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

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

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.