The weather this August—torrential rain day after day for almost two weeks. One of my goals this month was to do plenty of hiking, with Mt. Shiomi (塩見岳) in the Minami Alps being the main objective. Mt. Shiomi is a mountain I’ve wanted to climb for some time now but never quite managed it.
This was the third time I’ve hiked this trail. In July 2019 Sampukutoge was the goal but then I was unaware that an additional 40 minutes southwest to Eboshidake would, on a clear day, present me with a clear view of Mt. Fuji.
read more Mt. Fuji Sunrise Hike – Eboshidake in the Minami Alps
This stretch was a mixed bag of wonderful Nakasendō/Kiso-ji (中山道・木曽路) backroads and the monstrous national R19, with truck after truck whizzing past.
We didn’t make it all the way to Takadoyasan (高鳥屋山) – I was carrying 11 kilos of daughter on my back and I’d never hiked this trail before. Logic dictated that we take it easy and stay well within our limits.
Another walk on the Nakasendō/Kiso-ji. Starting at Niekawa Station (where I finished last time) I passed through Kiso-Hirasawa (木曽平沢), Narai (奈良井), and then over the Torii Pass (鳥居峠) to Yabuhara (藪原).
read more Walking the Nakasendō/Kiso-ji – Niekawa to Yabuhara
Magome (馬籠) and Tsumago (妻籠) — possibly the two most popular villages on the Nakasendō (中山道). My first visit was
