered over an upward ridge before finally reaching a plateau. Further respite arrived in the form of a sweet valley which channelled down the path. Filled with bright yellow flowers and a smattering of small ponds holding pockets of cool water, the valley gave me a welcome drop in temperature.

I came across two shrines there, seemingly Shinto in origin, similar to those I had seen atop Gassan, dedicated to children. In the time it took to take the side path for a few minutes to see the small shrines, the clouds came in thick and cool, fogging the path ahead.

Steps led up the path, constructed loosely of large boulders with the more square boulders on the perimeter. I boulder hopped along, and I could see a lady dressed in pink making her way down. She had a small and high pitched bell on her day pack, which a lot of Japanese hikers wear to scare away bears. I made my way slowly up to her, and she made her way slowly down to me, the bell tinkling with every step.

Before she could reach me, she was overtaken by a couple. He was a foreigner and she was Japanese. I said “Hello” and when I realised that they were moving quite quickly, I asked if they had seen Charles ahead on the path.

“Oh yes, I think so” he said with a smile. “Was he virtually running?” he added, checking he had the right person.

“Yes, that would be him” I said.

“Do you think that at the pace he was going he will make it to the summit before 2pm?” I asked, wondering if he was going to complete the hike.

“At that pace, he will be there within the hour” said the foreign man, continuing on his downhill trek.

I felt great thinking about Charles making it to the summit. I only wished we had some of that hiker’s tape so I could see that he had been on the path before me. It would be good to know what time he was keeping. Later, Charles and I discussed the two way walkie talkies we had seen advertised on the plane from Australia to Japan. A great idea we decided, especially on mountain slopes where there is no mobile phone reception.

I upped the pace a little, and came across the pink clad lady. She stopped, and gently pulled me off the path to allow a group of 5 young men past who appeared full of energy and bounce to walk past. In my mind, I could almost hear them whistling as they skipped along. What a different experience we were all having!

The pinky lady walked with a limp, and spoke slowly. She asked the usual questions – where are you from, what are you doing in Japan? Before telling me that despite her leg ailment, she loved to climb mountains, at her own pace. “At your own pace is best because the mountain will never run away”.

I felt totally affirmed. I was going at my own pace, and despite the fact that this mountain was challenging me, I was facing the challenge in exactly the same way I face other challenges in life – breaking it down to manageable pieces and giving it a go.

I continued along the path, bidding the lady farewell. After another 15 or 20 minutes, I arrived at a large temple gate and a tea house. I consulted the map, but the kanji on the tea house and that on the map didn’t correlate.

I walked around the side of the tea house, and in the intense cloud, couldn’t make out where the path led. Forms emerged from the fog which I recognised as the genki (full of life energy) boy club, sitting on rocks.

I sat, and had a little drink of water. I consulted the genki boys regarding the map. They laughed at each other – none of them had the faintest idea. I sat back down, and drank my vitamin drink. The boys looked like they were waiting for me. “Please, go ahead” I said. Japanese people are so very polite!

They bounced up and headed off. I now knew which way was the way forwards. As I walked up over the steep ridge of rocky shale, the sun peeped out and cleared a space in the clouds. Below, a beautiful lake sparkled in a steep gorge. I drank in the view.

Clouds enclosed me, and I came to a sign on a very worn piece of wood. I couldn’t read it at all. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. Steps led down and the air snapped frozen. I zipped up my jacket and put my hands in my jacket pockets. Was I going the right way? I wondered. Why am I going down? Maybe this isn’t the right path? Oh dear what did that sign say? My mind ran in circles. I’m so alone here…who can I ask? I walked back up the stairs for a few minutes. Oh this is stupid. Look at these stairs. It’s obvious this infrastructure supports the correct path! I headed back down. A few more steps and I could hear a bell in the distance through the cold clouds. Phew…affirmation at last.

About 5 minutes later, a couple appeared from the fog. We passed each other with only a hello, not a sign from me of the concern I’d experienced only a short while ago. I hit the bottom of the downhill with a long stride, and started another climb.

The climb continued upward, along a rocky ledge that opened up out to a clearway covered in small shrines. From here, the cliff fell away into thick clouds, and it was difficult to tell which way the path led. I then realised that it was right next the edge of the cliff.

I put my head down and carried on, not before placing a rock on top of one of the small shrines for good luck!

From here the path was a combination of large boulders, muddy patches combined with shale and of course, the ever pervasive cliff edge. I took it carefully, and before long I came to a deep challis that drove its way through the cliff top flora.

Further on, I came to a small wooden sign that made no sense to me at all. Thankfully, I’d done my research and knew that the left hand side path was easier than the right hand side. As I stood and looked out, catching my breath, a sweat soaked couple in their late 30’s appeared from the right hand side path.

“ If you’re trying to make it to the summit, definitely take the left hand side path!” The lady said. “I’ve just done both, and I’d sooner take the left than the right!”

“You’d better hurry, most people are already there” added the man.

“Ok” I said, and again scurried along.

As I climbed the steel pole ladder, and scampered across the floating wooden planks, then tried not to slip down the steel ladder placed at a precarious angle, I thought a lot about his words.

What did he mean – “Most people are already there”.

“How does he know that?” I wondered.

The path forced me to clamber down boulders on all fours. I knew I was quite high now, my ears were popping and it was really cold. I came across some berries, and for a moment, when I found one ripe berry in the middle of the path, I thought perhaps Charles had left it there for me to see.

I continued along, and in front of me, a large drift of packed snow/ice stood before me and the other side of the rocky path. The genki boys club sat enjoying some water. I stopped, puzzled.

How do I get across this snow?

Is it ok to walk across?

Should I go around?

Could I possibly fall in?

Could it break and I could fall in and get trapped in a snow precipice?

The stories I read in an old “Outdoors” magazine at Rashaad’s place in Tsurouka echoed in my mind. I stood on the edge, and eventually yelled out “ How do I get across?”

They yelled back “You walk across!”

So simple. I went forwards, and to my surprise, I just walked across. It was a bit slippery, and I was scared, but it didn’t stop me from looking up the valley at the various snow patches. I thanked the boys, but didn’t stop. My time was running out.

I saw lots of wild berries but only ate one. My legs were tiring, and I wanted to make the most of the small amount of time I had left. I could see that I’d reached the 3^rd mark, only two to go to the top.

I turned the corner, and there was Charles, ahead up on the path walking down from the summit. He sat on a rock once he saw me, and waited for me to arrive.

“I’ve been walking half an hour from the summit” he said. The phone alarm in my pocket sounded. I was out of time. I wasn’t going to make it to the top in time to hike down in the daylight and to return the car. We sat down to eat onigiri. It was then I realised that I’d taken out my onigiri back at the tea house and left them on the rocks. Charles shared one of his with me, and we both had something to look forward to on the way down.

The path cleared and the sun came out for the descent. We went at a quick pace but enjoyed seeing many things we’d not been able to see on the way up. We made quite a few stops to pick the very juicy wild berries that were to be found along the trail.

We arrived back at the tea house and found the onigiri pack sitting on the rocks, exactly as I had left it. We had some food, taped up my big toe which was getting sore and after a bit of a rest, continued on our downward descent.

We arrived at the bottom in time to watch the sun go down over the sea. I felt so happy for what I’d achieved.

We crowned our experience with a trip to the Tsurumai onsen (鶴舞温泉) at Ugo Honjo after returning the rental car with just minutes to spare. The onsen was a simple but elegant affair nestled onto a lake about a 15 minute walk from where we were staying.

For only 400 yen, we relaxed our tired muscles in a lovely hot spring which had both indoor baths and the outdoor rotenburo. We also decided to have dinner at the attached cafeteria (食堂) which served very delicious and healthy food at a good price.