TNT Day 24 - boars a plenty

 9 Oct

Map 17: (hotel) toyokawa// train to toyotashi station (gear dump), bus to Asuke oiwake -> moto-yamanaka pass -> hirose castle ruins -> ippuku -> shouwa forest -> Fukamidai Danchi bus stop // bus to toyotashi station (hotel)

Overcast rain, moving to blue sky and sun

So I've decided to book a hotel for 3 nights so that I can do day walks without having to lug all my camping gear around with me. First stop today was toyotashi station where I left my unneeded gear in a locker and then caught the bus to the asuke oiwake stop which is in the town of chikaoka-cho.

The bus arrived in chikaoka-cho just before 10:30, it was forecast to rain until 11am this morning so I had delayed my start time to try and miss the majority of it.

With my raincoat on and umbrella up I set off across the river and on to the trail.

It appears that the aichi prefecture has gone the quantity over quality route with their trail signs, there would often be areas like this with multiple signs, but at junctions there were often no signs or signs that contradicted each other. They also really like to remind you not to smoke on the trail, watch for cars and don't litter -which are great as they do verify that you are still on the trail but they don't give you any route, distance or location information.

Along the river, I alternated between trail and tracks around rice fields. With the misty rain, and riparian vegetation it felt like I was hiking through a tropical rainforest (or what I imagine it would feel like). There were signs of boars (diggings/ foraging evidence) and signs about boars (sightings and swine flu) along this section. They are obviously enough of a problem to also warrant a trapping regime - I saw a number these traps throughout the day.

The trail led me through Higashioshima-cho and then up to moto-yamanaka pass, passing shrines and deadly traps (for boars/deer/macaque, and not hikers hopefully) along the way.

Through Yamanaka-cho.

Behind nanzan country club, no time on the green for me but I did obtain a free golf ball.

Cutting through Kanpachi Ranch (勘八牧場), to the sound of chickens, the smell of manure and the sight of workers hand planting in the field.

Across Shizumihira Bridge.

Via ¥100 vending machines with numerous energy drinks, including a cannabidiol (CBD) 'next generation beverage', off brand staples (I will not be purchasing the milk tea again) and diversity water.

Upto the hirose castle ruins and the hundreds of mosquitos that call it home.

Back onto trail with some nice art installations and a log book.

Found some signs of wildlife.

And finally made my way through shouwa forest park, where apparently a tiny bucket will save you from a forest fire...

But won't prevent you from being attacked by a boar.

In light of all the boar warning and fading light, I decided to walk along the adjacent road as opposed to the forest trial for the last kilometer of the day.

I finished up the day at 5:40 in Fukami-cho, and caught the bus back to Toyota for the night.

23km, highest point: 259m, elevation: +864m, -833m