Yesterday, on January 14th, I visited the Monji-no-Yu, Kakeyu Onsen in the small Onsen village. The overnight snowfall turned the area into a picturesque winter wonderland. Kakeyu Onsen is renowned for its therapeutic benefits, particularly for alleviating back pain, soothing joints, and treating rheumatism.
Nagano Prefecture is located in the center of mainland Honshu, Japan, the capital city is Nagano City, which was the Winter Olympics venue in 1998.
You can delight in the breathtaking beauty of various natural landscapes created by Mother Nature throughout all seasons: cherry blossoms in spring, lush greens in summer, autumn leaves in fall, icy trees in winter, and so on.
There are many things to do in outdoor activities: Mountain Climbing, hiking in National parks, skiing, and Hot spring, visiting historical sites.
Ueda City, the third-largest city in Nagano, is renowned as a historical Castle City. Nestled in the picturesque Chikuma River Valley, it is surrounded by breathtaking mountains.
Ueda Castle, constructed by the Sanada Clan during the Sengoku period, continues to showcase its historical ruins, inviting exploration today. The castle site has transformed into a city park, providing a space where people can enjoy quality time, take leisurely walks, and participate in various seasonal, historical, and cultural events. Examples include the Cherry Blossom Festival in spring, the Fireworks Festival in summer, and many others.
There are many characteristic Onsen spots around, public Onsen facilities, and private Onsen Ryokans. Onsen Ryokan means Japanese-style Inn with an Onsen bath, offering health benefits.
I frequently take Muroga Onsen Sasara-no-Yu and Bessho Onsen Isomeno-Yu. Sasarano-no-Yu is one of Muroga Onsen It improves circulation, relaxes muscles, and eliminates stress.
On January 5th, 2024, Ms. Sachi and I climbed Mount Karamatsu-dake, which stands at 2,696 meters in height.
On Thursday, January 5th, I plan to drive to Hakuba Village in Nagano. It will take around an hour and a half from my place.
From there, I will ride the Gondola Adam, Alpen Quad, and the Great Quad to reach Happo-Ike Hut, which should take about 20 minutes.
The climb will begin with the goal of reaching the summit of Mt. Karamatsu-dake, which is 2,696 meters high. The climb is expected to take approximately 5 hours.
Climbing Route:
Happo-Ike Hut ➡ Mount Happo Cairn ➡ The 2nd Cairn ➡ Happo Cairn ➡ The 3rd Cairn ➡ Maruyama Cairn ➡ Karamatsu-Sancho Hut ➡ Mount Karamatsu-dake
It was a beautiful day for climbing, with a clear winter sky of deep blue – perfect conditions for ascending the mountain. I felt confident about reaching the mountain’s summit, at least until I reached Happo Ike Hut at 1,860 meters. However, as I ascended further, the wind on the upper terrain of the mountain was blowing quite hard.
As we ascended further the 2nd to 3rd cairn on the ridge of Happo, The wind with snow was blowing harder and harder. We had to stop moving upward and wait for the gust to weaken sometimes.
A stronger gust of wind swirled around Maruyama Cairn, the further upper ridge from the 3rd cairn, almost pushing us off balance. Climbing became challenging on the mountain ridge due to the powerful winds. Ultimately, I decided to descend, unfortunately, choosing to turn back at Maruyama Cairn.
Happy New Year! I successfully climbed Mt. Tengu in Nagano with my hiking partner, Sachi, on January 3rd. It was a cloudy day, but not bothersome.
The mountain trail from the Shibu Onsen trailhead to Kuroyuri Hut had less snow cover compared to last year, and the craggy rocks on the trail were exposed. It’s advisable to wear crampons and be careful not to catch the crampon spikes on the rocks. It took us about 90 minutes to reach Kuroyuri Hut.
After taking a short break at the hut, we headed towards the summit of Mount Tengu. The first 30 minutes involved navigating through moderate terrain in the forest until we reached the treeline. From this point onward to the top, the trail became steep and narrow with craggy features. The wind picked up significantly, especially as we approached the summit, but we successfully made it. The entire hike took 4.5 hours to complete.
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