Popular foods in Kofu

I always eat local major food at the end of climbing journey. At the end of this climbing, I ate Hoto and Tori-motsuni which were the local food in Kofu.
Hoto was a thick udon and many vegetable in miso soup. Tori-motsuni was a boiled built-in of chicken.
Drinking beer with such food was like in the heaven. As I was tired, I got drunk easily. After I left the restaurant, I went to hotel and swept early.

Bus station

After I climbed down from Mt. Kitadake, I returned to Hirogawara. There was a bus stop there. I waited for bus about two hours. And I returned to Kofu.
It was the end of the climbing. I felt a bit of loneliness. But, I felt satisfaction.
In the bus, I remembered about mountains which I climbed in South Alps and campsite and dinner in the lodge. It must be one of my best climbing.

Beautiful colors

Blue sky, green mountain and white snow. They are typical landscape of Alps. During I went down from Mt. Kita-dake, I often turned back and watch the beautiful landscape.
After I watch the landscape, I would reach the bus stop soon. I felt loneliness with satisfaction at the end of climbing. I always think so at the timing.

Return from Kita-dake

Before I climbed Mt. Kita-dake, I planned to walk and climb to Mt. Aino-dake which third highest mountain in Japan. But, I abandoned the plan, because I was satisfied by sunrise at the Kita's top.
I enjoyed to descend the mountain.
I could see my small tent was there beside the rodge. It was a nice climbing.

Young climbers from Indonesia

They are young guys from Indonesia. After I photoed them with Mt. Fuji, we could talk friendly. They said Japanese mountain was great. So, I felt happy and enjoyed talk with them. They left there before I would leave there. We said each other "See you ! ". But, we'll never met each other for ever.
In the climbing trip, I could enjoyed talking with many other climbers. Talking with other climber may be most interesting event in climbing.

Mt. Fuji

I watched the highest mountain from second highest mountain.
It was most beautiful Fuji which I'd seen. I could think the Fuji was No.1 in Japan at the time. But, I'd heard that climbing Fuji in summer would be bad because of crowd on mountain road. But, I have to climb it someday.

3000M ridge line

I could see beautiful ridge line which I'd planned to walk at first. I could see Mt. Aino-dake and Mt. Shiomi-dake over the ridge line. But, I abandoned them to climb.
But, I was satisfied because I could see a beautiful sunrise on the top of Mt. Kita-dake.
But, I want to walk on the ridge line someday.

North Alps

I could see North Alps over the cloud. It included Mt. Hodaka, Mt. Yariga-dake and Mt. Tsurugi-dake, etc. I like these mountains which I'd climbed.

Mt. Yatsuga-dake

I could see Yatsuga-dake mountain system over Mt. Kai-Komaga-dake. It was looked like island which in cloud sea.
I'd climbed the mountains 2 years ago.

Sunrise at higher than 3000m

I watched a great sunrise at the top of Mt. Kita-dake. It was very very beautiful landscape. It must be one of the most landscape which I'd seen.

Top of Mt. Kita-dake

It was a second highest ground in Japan. I was there alone for a few minutes, because I reached there most early in the morning.
During I was climbing, I listened a voice of small animal. I was surrounded by it. It was as if I was there in the dream. It must be rock rabbit which called to crying rabbit in Japan. It was a nice experience. I can't forget there charming voices.

Climb in the dark

I woke up at 2:00, and I started to climb at 3:30. In dark mountain road, I often lost the road. But, I reached to the top of Mt. Kita-dake. Nobody was there. So, I could enjoyed alone there for a few minutes. It made me excited that I was there alone on the top of mountain which was second highest in Japan. Early waking up made me many happiness to me many time in my life.
Later, some climbers appeared. Silent was destroyed. I waited sunrise for a while.

In the lodge

After I had a nap, I went into the lodge and read magazine until the dinner would be started. In the lodge I could stay in warm room. But, I thought that I would not able to sleep there.
I ate flied fish for dinner in the lodge. It was very tasty for me who had eaten only dry food for some days. And, I could enjoy talking about mountains with a guy who sit on beside me. It was a nice dinner.
After I finished dinner, I went back to silent my tent and swept for next climbing.

Tent in hard rain and wind

After I ate lunch in the lodge, I dithered whether I stay in lodge or in tent for a while. Because, it was very warm and fuzzy in the lodge.
When I watched a sleeping space in lodge, I understood that I should stay in the tent. Because the sleeping space was very narrow. Other's head must be there beside my head. I can't sleep in such a place. I remembered staying lodge in 6 years ago. It was hard job. I could not sleep well.
Tent must be heaven when I compare it with staying lodge even if it stayed in storm.
There were 2 area for camp. One area was wind side of the ridge line. Another area was downstream of the ridge line. Of course, I selected downstream area and assembled carefully in hard wind.
Dinner time was 3 hours later after I assembled my tent. So, I had a nap in my tent.

Udon in lodge

I ordered Udon in the lodge. It was very warm and delicious.
Eating lodge food was first time after I ate in lodge Yariga-dake in 6 years ago. I avoided lodge until then because I thought it was out of my climbing style.
But, I thanked to lodge food very much under such a hard weather. And I decided to eat dinner in the lodge, too.

Dangerous storm

After I reached limit height for forest, the wind changed hard on ridge line, and it started rain, and it changed to be cold. When I reached the lodge Kita-no-kata, many many climbers escaped around the lodge.
Climbing in the weather must be dangerous. So, I decided to abandon to climb Mt. Kita-dake in the day. I decided to climb it in the next day.

Camp site beside lake

I reached a beautiful camp site beside a lake. I had wanted to stay there at last night. But, it was impossible. And I abandoned to climb Mt. Shiomi-dake after Mt. Kita-dake and Mt. Aino-dake.
I could walked by high speed until there. But, after I left the camp site, the slope had been hard and the whether condition changed bad.

Road to Mt. Kita-dake

After I packed tent in backpack in the morning, I started to climb Mt. Kita-dake at 5:00. Mt. Kita-dake was a main target for the climbing. So, I expected for the climbing.
Forest near Hirogawara was very beautiful. It was not hard road at first.

Base of South Alps "Hiro-gawara"

Hirogawara was a base of climbing for South Alps. There are bus stop and car pool. So, many people were there. At the lodge, I could buy a ice cream. It was very nice.
I stayed at the camp site there. There were many people who were not only climbers. I don't like such camp site. I want to stay in camp site with climbers only.
But, the height of there was low. So, my body condition was very good. And I could sleep deeply in noise of many campers.

Hard down road

After I left mountain pass Hakuhou, I climbed down to Hirogawara. The road was long and hard.
Stairs and chains often appeared. As I already be very tired, grip of foot was decreased. So, it was dangerous climbing. Safety is the most important for climbing. So, I had a long rest in the middle of the road under the big tree.
At first, I planned to climb until tent site in middle of Mt. Kitadake in the day. But, I abandon the plan and decided to sleep in the night at Hirogawara. It means that I abandon to walk to Mt. Shiomi-dake in the climbing. I re-planned to through Mt. Nohtori-dake and would reach to Narata then.
The second day's climbing was more hard than I imagined.

Natural cooler

Down slope from Mt. Takamine was very hard, too. But, When I reached the mountain pass Hakuho, cool mist was there in the forest. I could see a grain of the mist moving in the air in front of me. It was first experience. The mist made the forest very cool. After once I sit on there, I couldn't stand up for a long while.
A climbing girl was there and rested in the forest, too. I could enjoyed talk with her. She climbed Mt. Kai-komaga-dake and walked to there. She carried a big backpack include tent like me. Young power is great. I think myself tough climber when I compare with normal climbers. But, I'll lose to young climber.

Mt. Takamine

The slope from Mt. Jizo to Mt. Takamine was very hard. And it was very fine and hot day. So, I was very tired. It was the most hard time in the climbing.
The height of Mt. Takamine was 2,779 m. It was 68th highest mountain in Japan.
At the top, I could talk with a elder couple. I could enjoyed talking about mountains. In these days, I am interest in talk with other climbers than climbing despite I'm climbing in order to avoid human.

Border to beyond

There was a place which called "Sai no kawara" near the obelisk. It means the place where human go at first after died. If the dead is a child, he can't go both beyond and life, and must stay alone there forever. It was a penalty because he died before his parents die. In order to sorry them, many jizo statue were constructed there.
I didn't imagined such a strange place was there at 2,700 m height.

Obelisk

The last peak of Hohou three mountains was Mt. Jizo. I'd conquered Mt. Hohou at last.
Jizo is a stone figure like a child. Parents make Jizo if their child die and sorry for soul of the child. There were many Jizo around the peak.
By the way, Hohou named as the peak like a kind of bird Hohou (= phoenix ). And it called "Obelisk" ,too. Because it was looked like stone pole.

Mt. Kai-komaga-dake

I could see the last peak of Hohou mountains. The sharp peak in this photo was it.
I could see a famous mountain Mt. Kai-Komaga-dake in the cloud sea. It was a nice landscape.
Nobody except me were there on the long ridge line.

Top of Mt. Kannon

Second peak was Mt. Kannon. It was a highest peak in Hohou three mountains. The height was 2,840 m. I'd never climbed such a high place in these 2 years. So, I felt my head heavy.
On the long ridge line, I'd never met someone. So, it was very very interesting.

Three mountains Shirane

I could see beautiful mountains over the cloud. They are called Shirane 3 mountains. It conclude Mt. Kita-dake (The height is No.2 in Japan ), Aino-dake ( No.3 ) and Mt. Nohtori-dake (No.15).
They were too beautiful. I couldn't move for a while because my eyes caught by them.

Top of Mt. Yakushi

Mt. Hohou was constructed by 3 main mountains. They were Mt. Yakushi, Mt. Kannon and Mt. Jizou.
At first, I reached Mt. Yakushi. I could see many major mountains such as Mt. Kai-komagadake, Mt. Senjyou and North Alps mountains, etc. It was a great climbing.
By the way, "Yakushi" is a name of god for health. When we pray to Yakushi, our lie will be fixed. But, I don't believe such a legend.

Strange stones in Mt. Hohou

It was fine in the second morning. Walking ridge line was very nice. There were many strange rocks and white sands on the ridge line around Mt. Hohou. It was a nice climbing.

Great mountains over the tree

The second morning was fine. After I climbed through valley from camp site, I could see beautiful mountains through trees. They were Mt. Kita-dake, Aino-dake and Noutori-dake. They were the famous mountains in Japan. All of them had more than 3000 m height.
As the last day was rainy and be in the mist. I was very glad and felt happy. It was the most happy time for me.

First camp site

I reached campsite Minami-omuro-goya at 3:00. The height was about 2,400 m. I was stayed Hachiouji in the morning. So, the deference of height was more than 2000 m. So, I had a headache and felt nauseous until next morning. So, I couldn't sleep well.
But, the campsite was very nice. Lodge keeper was very friendly. I'll never walk the ridge line and never stay the site. But, I'll recommend many climbers to stay there.

Beautiful misty forest

Landscape was not appeared in front of me because of the mist. But, woods in the mist was mysterious.
In the forest I often met an old couple. And I talked with them. They were very tender. I thought I want to be such an old at the time.

Mountain Path Yasha-jin

After I walked about 1 hour, I reached mountain path Yasha-jin. If it was fine, I could see major mountains which were Kita-dake, Aino-dake, Nohtori-dake. But, they were hidden by deep mist. So, I walked through there without stopping my legs.

Entrance of South Alps

At first, I climbed Mt. Hohou which was one of 100 famous mountains in Japan. The entrance of climbing road was named to Yasha-jin. A long climbing started.

In Kofu

Access of climbing zone was by bus. It started from Kofu in Yamanashi pref.
Takeda Shingen was one of major hero in age of civil wars in Japan. Of course, I knew him. In Kofu, most of every items named Shingen. He must be a real hero for citizen in Kofu.

Going to South Alps

The climbing in this summer started in Thursday's night. After I finished my job in 17:00, I transported to Hachiouji in Tokyo by Shinkansen super express.
Area around my hotel was in sexy spot. Many barkers call me to buy ladies. But no power except for climbing was there in my body. So, I brushed off and walked through them.

25kg backpack

At last, I brought 25kg backpack to the top of Mt. Ege. It was very heavy. I was very tired.
I thought that Climbing South Alps in this week end will be successful. Because I'll bring only 19kg backpack.
After I left the top, I was damaged by heatstroke. I couldn't walk and my hands had been palsy. I stop for a while in woods. Hot and high humidity were dangerous.

Mt. Ege

In cloudy day, I climbed Mt. Ege. Landscape from the top was not good. But, I could see Hiroshima city. High humidity made me tired.

New items

I bought new items for climbing South Alps in next week end. They are wear, small items, foods and water filtration system. The system make water beautiful. It cut dusts and ｂacteria which are larger than 0.1 micrometer. Until last year, I sometimes drunk water which was not beautiful in mountain. Fortunately, I had not damaged by water. But, I had been worried about water.

Canned food

I checked the taste of canned food today. They were delicious more than I imagined.
Until last climbing, I didn't want to bring can to mountain, because they were heavy. I brought dry foods only. But, I always bored to dry food in second or third night in tent. So, I challenge to bring them and spend delicious night in mountain.

Tired until the top

High humidity and heavy backpack made me tired hard. I couldn't wake up for a while after I reached the top of Mt. Ege.
But, a old climber who I met sometimes appeared the top and talked with me for a long while. As his talking was very interesting, I could enjoyed the staying the top.
But, I'm worrying about the climbing of South Alps on next week.

Hard slope

I was bitten by warm in last climbing to Mt. Ede. And, I got a heavy damaged by it.
So, I climbed through anther road. It was hard slope. And, I brought 18kg backpack. So, my legs said me to being tired.