TNT Day 25 - a big day

 10 Oct

Map 17 & 18: (hotel) Toyota // bus to sanage shrine -> oiwa viewpoint -> Mt sanage -> unko-ji -> iwasu-yama -> yamaboshi -> takane-yama -> jokuji station //train to Toyota (hotel)

I had set myself the task of 30km and four small mountains today, I didn't know if I would make it but backup plans included a bus from Seto or road walking sections.

To go along with today's big distance, there were big shrines, big rocks, big trees, big water wheels, big cairns, big electricity towers, big washouts, big rice fields and lots of BIG views.

For warning this post is photo heavy because it was a beautiful bit of trail. I think the trail from sanage shrine up mt sanage and down to unko-ji temple is one of my favourites so far - the trail was wonderfully maintained, the signage was abundant, and the views were magnificent and to top it all off the weather was perfect, the other hikers were friendly and my pack was light.

I started off the day by catching the bus to sanage shrine, unfortunately the first bus only got in at 7:50, which did only give my 10hrs of daylight to complete my 30km.

Sanage shrine is a large complex of both Shinto and Buddhist faiths, with additional shrines and temples dotted up the mountain behind it. This shrine has been around since atleast the 9th century when it started to appear in records and once flourished as a regional center of learning and commerce as well as religion. It's prominence declined in the edo period due to lack of funds and then the loss of many of its buildings to fire and declined further during the government-ordered separation of Shinto and Buddhism shortly after the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

The ema tablets at sanage shrine are shaped like a left-handed scythe in reference to Prince Ousu, the shrine’s main deity, who was unsurprisingly left-handed.

Leaving the shrine, I started the 30min road walk to the trail head at the gomonsugi ceder. There are lots of trails all over this mountain and there are alternate routes that don't require road walking if you fancy it.

The trail was relatively easy due to the quality of the track, although there were still large sections of stairs and 500m of elevation gain. Mt Sanage is described as nogoya's playground as many residents (particularly seniors) will come out to hike the safe paths on the mountain, I saw many days hikers and trail runners on my way up to the peak and down to unko-ji temple.

It appears that some people hike the mountain multiple times, or in the case of Mr Gosan 633 times and counting!

Up the trail I went, soon I came to this sign for the oiwa viewpoint, and it did not disappoint! (I am very thankful I chose a nice sunny clear day to do this hike, made the views exceptional)

Onwards still, the path leads you to Higashinomiya, the eastern shrine. It has some big trees, a lovely courtyard and a 'may peace prevail on earth' sign, if you care to remember I first saw one of these back on day 9 at koyodai observatory in yamanashi prefecture and they have been popping up periodically since.

I came across my neighbor Totoro,

A forest amphitheatre,

And rock cairns,

Before being treated by more spectacular views at the peak of Mt sanage.

There were a number of interesting things dotted around the peak rest area, including this board with names and summiting times (I think), and some cute monkeys just hanging about.

There are a number of trails down from the peak to unko-ji temple, a lady explained to me that the Tokai nature trail is one of the longer routes and pointed out the shortcut that she was going to use. I ended up walking along the Tokai nature trail to the next two view points and then took a trail down to the toilet block instead of walking the longer Tokai trail loop.

I walked the green track, but the purple track is the other shortcut down from the summit.

I rejoined the Tokai nature trail at the toilet block (most of the trail toilets blocks in this area are the same design; 3 stalls, a urinal, no running water, no outside doors, but room for a 1 person tent inside if the need arose), and then continued down to unko-ji temple.

I met the lady who told me about the shortcut again at the temple rest area, and we chatted a bit about the mountain, trails and Tokai nature trail. She was from Nagoya and regularly comes out to walk the mountain, today she was walking from the Mt sanage shrine carpark up to the peak, down to unko-ji and then returning along the same path.

The trail behind the temple did have an orange safety cone and maybe something about a closure written on it but I chose to carry on. Around 3km later I hit the road collapse that the closure mentioned but it was very easily walked across, there was also some active logging activity on the otherside but again I was able to pass by easily.

The next mountain of the day was iwasu-yama. The trail takes you past a a big rock with a shrine underneath it before continuing up past more boulders, many of which had been secured with metal netting to prevent movement.

Uh-oh someone made a mistake.

As I approached the viewpoint just south of the summit I started to hear voices, and us I came to the top I was met with 4 men with radio equipment, busily talking and transcribing what they were hearing. I am unsure whether they were doing this as a hobby or their job or if they were listening to broadcasts specifically for them or if they were ears-dropping.

At 2:30 I came to this sign, not really what I wanted to see as it meant that I would only reach jokoji at 8pm - which was a little later than I had hoped. So for the next couple of hours I tightened my laces and power walked (it was very nearly a slow jog in places) my way through

Kamihadagawa-cho,

Miyazaki pass,

Yamabashi,

And Ogawa pass.

It was 5:30 when I got to Ogawa pass, and the sun was slowly but surely starting to set, but luckily my power walking had paid off as it was only 4km to jokoji station. I set my pack down to grab my head torch just in case, only to discover that I had not packed it. This made the last bit of trail between Ogawa pass and takane-yama a little difficult but luckily the trial was reasonably well kept. I decided to road walk down to the station from takane-yama, the trail does run pretty much parallel to the road for this section anyway.

I used the light of the moon to guide me to jokoji park - which I think is a nice park with a big lake and picnic areas, but I can't tell you for certain.

I made it to jokoji station just in time to catch the 6:40 train. 

So I was able to complete my alloted 30km today and in 10.5 hours too, but unfortunately based on how sore my knees and calf muscles are I think it may have cost me tomorrows walk, which was another 30km with similar elevation gain/loss. I think if the elevation gain was less, then 30km would not be a problem but with over 1500m of up and 1500m of down today it may have proven just a little too much for me - but I guess on the bright side I know my limits now and also know that while I can get 30km done, I think 15-23km is better for me as it allows me to be more comfortable and I can also spend time at scenic spots along the way instead of racing through.

I have chosen not to set an alarm for tomorrow and if I am awake and feeling good then I may attempt the next 30km and if not I might finally have a rest day that actually consists of me resting instead of visiting museums/gardens/landmarks and doing 25000 steps.

31km, highest point: 631m, elevation: +1516m -1570m. (Skipped 1.8km of road between Fukamidai Danchi bus stop and sanage shrine, and cut 500m by taking a shortcut while ascending Mt sanage.)