Train to NagoyaI needed to get out from my apartment sometimes and decided to head to Mt. Gozaisho for the second time to wrap up the summer.
I woke up at 4:00am, stretched my body but it was sluggish because of the heavy drinking last night with a friend who was visiting Nagoya. I walked out from the apartment after finish packing, and had only two minutes before the train I need to catch comes in to the platform. In a rush, I made it and got on the car.
I found there is no "usual guy" who kept saying something bad about Nagoya onboard today. I just watched outside looking at the sky toward east is getting bright. The train moved quietly, making stop at every station.
Train to Nagoya
Sky is getting
brighter
After arriving at Nagoya, I walked toward south side of the platform so I can use a gate for direct connection to Kintetsu line. It was easy to find and I walked passed the gate with my IC pass. One touch at the gate will do both paying fare for JR and checking in for Kintetsu at once. From there, I waited for the rapid train to come in to the platform.
The train came in on time. I took a seat and it left Nagoya on time and began moving toward Yokkaichi. I picked the car which is less air-conditioned. This train usually carry very less people, and today is no different. I was watching the outside and when the train was crossing the river, it was simply calm and projecting near mirror image to the surface. The train made several stops while moving quietly before arriving at Yokkaichi.
Train to
Yokkaichi coming into the platform in Nagoya
The surface of the
river looks calm.
After getting off the train, I rushed to the next platform to make a connection. The next one is about 30 minutes later.
This local train is not crowded as usual. It was moving slowly and giving me comfort. The train left Yokkaichi, making a sharp left turn toward west and soon the outside is less buildings and more farmland I can see. Usually I take the first car right behind the driver's section so I can hear the driver calling out. I was looking out the window, seeing the field in gold color; rice nearing the harvesting. The train reached the destination with no problem.
Train to
Yunoyama Onsen
Rice field
turned to gold color.
After getting off from the train, I looked around see if anyone is going to Mt. Gozaisho, but this time, none of them are going so I picked up a taxi and headed to a former bus stop by self.
The trail
always starts here.
After arriving at the rotary, I paid the money and got off from the taxi. I began walking up the paved road to get to the trailhead of the center trail. I picked this route today since I have been using the back trail many times for going up and used the center trail only for descending. The back trail is much easier because it was consistently on rocky path to the near summit, so it did not give me much of feeling that I am working hard to get to the top.
I was listening to the sounds of water streaming down the river as I was making my way up. Due to the rain in past a few days, the amount of stream is more than usual. Found a sign for shortcut and I walked up to the place under a bridge, walking up stairs and now I am at the trailhead.
River running by the road
Arrived at the starting point at 7:40am and began my ascent. There are many parties going up today and some are nearly 20 people. Since I am climbing by myself, I was going up much faster than them. I took breaks a few times on my way. The sky is clearing and I can see the surroundings.
At the trail
head 7:40am
I reached the 4th point at 8:03am, there are big rocks one leaning on to the other one, I tried to take a picture but did not quite fit, but if I go up a bit higher, there is a nice spot.
Oware Iwa (Piggybacked Rock) 8:05am
Ropeway not running yet 8:08am
I continued my path toward the top, reaching the 6th at 8:24am, 7th at 8:42am and 8th at 9:00am. The view from there was nice so I decided to take a break. I can see the foot of the mountain, as well as mountains to the north. I continued after a short break.
Mountain view
Looking down where I came from
The remaining part is a tough one, I have to use ropes to get up, so it was a good exercise, I finally made it to the paved section near the summit area. I can look back where I came, and makes my feel good.
9:21am, reaching near summit.
Center Trail
The remaining is the same as usual. I walked on a paved road down to Kamoshika center, then going up the hill to the summit. I never enjoy this part because the hill is steep. I made it to the top and walked to the summit marker to take a picture at 9:40am.
Reaching the
summit at 9:40am
After reaching the summit, I let myself eat early lunch. There were many people walking around, and now dragonflies are all over the place. Considering the chilly air, I can feel the fall coming now. Since I am going to the record, I need to start going down soon.
Back trail coming
down
I began my decent from 10:09am. If I go smoothly, maybe I can go home one hour earlier than the last time. I came down the hill while enjoying a nice view. I think I was able to see Mt. Ontake in a distance. I wish the weather is much nicer. I walked back to the lodge and located the starting point of the back trail.
Mt. Ontake in a distance?!
Looking at the lodge
Moving down the narrow path while giving room to people coming up. It was much harder to stop because of the loose ground. In addition, the rain fell this week made the water was slightly running higher so I had to be careful how I move around when I am crossing streams.
Stream is
more than usual days, due to recent rain
There are more and mroe people coming up, some are old, and some are young. I passed the Kunimi pass at 10:38am, then kept going down. I did not realize that the trail is consisted of long running of rocky path. Coming down was much harder that imagined.
Kunimi Pass
10:38am
10:55am looking up the all the rocks came down.
11:07am,
keep coming down. The path is harder for me to come down than going up
11:11am more rocks I can see
11:24am I can see people challenging the big rock.
Finally get to more flat place with soil to walk on. I was passed by a guy is moving much faster because he was using trail poles.
12:00pm, moving
in a trail
Now I walked pass the mountain lodge, and camping ground, the scenery became more familiar one. I tried to cross a small stream by hopping over a rock but my trekking shoes did not give me the grip I needed and I scraped up my leg although it was from over the jeans pants. Not my day, and I need to consider changing to a better shoes. Watching people practicing the climbing on smaller rocks, and going under the steel structure protecting us from gorges around noon.
12:09pm I see
people practicing rock climbing.
12:09pm Blocking
structure
Now I am on the final leg of the trail. Coming down near a bridge, walking in a hurry to make it back to the hot spring village area. When I see the ropeway cars running in front of me, now I know I am very close to the finish.
12:24pm,
watching the stream down.
12:30pm Near the base
so I can see ropeway car upclose, and hotels on the back
12:34pm. Reached the
trailhead for the backtrail.
After coming down to the foot of the mountain, I walked a short distance toward ropeway station so I can catch a bus. There was about 15 minutes before the next one, so I had some time today to look around, and walked into Mont-Bell shop to buy a bell to signal bears my presence. I just had enough time and the bus was already there when I stepped out from the store.
12:37pm Ropeway
station at the base, and MontBell store.
Bus has arrive 12:47pm
I was still sweating so I did not take a seat, There were not many people inside when the bus left at 12:49pm, a father and son conversation going on in front of me as I was watching the outside as the bus coming down from the mountain. I got off at a bus stop and walked to the Green Hotel again for hot spa. I paid \700, and get to refresh myself. The area I scraped when I misstepped over a river didn't give me much of trouble. After putting on a new cloth, I walked to gift shop to buy some snacks before walking out from the hotel at 1:35pm. I walked a short distance from here to the train station. Let's see which train I can catch.
1:29pm, got myself
refreshed
1:36pm at
Green Hotel
After coming back to the station, I checked the timetable, indicating that I can catch a train leaving here at 2:00pm. I bought a drink from a vending machine and was relaxing. There is not much thing I can do.
Returning
train to Yokkaichi.
I got on the train and took a seat, waiting for the departing time to come..Looking back today, it was another good hike to the Mt. Gozaisho today. The train left the station on time, it was another regular ride under sunny sky. It started out with a few people in a car, watching rice fields and other open spaces from the windows. At each stop, more passengers come in, somehow I always see people wearing yukata wear every time I take this train. Those young people have something fun to do on the weekend apart from hiking up mountains like me. It was a comfortable ride to Yokkaichi. The surroundings get more populated and the track is being elevated, and making a hard right before reaching the destination. It's time to head back to Nagoya.
Train bound
to Nagoya.
As soon as I arrive at Yokkaichi station, I walked down the stairs in hurry to switch the platform. This is very much the same situation as in the morning. The train to Nagoya came in as soon as I walked up to the platform. I had just enough time to snap a picture before getting on. Inside the car, it was fairly packed but found a space for me to take a seat. The train moved under sunny sky, and I can see the mountains in a distance under haze. The train gets more people as it moves toward Nagoya and becomes full now. The surrounding changes from open space to more buildings. Soon I can see the buildings in Nagoya station area then the train went underground to the terminal.
Using the underground connection gate to JR, I walked straight to the JR platform to catch a train. There is one train leaving soon as I arrived so I jumped in and took a seat. A train around this time of the day is actually quiet and very less people. It was a calm 20 minutes until I walked out from the train at Kachigawa. I walked home and took my afternoon easy.
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