I woke up to a snow-covered morning on Saturday, November 30th.
Inside my house, the temperature was minus 3 degrees Celsius, while outside, it was a chilly minus 6 degrees. With the wind, however, it felt more like minus 10 degrees. This morning, I shoveled the snow from the walkway and cleared the outdoor deck.
Tabby is enjoying the perfect cozy atmosphere. He loves warmth and comfort, especially when the weather is cold, like this morning. Here is his favorite spot to see outside.
This morning, a couple of centimeters of snow blanketed the area around my home. Inside, the temperature dropped to -1°C, while outside it was a freezing -10°C. Despite the cold, the skies were clear, and the crisp, cold air was refreshing and invigorating.
This morning, I took a walk to Lake Megami, just 20 minutes from my home. The crisp crunch of snow underfoot and the calm, serene atmosphere made for a truly peaceful experience.
A month ago, I moved to Tateshina, a stunning region in central Nagano Prefecture known for its lush green mountains and serene natural beauty. My home is located in Yakkano Tsusujigaoka (八ヶ野つつじヶ丘), in the southern part of Tateshina, at an elevation of 1,500 meters. The area is rich in wildlife, with deer, ferrets, pheasants, and other animals frequently spotted nearby.
Close to my home, you’ll find Lake Megami and several family-friendly ski resorts. This region is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, offering year-round opportunities for hiking in the warmer months and winter sports when the snow arrives. It’s truly a place where nature can be enjoyed in every season.
After demolition and removal original wood deck.
The foundation and Framing for the deck
Almost complete, it took a month and a half.
Mt. Kiso-Komagatake, the tallest peak in the Central Japan Alps at 2,956 meters! Nestled within the scenic Kiso Mountain Range, Mt. Kiso-Komagatake offers breathtaking views and diverse trails. For this hike, we’ll take the most popular beginner-friendly route, which includes a ride up the ropeway to Senjojiki Cirque, starting at an altitude of 2,600 meters. This route provides a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Central Alps without a challenging ascent.
Itinerary:
Mt. Kiso-Komagatake round trip from Senjojiki Cirque
Route: Suganodai Bus Center ➡ Kiso Ropeway; Shirabidaira Station to Senjoike Station ➡ Senjojiki Cirque ➡ Mt. Hokendake ➡ Mt. Nakadake ➡ Mt. Kiso-Komagatake
Details:
We were lucky with the weather all day. Sachi and I left at 5:30 a.m. and headed to the Suganodaira Bus Center, where there’s parking available for the Kiso Ropeway. The drive from Tateshina City, Nagano, took about an hour and a half.
We lined up for the first bus at 8:15 a.m. and hopped on for the ride to the ropeway. The road was narrow and winding through the mountains and took around 30 minutes to reach our destination.
The ride from Shirabidaira Station to Senjojiki Station takes 7 minutes and 30 seconds, covering an elevation gain of 950 meters — the largest elevation difference for a ropeway in Japan.
Senjoike Station offers a nice variety of meals, a restaurant with panoramic mountain views, and a souvenir shop.
The mountain peaks had a light dusting of snow, while the vibrant autumn leaves below spread out like a beautiful painting.
At 9:00 a.m., Sachi and I set off from the station toward the summit of Mt. Kiso-Komagadake, which stands at 2,957 meters. The trail on Senjojiki Cirque is well-maintained, though steep and rocky in some sections. By around 10:00 a.m., we reached the top of Mt. Nakadake at 2,925 meters. After another 30 minutes of climbing, we arrived at the summit. The weather was nice, though the wind was strong and chilly.
Links:
Mountain hiking and camping in Japan have seen a boom among all age groups since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there has also been a rise in mountain accidents, such as slips, falls, and missing persons, especially among middle-aged hikers. I was wondering if I could share some tips or alerts on mountaineering safety with you.
Just a few days ago, a hiker near the peak of North Hotaka-Dake slipped and fell about 10 meters, sustaining seriouse injuries. He magaged to emergency service call to rescue and was later airlifted to safety by helicopter.
A man slipped and was injured at around 2600 meters in hight on Mount Yari, North Alps, Nagano. He was safely rescued by hericopter and taken to a local hospital in Matsumoto. He sustained a minor injury, twisting his left ankle.
The man is 71 -year old. Hoping he will get better back to regular daily life.
Mount Yari-gatake, with its distinctive sharp peak and towering height of 3,180 meters, is often called the “Matterhorn of Japan” due to its iconic shape. As the fifth-highest mountain in the country, it’s a sought-after destination for many avid hikers. Its challenging ascent and breathtaking views make it a prized goal for climbers, with many aspiring to reach its summit at least once. The Yari-gatake area also offers diverse hiking routes, stunning alpine scenery, and rich natural beauty, attracting nature enthusiasts from all over.
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Sachi and I arrived at Seattle Sea-Tac International Airport at 11:30 am on July 30th, an hour later than expected. After smoothly picking up the rental car from the airport’s facility, we set off for Portland, OR, around 1:00 pm. Let the adventure begin!
Portland, the largest city in Oregon, was once ranked among the most desirable places to live in the U.S. Located about 100 km east of Portland, Mount Hood National Forest is home to Timberline Lodge, a mountain lodge and year-round ski and snowboard resort.
Day 1: Explore downtown Portland and stay at a hotel.
Day 2: Traveto to Tollgate Campground in Mount Hood National Forest.
Day 3: Climb Mt. Hood
Portland is a beer lover’s paradise, boasting over 70 breweries. Visitors can explore a wide array of innovative craft beers, many of which are unique to the city.
We headed to Tollgate Campground in the National Forest and stopped by a grocery store on the way to pick up food, drinks, and other supplies for a two-day camping trip.
After setting up my tent, We visited the visitor center and Timberline Lodge in the National Forest to check the climbing route and conditions for tomorrow. I noticed several hikers there, putting on heavy backpacks with ice axes, who had likely already reached the summit of Mt.Hood.
I asked one of them about the route conditions and how long it took to reach the top. He said, “It wasn’t in bad condition up there; there were fewer falling rocks than I expected. We started at 2 AM from Timberline Lodge, and it took about 8 hours.”
Temberline Lodge, Oregon
Timberline Lodge provides exciting, family-friendly skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and year-round recreation. They offer the best in historic lodging, fine dining, and memorable experiences.
2:00 AM: Woke up early to prepare for the hike, ensuring We had all the necessary gear and provisions for the climb.
3:00 AM: Registered for the climb at the Mt. Hood Visitor Center. This step was crucial for safety, as it informed the authorities of my planned route and expected return time.
3:15 AM: Started the ascent from the trailhead at Timberline parking lot. The trailhead is the beginning of the official climbing route, marking the start of my journey up Mt. Hood.
4:00 AM: After reaching a mountain hut along the trail, We continued on, but the path soon became less defined, making the route unclear due to the darkness. We carefully followed the footprints left by previous climbers across the rugged snowfield, which served as my only guide. Meanwhile, Snowcats—heavy-duty vehicles designed for grooming the snow—were operating nearby, their lights casting an eerie glow across the white expanse. For the next three hours, we ascended through a mix of snow and rugged terrain. By around 6 AM, the sun began to rise behind the mountain, casting its shadow in the air—a breathtaking and almost spiritual sight.
8:00 AM: Reached the boundary of the glacier field and craggy terrain. From here, we needed to use crampons and an ice axe to continue. After hiking for 8 hours, fatigue was setting in. Sachi and I assessed our physical condition and evaluated the feasibility of reaching the summit.
The trek is exhilarating but is not a hike to be taken lightly. It’s tougher than it looks and the weather can change unexpectedly; it’s been said Mount Rainier makes its own weather. Conditions can change from hour to hour, from summer to winter conditions. Sudden fogs or whiteouts are not uncommon where visibility is limited or nil. This hike is only recommended for strong, experienced hikers, who are prepared with the right clothing and equipment, route-finding skills, those who know their limits and when to turn around when conditions are unfavorable.
Camp Muir is a climber’s camp with an impressive stone shelter, a couple of outbuildings and toilets. Camping inside the shelter is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Climbers usually hike to Camp Muir the day before they climb to rest and acclimate to the altitude, a little over 3000 m. If the shelter is full, climbers pitch their tents on the snow. The stone shelter is named to honor the naturalist John Muir who made an ascent of Mount Rainier in 1888.
Day 4: Stay at the Cabin, Ashford
Day 5: Couger Rock Campground
Day 6: hiking to Camp Muir, 3100 m
Camp Muir on the mountain is at the top of many hikers’ wish lists and for good reasons. It’s about as close as a hiker can get to a taste of a climbing experience.
7:00 AM: The sky was clear with a gentle breeze—perfect weather for a hike. We began our ascent from the Skyline Trailhead at Paradise.
8:00 AM: We reached our first short break point. After this, the trail became more challenging, with steeper and rockier terrain.
9:00 AM: It took about two hours to reach this point from the trailhead. From here, we put on crampons to tackle the uphill snowfield leading to our goal, Camp Muir.
12:30 AM: Sachi and I did it! At least we stepped off the snow and took the last steps to Camp Muir, 3100 meters. This was my fifth attempt and Sachi’s first. It was a long, tough hike, and there were moments when Sachi felt like she couldn’t keep going, but she pushed through and made it. Congratilations Sachi!
Many hikers agree that the last 200-300 meters of the climb are the most difficult. The Muir snowfield seemed to stretch on forever before we finally saw the buildings. When Camp Muir came into view, it looked closer than it actually was, and it felt like we were making no progress at all as we climbed. I definitely agree with this.”
4:00 PM: We arrived at the Paradise succesfully and safely.
Drinking the beer after accompaniment hiking is the best!! Nothing beats the cold beer! Cheers Sachi, you made it.
Sachi, thank you for joining those explorations. I really appreciate everything you did.
We encountered some trouble at the U.S. border security checkpoint, and I was taken to the passport control room. The officer asked me many questions about my passport background, but eventually, everything was cleared up, and we were able to proceed.
As we returned to Japan, we had to stay an extra night at a hotel near Seattle Airport due to a failed connection between Alaska Airlines and Japan Airlines via Vancouver Airport, Canada. We needed to apply for the eTA system in advance to enter Canada, even though it was just for transit.
I plan to go hiking in Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington and Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon this summer. Here is the itinerary. I will share this challenging adventure after I return to Japan.
| Date | Description |
| 7/30, Tus | Tokyo to Seattle, Departure: 17:40 Terminal 2, Flight JL0068 Japan Airline |
| 7/30, Tus | Seattle Tacoma Int’l Arrive: 10:35 Car rental: Thrifty pick-up at 13:00 Drive to Portland, OR Check-in at Studio 6, Check-out 7/31 |
7/31-8/1 Wed-Thu | Mt.Hood National Forest, Campsite # at 013, Area Check-in 7/31, Check-out 8/2 Activities: Hiking and Climbing Mt.Hood |
| 8/2, Fri | Move to Mt. Rainier National Park, Check-in at Gateway Inn & Cabin, Check-out 8/3 |
| 8/3-4, Sat-Sun | Mt. Rainier National Park, Stay at Couger Camp Ground Check-in 8/3, Check-out 8/5 Activities: Hiking and Climbing Mt.Reinier |
| 8/5, Mon | Seattle Int’l Airport Check-in at Red Roof Seattle Airport-SETAC Check out 8/6 |
| 8/6, Tue | Seattle to Tokyo via Vancouver Int’l Airpor Seattle:Departure: 11:30, Vancouver: Departure: 12:30 |
| 8/7, Wed | Tokyo Arrive: 15:50 |
Thanks for the weather cooperating on the day, Saturday, June 1st. Sachi and I enjoyed craft beers, food, and stage performances, including music, dancing, etc.
The ten craft beer stalls were lined up to serve unique taste beers at each stall. My favorite is a Haze IPA, it has a nice flavor and bitter taste.
Day 1: Sachi and I had my brother drive us from Azumino City, Nagano, to the Nakabusa Trailhead. There are three parking areas around the trailhead, but they were all full because of Golden Week, from May 3rd to 6th in Japan. Thanks to my brother for taking care of us.
Around the trailhead, there is an onsen facility, a clean toilet, and an ice cream booth.
The skies were clear in the morning, and we started our hike at 6:00 am. Today’s route: Trailhead (Nakabusa Onsen) ➡ Kassen Goya ➡ Kousanso Hut ➡ Top of Mt. Tsubakuro, with an overnight stay at Kousanso Hut. There are three benches on the trail, numbered #1 to #3, before reaching Kassen Goya.
We ascended the steep and snowy mountain ridge about two hours after a short break at Kassen Goya and reached Kousanso Hut, where we planned to stay for the day. The terrace of the hut was crowded with hikers. From there, we continued to the top of Mt. Tsubakuro, which was just a 30-minute hike from the hut. Around the top of Mt. Tsubakuro, there are many uniquely shaped limestone formations. The trail to the top is gravelly with small limestone fragments.
Day 2: At 6:00 am, we descended the same way to the Nakabusa Onsen trailhead safely and successfully. Then we enjoyed the onsen to relax and rejuvenate.
Thank you, Sachi, for signing up for this meetup. See you at the next event.
The Thousand Cherry Blossoms Festival at Ueda Castle Ruins Park is truly a sight to behold! With approximately a thousand cherry trees now in full bloom, it’s an experience that takes your breath away. Walking through the park amidst the beauty of the cherry blossoms, both during the day and at night, is simply enchanting.
In Japan, spring holds a special significance, beginning around April. People nationwide eagerly anticipate the blooming of Sakura, or cherry blossoms, following the cold winter months.
Cherry blossoms, with their delicate pink petals, carry profound meaning in Japanese culture. They symbolize the beauty and fragility of life, deeply ingrained in the hearts of the Japanese people for centuries.
These blossoms serve as a metaphor for life’s transient nature, reminding us to treasure every fleeting moment. Their brief yet stunning appearance during Sakura season is a poignant reminder of this fleeting beauty.
Food stalls line up in the park during the festival.
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