Japan is blessed with distinct four seasons. Every season is a perfect symphony of nature's Vivaldi. Listening to the winter I traveled to the prefecture of Nagano. Nagano is blessed with gorgeous mountains; beautiful apples and lots of other fruits. I have been to Nagano before but never in winters. Visiting during summer was whole [...]
Hiking in Japan during summer or rain has it's own advantages. Lush green forests and lesses layers of clothes. The waterfalls are simply beautiful. Sawanobori or the stream climbing is popular sport in Japan. Sawa stands for stream; noboru is to climb. This hike was done in mid July. July is muggy and not so [...]
After three months of break from blogging starting with an interesting hike I recently did. Sometimes path is so close but you are too engrossed in your own thoughts and fears to notice it... Apart from hiking I have been experiencing this in many situations these days. Finding the path which will safely lead you [...]
Mountains are calling and I must go. That's a famous quote by John Muir. But what if you can't see who's calling you? What if you go all the way up to 2077m and see nothing? Is visibility, scenery, view from the top so important? Is walking in the unknown so scary? Or you just [...]
..that great peak in Kiso Is freezing even in summer We wish we could give it Some warm clothing... This story is about a highway built 400 year ago. A road connecting two powerful cities. Road which was the rejuvenation of Japan's thousand years old highway system. Nakasendo (中山道) --- Road though the central mountains. Another name is [...]
Long ago when the world was yet to take its current shape two deities were sent from the heaven to make this mortal world more interesting. Izanagi no Omikoto (the male God) and Izanami no Omikoto (the female God)... When they arrived they saw there is no land..no life, they were unimpressed. He stabbed the [...]
Starting with one of my favorite hikes in Japan. Mt Asahi or Asahidake (旭日岳). An active volcano part of Daisetsuzan Volcanic group. This majestic beast is the tallest mountain in Hokkaido with the elevation of 2,291 meters. Total time- 6 to 8 hours Difficulty level- Moderate (Elevation gain- 1110mt) Access- Take a bus to Asahi-Dake Onsen from [...]
Solivagant 