[Okutama Hiking] Trekking the Takamizu Three Mountains (Mt. Takamizu, Mt. Iwatakeishi, and Mt. Sogaku)!
My hiking season has finally arrived! Although I'm not yet skilled enough to tackle summer or winter climbing, I climbed Mt. Takao on a warm day above 10 degrees Celsius in early February. Afterwards, I injured my chest muscles due to a persistent cough through February and March, but I fully recovered in about a month and a half. Unable to practice yoga poses for about three weeks, by late March, I regained my former physical state and decided to attempt a long hike for the first time in a while.
Originally forecasted to rain, the weather on this particular Friday surprisingly cleared up the day before, and it turned out to be partly cloudy followed by sunny on the hiking day, with comfortable temperatures ranging from 15 to nearly 20 degrees Celsius. While the central line is usually bustling with hikers on weekends, it was relatively quiet on a weekday.
I left home at 7:30 AM and arrived at Gunbata Station at 9:38 AM. On the way from the station to the trailhead, I walked through a beautiful pink path lined with azaleas and small sakura trees. This unique scenery of the season made me appreciate the joy of hiking as a hobby.
It took about 40 minutes from Gunbata Station to reach the trailhead of Mt. Takamizu in the comfortable spring climate. If it had been summer, just walking this asphalt path would have made me sweat profusely.
My buddy didn't bring a hiking stick, so we quickly found a natural "staff of the day" near the entrance.
The stick was perfect in weight, strength, and length. Having a stick helps maintain your body's axis while moving forward and also provides propulsion when stepping forward. Although I haven't tried using two sticks yet, even one makes a significant difference, helping conserve both muscle and energy.
The forest was just beginning to spring to life, with large rocks scattered around and new buds peeking through—an impressive sight.
Having climbed a steep incline previously, it felt easier this time. It's also a season without bees, allowing for a comfortable hike that continued to our first checkpoint, Mt. Takamizu.
11:23 Jo-fukuin Fudo Hall (near the summit of Mt. Takamizu). Here, not cherry blossoms, but pink azaleas were blooming wildly, and there seems to be a festival with lion dances on weekends. We decided to have our lunch here, enjoying the onigiri and fried chicken I had prepared the day before, along with some cherry tomatoes packed in a small box. After descending, we planned to eat enough delicious soba to satisfy our hunger.
At 759 meters, we reached the summit of Mt. Takamizu. Here in Tokyo, I debuted my new Cezanne’s Mont Sainte-Victoire T-shirt, made of polyester, which stayed comfortable throughout the hike.
Next, we headed to Mt. Iwatakeishi. Finally, as the sky cleared, the sun-dappled mountain felt wonderful.
Even when a steep climb appeared ahead, it surprisingly felt manageable step by step.
12:33 Summit of Mt. Iwatakeishi (739m). It was a spacious summit, and there were a few people enjoying a warm meal brought from home, complete with burners. I'd like to have mountain coffee during spring.
Along the trail signs pointing towards Bo-no-Ori Mountain in Saitama were spotted. Bo-no-Ori Mountain, popular for its deep valley gorge area, was where I hiked for the second time. Realizing once again that Japan is a mountainous terrain, it seems to be for intermediate and above levels. Just imagining descending under those tree roots, it looks like quite the challenge to attempt Bo-no-Ori Mountain.
From Mt. Iwatakeishi to Mt. Sogaku, the trail continued with minor ups and downs. Soon, an unexpectedly otherworldly scenery unfolded! What used to be a continuous stretch of cedar woods seems to have been extensively logged on the left-hand side in recent years, opening up to a beautifully scenic ridge.
And towards the end of the logged area, the climb to Mt. Sogaku began. It turned into an actual rock climbing adventure!
This was the biggest adventure of the day. For actual climbing scenes, please watch the video. With secure holds on tree roots and rock edges, and even using the magic staff, I was able to climb safely. Despite this, photos somehow don't convey the urgency.
We spotted a cute flower in the shadow of the rocks, identified by my buddy as "Shortia galacifolia," a highly rare species native to the forests of southeastern America, not rediscovered until nearly 100 years after its initial discovery in 1788. The glossy round leaves turn a darker color in winter. Finding such a rare species here was unexpected!
13:34 Summit of Mt. Sogaku. The summit was completely serene without any views. From here, it was all downhill. The descent from Mt. Sogaku took us through a cedar forest, with occasional ups and downs, and took about 80 minutes—twice as long as the descent on the route 6 of Mt. Takao.
We were greeted by fully bloomed cherry blossoms! It was 3:00 PM, but I was hungry enough to eat soba. We dined at a traditional soba restaurant with a thatched roof.
Despite the early hour, the restaurant had seats set aside for waiting, suggesting it would be crowded during peak season. Even though we entered at 3:00 PM, many seats were already filled. The room had tatami mats and tastefully designed chairs and tables, giving it a high-end feel. The restroom was as clean as those in hotels.
I enjoyed the tempura soba. The tempura was crispy, similar to what you might find in a high-end Japanese restaurant at a hotel—a fantastic meal to cap off the hike.
Today’s Hike
Takamizu Three Mountains: Mt. Takamizu 759m, Mt. Iwatakeishi 793m, Mt. Sogaku 756m
Distance: 9.5 km
Hiking Time: 4 hours 30 minutes, Breaks: 40 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
I caught the 16:26 train from Mitake Station back to Tokyo. Normally, I would edit videos on the train ride home, but this time, sleepiness overtook me. Reflecting on it, a 9 km hike is quite a walk.
Once home, I did some laundry and headed to the gym for a bath. Surprisingly, I had no muscle soreness at all—eerily so. I continued with my usual routine of blogging and responding to comments before going to bed past 1 AM.
I expected to wake up with muscle pain the next morning, but instead, I was up at 9 AM doing online yoga as usual. Despite the break in hiking, I felt no pain, which could be due to my improved technique in both ascending and descending, or perhaps the mid-15-degree Celsius weather helped preserve my energy. Continuing with yoga might also be having its effects. At any rate, I feel like climbing has become easier, which boosts my confidence for future hikes.
After all that walking, to feel fine might just set the stage for more confidence moving forward.
In the end, I spent more time editing my blog and vlog than I did hiking—an ironic twist. Will I be able to hike Tono-zawa Mountain this year?
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