Johinestu Kogen

After Jo left Japan I went on a tramp and camped all alone. I put up the tent and cooked a meal that would have done two to four people. I ate it all despite feeling a bit lonely.

As usual a whole lot of planning with many phone calls to organise the hike; without the aid of my Japanese friends (I’ve got about two), it would be very difficult.

This was on a high plateau rising with the high peaks about 2500m. The bus stop was at 1973m so there wasn’t so much climbing to do, however with I hadn’t packed the night before because there was yet another work gathering, any excuse does this lot to get onto the beer. It was still a big one, despite my guide book stating it was `not so hard`.

From Fujisawa 5.30am to Tokyo. The bullet train from Tokyo then by bus to the top, I arrived at 10 am. But I will do anything to see an active volcano! Asamayama is actually three on top of each other, there have been 71 eruptions recorded, some nothing but gaseous explosions, others such as in 1783 when 1600 people in the villages below were killed.

I went up in the sunshine in the bus however by the time I got there and started hiking the cloud was enough to stop good views so I was a bit disappointed though not in cloud myself it was a coming and going above and below. Its good training I told myself trying to stay positive but by the 6th hour walking along the ridge reading about the fantastic views in my guide book I`d had it At this stage I had come off my high point for the day at 2212m down to a place for wildflower lovers to go. With two cars in the car park I was lucky to get a ride with one of those parties in a van to the camp site saving a further 1 hour 40 minute walk to the camp site, yay.

Low and behold if the cloud didn’t clear the next morning! So I headed backwards, hitching a ride back up the mountain for fear of it clagging in again if it took too long to walk. I got a ride at 7.30am with a guy who worked at the wildflowers place at the car park. He kept saying “What is your name?” the only words of English he knew. Japan is safe hitching, another bonus.

Retracing my steps from the day before what a beautiful surprise, I saw all I had missed; to the Japanese Alps, still with a smattering of snow, Mt. Fuji, the Minami Alps. Chichibu, the Kita Alps and my smoldering mountain, a perfect volcano shape. Couldn’t believe my luck because just as I started back down toward the bus stop (on the way I indulged in a hot spring bath in a hotel that was beautiful and well deserved) the cloud did start to roll in and by the time I was off the mountain it was clagged in. I felt sorry for those just setting off. Mind you, no doubt they had just enjoyed an evening in a hot springs hotel eating and drinking, bathing and enjoying a long breakfast, why can’t I be like them?