by Justin Ehringhaus
Mt. Daibosatsu
Mission: Saturday, August 26, 2017 - Climb Mt. Daibosatsu (大菩薩峠)
Altitude: 2057 meters (6749 feet)
Schedule:
① Leave Kofu Station (甲府駅) at 8:00AM and arrive to Enzan Station (塩山駅) at 8:20AM.
② Leave Enzan Station at 8:30AM and arrive to trail head (大菩薩峠登山口) at 8:57AM.
③ Start hike at 9:00AM.
④ Lunch at cafe (福ちゃん荘) at 12:00PM.
⑤ Reach mountain pass (大菩薩峠), 1897 meters (6224 feet) at 1:15PM.
⑥ Debate whether to continue to the summit or not until 1:45PM.
⑦ Give up and start descending.
⑧ Stop for extremely refreshing fruit and ice shavings (千石茶屋) at 3:30PM.
⑨ Take bus from trail head (大菩薩峠登山口) back to Enzan Station (塩山駅) at 4:43PM.
⑩ Arrive back to Kofu Station (甲府駅) at 5:44PM.
Thoughts on the Trail:
Whenever asked about my hometown, I like to tell people that Maine is known for only two things: lobsters and Stephen King. But, in truth, we also have mountains. Whenever the hiking-urge arises among family or friends (which, for me personally, it never actually seems to arise), we go to Bradbury Mountain State Park to enjoy its measly altitude of 124 meters (407 feet). Within an hour the hike is over, we eat lunch on its rocky summit, we return home, we feel satisfied, and we go to bed without pain. But those days are over.
The mountains around Yamanashi Prefecture are different. They said it would be easy. They said Mt. Daibosatsu would be like climbing an ant hill compared to climbing MOUNT FUJI in all capital letters. But, for me, a simple Mainer accustomed to simple mountains, the number "2057 meters" (6749 feet) suggested a whole lot more than "ant hill." I was excited, however, to experience a real climb. After all, my lifestyle includes frequent exercise both outside on bicycle and in the gym with weights - it would be a shame not to put my physique to the test.
Summers in Japan are hot. Somehow, before every outing, whether to the local konbini or up a 2000 meter mountain, I keep within me a faint hope that perhaps it will be cool enough to avoid becoming sweaty. As usual, that hope is quick to vanish as the first beads begin to form on my body. Hiking was no exception - the humidity and the density of the surrounding foliage created the perfect environment for the formation of obbs and gobbs of sweat. It was both funny and futile; I had brought along my 100 yen sensuu (hand fan) and it was clear that other hikers who passed us gained much enjoyment in seeing me, the foreign boy, waving madly away at himself with his sensuu.
It was so stunningly beautiful, though, that the sweat no longer mattered anymore. We passed through such a variety of environments: from narrow dirt paths crowded by the surrounding foliage to open plateaus from which forest-covered mountains could be viewed as far the eye could see; from mossy and rock-covered slopes to tranquil waterfalls with water so pure that we could refresh ourselves by drinking straight from the stream; and, finally, to the mountain pass near the summit, with its long and winding trails that reminded me of the Lord of the Rings' movies with their footage of New Zealand's sprawling mountain ranges. If only I were a venturing hobbit with an ever-so-nasty ring that could also turn me invisible - then I might be able to slip into one of the mountain lodges and take a nice, long bath at an onsen.
Alas, without time to hang around much longer, we began the descent. They say that going up is harder than going down. And that's true. But by this point our legs were begging for a break, so we found ourselves stumbling and tripping down parts of the mountain whenever the steep slopes became too slopey and the protruding rocks too rocky. By the time we saw the cafe near the bottom, my coworkers and I were literally skipping joyfully to get inside and to enjoy some fruit and ice shavings. Indeed, this was perhaps one of the best meals of my life. After a strenuous hike, the simple ingredients were something to savor, and with each and every bite I felt my fatigue begin to dissipate.
That said, I was still more tired by the end of a day of hiking than I had been after a fourteen-hour flight to Japan. By the time we were on our way home and sitting in the comfort of an air conditioned train with plush seat cushions, my head began to droop for the hundredth time only to jolt back upright again. I set an alarm. Trying to keep myself awake was futile.
Some final thoughts: no matter your past experiences, and no matter your physical shape or well-being, hiking is definitely something to make part of your life and travels when coming to Yamanashi.
Whenever asked about my hometown, I like to tell people that Maine is known for only two things: lobsters and Stephen King. But, in truth, we also have mountains. Whenever the hiking-urge arises among family or friends (which, for me personally, it never actually seems to arise), we go to Bradbury Mountain State Park to enjoy its measly altitude of 124 meters (407 feet). Within an hour the hike is over, we eat lunch on its rocky summit, we return home, we feel satisfied, and we go to bed without pain. But those days are over.The mountains around Yamanashi Prefecture are different. They said it would be easy. They said Mt. Daibosatsu would be like climbing an ant hill compared to climbing MOUNT FUJI in all capital letters. But, for me, a simple Mainer accustomed to simple mountains, the number "2057 meters" (6749 feet) suggested a whole lot more than "ant hill." I was excited, however, to experience a real climb. After all, my lifestyle includes frequent exercise both outside on bicycle and in the gym with weights - it would be a shame not to put my physique to the test.
Summers in Japan are hot. Somehow, before every outing, whether to the local konbini or up a 2000 meter mountain, I keep within me a faint hope that perhaps it will be cool enough to avoid becoming sweaty. As usual, that hope is quick to vanish as the first beads begin to form on my body. Hiking was no exception - the humidity and the density of the surrounding foliage created the perfect environment for the formation of obbs and gobbs of sweat. It was both funny and futile; I had brought along my 100 yen sensuu (hand fan) and it was clear that other hikers who passed us gained much enjoyment in seeing me, the foreign boy, waving madly away at himself with his sensuu.
It was so stunningly beautiful, though, that the sweat no longer mattered anymore. We passed through such a variety of environments: from narrow dirt paths crowded by the surrounding foliage to open plateaus from which forest-covered mountains could be viewed as far the eye could see; from mossy and rock-covered slopes to tranquil waterfalls with water so pure that we could refresh ourselves by drinking straight from the stream; and, finally, to the mountain pass near the summit, with its long and winding trails that reminded me of the Lord of the Rings' movies with their footage of New Zealand's sprawling mountain ranges. If only I were a venturing hobbit with an ever-so-nasty ring that could also turn me invisible - then I might be able to slip into one of the mountain lodges and take a nice, long bath at an onsen.
Alas, without time to hang around much longer, we began the descent. They say that going up is harder than going down. And that's true. But by this point our legs were begging for a break, so we found ourselves stumbling and tripping down parts of the mountain whenever the steep slopes became too slopey and the protruding rocks too rocky. By the time we saw the cafe near the bottom, my coworkers and I were literally skipping joyfully to get inside and to enjoy some fruit and ice shavings. Indeed, this was perhaps one of the best meals of my life. After a strenuous hike, the simple ingredients were something to savor, and with each and every bite I felt my fatigue begin to dissipate.
That said, I was still more tired by the end of a day of hiking than I had been after a fourteen-hour flight to Japan. By the time we were on our way home and sitting in the comfort of an air conditioned train with plush seat cushions, my head began to droop for the hundredth time only to jolt back upright again. I set an alarm. Trying to keep myself awake was futile.
Some final thoughts: no matter your past experiences, and no matter your physical shape or well-being, hiking is definitely something to make part of your life and travels when coming to Yamanashi.
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