"Tadachi no taki" hike

more photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/sergioinjapan/TadachiNoTakiHike

　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　

Takatoriyama hike(1398m)-Seinaiji village

We, 28 enthusiastic hikers with 3 local guides, had a welcome fireworks on the top, tonjiro (pork soup) for lunch and at the end of the hike a glorious cherry blossom viewing. Great fun! Thanks everyone.

More photos at:http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/sergioinjapan/TakatoriyamaHike

Ibuki 1377m

Number of hikers: 5
Leaders: Justin and Sergio
Train to: Omi Nagaoka on the Tokaido line (1110 yen each way plus bus to start of the trail)
Weather: Clear and sunny with lots of snow (70-80cm)
Highlights: Trying to slide down the slopes, curry and rice at the ski restaurant

Photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jomynard/Ibuki

Mt. Miyagi (361m) and Mt. Goi (464m) hike

Event: Mt. Miyagi and Mt. Goi hike

Date: February 10th, 2008

Tranportation: We took the 9:48am Meitetsu express train to Meiden Akasaka Sta. (change at Higashi Okazaki Sta.)- 900 yen each way.

Number of hikers: 8

Hiking time: 5 hours

Grade: 1 star

Leader: Sergio

Ikeda-yama, 923.9m

Event: Hike and onsen visit
Number of hikers: 6
Leaders: Jo & David
Weather: freezing; some snow
Transportation: 8.09 train to Ogaki and then the 8.44 Yoro line train to Ikeno (1090 yen each way). From Ikeno, we took a taxi a short distance to the start of the hike (400 yen per person).

CHIC End of year Party

Over 30 people came along to the Brazilian restaurant for our end of year party. Takashi won the 3000 yen jackpot in the janken game, and Sergio's team demonstrated their expertise on the subject of CHIC and mountains by winning the quiz. Kaori's impersonation of a mountain bird is the funniest thing I have seen all year.

Sample quiz questions:

1. Name one mountain in Japan beginning with each vowel (A, E, I, O and U).
2. Name 3 hikes that the club has done twice this year
3. What are three benefits of hiking?
4. How do you say "peak" in Japanese?
5. What were 5 dishes at this year's CHIC autumn BBQ

Get practicing ready for next year!

Some photos here. If you have more, please share your link by adding a comment.

Sanpo, ogura and Yoro Mountains

Event	3 peaks: Sanpo, Orura and Yoro Mountains, Gifu
Grade	2 star
Transportation	8.01 Kintetsu train from Nagoya to Kuwana (arrive 8.21) 8.45 Yoro Railway line from Kuwana to Yoro (arrive 9.35) Cost: 980 yen each way.
Number of hikers	11
Weather	Clear, warm and sunny
Details	After a walk through Yoro park, we got to the famous Yoro waterfall. Here we left the crowds of leaf-viewers behind and headed up the steep track to bag three peaks. We really enjoyed the autumn colours and the views.
Hiking time	About 6 hours including breaks, souvenir shopping and photo stops
Leaders	Jo and David
	Photos

Fujiwaradake (1120), Mie

Hike time	About 6 hours
Grade	2 (challenging)
Number of hikers	20
Hike details	We made good time up the steep zigzagging path to the 9th station and warmed up in the hut. Some people go all out at lunchtime - Masa and Yasu made toasted banana and honey sandwiches. Yes, they brought a sandwich toaster up with them! Justin brought an enormous thermos of coffee to share. We went out into the sleet for the last part up to the peak. When the clouds cleared we did get glimpses of lovely mountains in the distance. We were a week or so too early to see many red leaves on the trees at the shrine at the end.
Transportation	We took the 8.01 Kintetsu train to Tomida (28 minutes) then changed onto the 8.39 Sangi line train to Nishi Fujiwara (50 minutes). We took the train back at 4.39, changed at Tomida and got back to Nagoya just after 6pm. Fare from Nagoya: 1040 yen each way.
Weather Leaders	Showers plus sleet/hail at the top! Jo and David
	More Photos!

Magome to Tsumago

Hike time	4 hours
Grade	0.5 (easy)
Meeting time and place	7.15 and JR Chikusa station (downstairs near the ticket machines)
Hike details	(From Japan-Guide.com) "The beautiful former post towns of Tsumago and Magome are connected with each other by an attractive walking trail that follows the old Nakasendo, a Edo Period highway from Kyoto to Edo." ..."the trail is 8 kilometers long" ... "Partly nature trail, partly covered by original cobblestones and partly paved roads, the trail passes several small villages, waterfalls and historic structures."
Transportation	1. Take the 7.34 JR Chuo line train to Nakatsugawa. 1280 yen. 70 minutes 2. Take a bus (there is one at 9am) from Nakatsugawa to Magome. 540 yen. 30 minutes. Return (1620yen) 1. Take the 4.05 JR Chuo line train from Nagiso to Nakatsukawa (21 minutes) 2. Take the 4.39 JR Chuo line train from Nakatsugawa to Chikusa (69 minutes)
Leader	Lucas
Number of hikers	Over 30

Club BBQ

What a wonderful BBQ at Shonai Ryokuchi Koen! There was a great turnout and perfect weather! Thanks to the organisers for the wonderful food.

Photos here

Feel free to reply to this blog and share your photo link with the group.

Ena-san, 2190m

Mountain: Ena-san

Date:  October 13th and 14th, 2007

Transportation:   By car

Rating of hike:   Two stars

Number of hikers:   4

Weather:   Dry, cool and a bit misty

Hiking time:   Around 7 and a half hours (including breaks)

Hike leader:  Justin Powell 

Comments:                 

The night before, we stayed in the emergency hut at the top of Fujimidai
(mountain next to Ena-san). Justin cooked us an amazing Nabe and new
member, Jeff, showed us some card games!

We started the hike on Sunday morning. The trail was  quiet and we
saw lots of beautiful autumnal colours. It was a really lovely walk.

Photos here

Mt. Tsugao (273m) hike

Event: Mt Tsugao (273m) hike-Sunday 07th- October

Hiking hours: 4

Hike rating: 0,5

Weather: cloudy

Transportation: 11:00 Meitetsu train from Nagoya Sta. to Inuyama Sta. (540 yen). On our return we made the 03:56 train from Zenjino Sta. (650 yen).

Number of hikers: 3

Leader: Sergio


Photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sergioinjapan/MtTsugaoHike/photo#5118526970161687490

Mt. Ibuki hike (1377m)

Event: Hiking the highest mountain in Shiga (Mt. Ibuki - 1377m)

Date: August 5th

Transportation: 7:39 JR train from Nagoya to Omi Nagaoka (1110 yen) and then a bus to the entrance of the trail (350 yen)

Hiking time: 8 hours

Rate: 2 stars

Number of hikers: 9

Leader: Sergio

More photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sergioinjapan/MtIbukiHike

Mt. Tado hike (403m)

Mt. Tado was a great hike....minded the heat wave, though. But we were compensated by a nice swimming area where we had lunch and went swimming. Visiting Tado Shrine was an interesting way to end this hike. It couldn't have been more fun. Thank you guys.

More photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sergioinjapan/MtTadoHike403m

Hike Details:
Transportation: 9.01 Kintetsu train from Nagoya to Tado (via Kuwana) 560 yen each way.
Hike Rating: 1 star
Number of hikers: 13
Leader: Sergio

"Good-bye Sara" hike (Mt. Gozaisho)

More photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sergioinjapan/GoodByeSaraHike

Event:	Hike and swim
Date:	July 22nd, 2007
Hike:	Mt. Gozaisho (1210m)
Transportation:	7.52 Meitetsu bus to Yunoyama Onsen (it takes 1 hour). The one way fare is 1,280 yen.
Hiking hours:	Around 6 hours including a swim.
Rate:	2 star
Hike Leader:	Sara (finally!)

Gorgeous Kakizore Gorge Hike

More photos at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sergioinjapan/GorgeousKakizoreGorgeHike

Hiking in Central Japan Alps

Dates: 30 June to 1 July
Hiking time: 7 hours (day 1); 5 and a half hours (day 2)
Peaks: Hokendake (2931m) and Hinokiodake (2728m), Central Japan Alps
Transportation: By car to Komagane Kogen, bus to Shirabi Daira, cable car to Senjojiki
Grade: 3 star (open to platinum members)
Number of hikers: 5
Leader: Alan
Highlights: scrambling up and down rocks, the views from the ridge when the clouds cleared, the troop of monkeys at the top of Hinokiodake, the lone kamoshika or Japanese serow (wooly goat-antelope animal), blossom and other flowers, visit to one of the town's onsens (hot springs) at the end
Lowlights: thick fog obscured our views on the second day, the hut at Kisodono sanso was not yet open (we stayed at the emergency hut near Hinokiodake instead which was very good), a bit of sunburn
Jo's photos
Sergio's photos
Justin's photos

Mirokuyama(437m) and Dojuyama(429m) hike

Today we did a short easy hike with Kasugai City Botanic Garden as the start and hiked on Tokai Nature Trail (Green-rich area included in Aichi Highland Quasi-National Park) of Mirokuyama and Dojuyama with gentle ups and downs. We enjoyed great views from the top of Mirokuyama and at the top of Dojuyama stone Buddhas with gentle smiles (???) greeted us.

Pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sergioinjapan/MirokuyamaAndDojuyamaHike

Kyogatake 2296m

Mountain: Kyogatake, Kiso Mountains (Central Alps), Nagano
Height: 2296m (we started at 950m)
Grade: 3
Hiking time: 8 hours including breaks
Number of hikers: 10
Transportation: cars (Chuo expressway to Komagane exit)
Highlights: beautiful flowers, fragrant larch trees, (when the remains of the sand from China cleared in the afternoon) we had lovely views of the alps and of Kisokomagatake.
Lowlights: Many of us were not in the best condition. Lots of blisters, aching legs and tiredness about, but we all made it up and down OK. I'm glad we brought Dr. Justin and his medical kit along!

Link to the hiking course

Jo's photos

Sergio's photos

I forgot to take a picture at the top! Did anyone else get one? Please post a comment and link to your pictures.

Magome-Tsumago hike

Magome- Tsumago-Nagiso hike Sunday 20th May

Today as the weather cooperated perfectly, 20 avid hikers (includind two little kids) decided to give the 2 important post towns in the Edo period on the Nakasendo trail a try. We started in a town called Magome (Gifu) and walked 8,0 km to Tsumago (Nagano). They really are beautiful old preserved towns. Along the way we were treated with great views from the mountains, tiny villages, rice fields, waterfalls and forests. From Tsumago we headed for Nagiso Sta. , at the end of the hike. All in all, it took us 5 hours and was a great Sunday.

Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/sergioinjapan/MagomeTsumagoNagisoHike