Icons of Koyasan , part of the Kumano Kodo mountain forest temple trails on Japan ' s Kii Peninsula . Reverence and respect play huge roles in Japanese culture .
Narita Temple , Tokyo . From city centres to mountain tops , inscribed rocks in natural or garden settings are a common sight .
The summit crater formed during some of Yake-dake ' s most recent eruptions . severe , trails can be remote , and most routes – even close to towns – have bear warnings .
Japan ’ s biggest volcano and most sacred summit is 3,776m Mount Fuji , but the season has just ended . The best alternative is a view from Fuji Five Lakes area , where
Helpful books
Anyone trekking widely in Honshu ’ s mountains should consult Cicerone ’ s excellent The Japan Alps and Mount Fuji guide . For our own trip , Lonely Planet ’ s Japan guide proved invaluable . LP ’ s Best Day Walks Japan was also great for ideas , although its detailed route descriptions need supplementing on the ground .
Kawaguchi ’ s helpful tourist officials provide a map pointing us towards our final summit on Mitsu-toge-yama (‘ mountain of the three peaks ’) in the Misaga range , overlooking Lake Kawaguchi .
The Mount Fuji Panoramic Ropeway brings visitors to the Fuji Viewing Platform , but few make the six-hour return trek to the highest peak , Kaiun San ( 1,785m ). One who does today is a local gentleman ( in the true sense ) who , despite the language barrier , invites us along – helpful when the directional signs are in Japanese only . The route undulates through atmospheric forest above plunging inclines , sometimes along the apex of the volcanic ridge . The summit ’ s communications tower is not the prettiest , but Fuji makes for a majestic horizon , and savouring it with our friend is special .
These simple mountain days barely scratch the surface of Japan ’ s walking potential . With four more months to spare we could have tackled Kumano Kodo ’ s vast ,
ancient network of spiritual mountain trails in Kansai , or Shikoku ’ s more remote 60-day circuit of Buddhist temples – first guidebook dated 1685 !
Japan left me feeling that the mountainous terrain , comprising over 70 % of its land , offers a greater combination of natural beauty , raw excitement , cultural interest , convenience , accessibility , and modest affability than anywhere I have travelled . Its cities and towns – clean , well-ordered , full of interest , and often surprisingly good value – also proved best explored on foot . Even here , the spiritual cultural connection with nature is manifest , for example in perfectly created Japanese gardens in the tightest and tiniest of spaces .
This trip confirmed how inadequate my pre-trip preconceptions were . Travelling – above all , the slow travel of walking – changes perspectives , enabling you , in Wordsworth ’ s phrase , ‘ to see into the life of things ’, recognising a destination for what it is , not for what you believe it to be . That must be one step , at least , on the path to enlightenment . ⛰
16 outdoor focus / summer 2024