We returned to Japan for the 2nd time, as we previously explored southern Japan with my cousins in Section 5 over 2 months ago. The first trip included Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki. Similar to that trip, this one felt like a home coming because we were meeting up with family again.
To get around in Tokyo, we got an unlimited Tokyo Subway tourist pass for 1-3 days ($7-$14), which allowed us to ride all around the city.
The Tokyo Subway is massive and easy to use just don't get on the wrong train - know your platforms and directions!
Tokyo
After arriving at Narita International Airport, we had to figure out a way to get into the city. If you know anything about Tokyo, airport transportation can be expensive and can take a long time. We looked at different options like taking a train, catching a taxi, or grabbing a ride on Grab, all of which were very pricey. In the end, we settled on the Airport Limousine Bus, which offered discounts when buying multiple tickets or when buying them after 7 pm. We ended up paying $36 per person for a roundtrip ticket, which still ended up being cheaper than the alternatives.
The bus dropped us off at the ANA Intercontinental Tokyo, where we met a large group of our US relatives and friends.
Tokyo is a vast city with a lot to offer and we wanted to see as much as we could, so we set off in the night in search of an iconic intersection Shibuya crossing. As a civil engineer, I was fascinated to see hundreds if not thousands of people crossing the street in every which way all at once. The streets were lit up by many neon signs – a staple of Tokyo.
A short subway ride away was the Shinjuku night districts, known for its bars and pubs. The old Tokyo bars can only fit up to 6 or so people, but offer a variety of drinks such as sake, beer, and Japanese whiskey. We stumbled on one and had to wait outside for the last group to finish their drinks before we could physically fit in.
By daylight Yoyogi park and Meiji Jingu shrine (right near Shinjuku) are well worth the visit for a touch of nature and an iconic walk to a traditional Shinto Shrine.
Near Yoyogi Park are some sights worth seeing including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building which offers a free observatory with spectacular views of the city. While looking down, you may see a famous monster of Japan looming over the buildings – Godzilla...
Although the monster may not be terrorizing the city, it has a large presence hovering over the skyscrapers on the nearby Toho Building.
Tohoku Region
After Tokyo, we set off to the Tohoku region, with Sendai being the first stop. In Sendai, there was an amazing gorge and a spectacular waterfall Akiu (free). Continuing north, we passed by many towns, all of which had their own special onsen’s (Japanese hot springs or baths) one of our favorites being the quaint town of Ginzan Onsen.
Eventually, we made it to the Yokote Plaza hotel where we finally got a chance to experience an onsen for the first time. We learned that women and men go to separate facilities because no clothes is permitted when entering a bath. That is a long-standing tradition and let’s just say we were content following it.
While north, we visited the oldest samurai town in Japan - Kakunodate. The town is peaceful and well-preserved. In the middle is a long street with black gates. Each gate marks an entrance to an estate formerly owned by samurais and their families. We opted for Aoyagi Samurai home and museum which was well worth the $5 to see.
Near Kakunodate is an amazing Dakigaeri Gorge (free) that you can hike to in under 30 minutes. The path winds alongside a river, through tunnels in the mountains, and over a manmade bridge. Interestingly, the path ends with a view of an enchanting waterfall, but you won’t know about it or hear it until you exit the last tunnel – that's how acoustics works there.
Our next stop was a Catholic pilgrimage west of Akita. Our Lady of Akita is the site of a convent where an apparition of Mary first appeared in 1973. They also had 14 stations of the cross in the nearby garden that we had a chance to walk.
In the town of Akita itself, we stayed at the Dormy Inn which offered another onsen and an evening ramen. Nearby the hotel was Senshu City Park - an amazing vertical park with many levels and terraces and home to the former Akita Castle ruins. The perfect place for a sunset view.
Also in Akita, we had dinner at an amazing little restaurant called Soup Holic, which was perfect for all of us. Their menu was eclectic and included modern as well as traditional Japanese meals, most of which were vegetarian or vegan.
The next day, our drive south along the west coast of Japan revealed spectacular views of the ocean and beaches. Eventually, we arrived at Tsuruoka City where we visited the Zenpoji Buddhist Temple - a Buddhist site for over thousand years.
Dewa Sanzan
Tsuruoka is home of Dewa Sanzan, which represents a local folk religion called Shugendo - a mix of Buddhist and Shinto beliefs. The religion centers around the three stages of life - birth, death, and rebirth, each of which are symbolized by the three Shugendo shrines: The first one on Mount Haguro (birth), the second one on Mount Gassan (death), and the third one on Mount Yudono (rebirth).
We were there to make the three pilgrimages and hike the Dewa Sanzan.
Mt Haguro
We began our journey with Mount Haguro. The path to the peak of the mountain goes by an amazing five-storied pagoda, which marks the start of a 2,446-step ascent. It is considered the shortest of the three and only takes about an hour. However, the hike is not easy by any stretch of imagination. The steps are steep and narrow and seem never-ending. At the peak was the Haguro-san shrine, the beauty of which made the strenuous hike well worth it.
Afterward, we had to say goodbye to half of our group who headed to Seoul, South Korea, before returning home. The rest of us settled in for the night at the APA Hotel Yamagata in quiet anticipation for the next day and the next peak, Mount Gassan.
Mt Gassan
We woke up early the next morning and prepared for a 6-hour hike. We went over the checklist: Water bottles filled, snacks packed, cell phones fully charged, sunscreen applied. The feelings were reminiscent of preparing for a 10k race. We were collecting ourselves mentally and physically.
The plan was easy: Julia would drive us to the 8th Station for Mt Gassan, drop us off, and meet us 6 hours later at the Mount Yudono parking lot (a 1-hour drive). However, as we quickly realized the plan would not be that simple.
First, Julia couldn’t drop us off at the 8th station, simply because the road was blocked off by a heavy chain and a lock. This was 6 miles away from the station, which would ultimately add another 2.5 hours to the hike.
We got out of the car and debated what to do. As we were contemplating our choices, we saw bike tracks and footsteps on a small trail around the road block. So, we decided to attempt the hike, building in an extra 2.5-hour cushion to the original plan. It was 9:30 am.
Second, about two thirds of the way up the hill, uncle Vince decided it was best for him to turn around and meet us at the end. Luckily, Julia was still at the drop off location. The time was 11:15 am.
Third, none of us had working cell phones and therefore no means of communicating with one another. So, each of our two groups had to make assumptions about the actions of the other group and hopefully stick to the plan. We would finish the hike and Julia and uncle Vince would pick us up in the specified location at the Yudono Shrine.
So, we continued. On the way up, we got passed by a few motorcyclists reassuring us that the trail was open. Shortly after, we saw a parking lot with a few more bikes parked, a rest station, and a plaque marking the beginning of Mount Gassan and Yudono section of Dewa Sanzan, we had reached the 8th station just before noon. The views were spectacular. We could see the top of Mount Gassan off in the distance surrounded by snowcapped mountain chains all around.
We had our first snack and a water break before finally beginning the actual hike to Mount Gassan. Aaron and I journeyed up through a mix of stone paths and wooden planks leading us up and up. We continued on the planks as we entered the first true snow section and were surprised as the path just disappeared up ahead under the snow. We had a map of the area downloaded but were still unsure of the exact route until we could see some footsteps. And so we followed the footsteps leading us to a stone path further up reassuring us we were going the right way. These footsteps became are guide as we climbed further and further with more sections of trail being covered by snow. We finally made it to the first post, a hut, after 1.5 hours, meaning another 1 hour of hiking until the peak of Mount Gassan.
We continued and trekked for nearly an hour when we hit a section where the snow went up at a steep angle. We attempted to climb only to slide back down. Our shoes were slipping and we needed more support. We looked around on the ground for sharp rocks to cut into the snow. We found some that fit the mark and carried on. Upon reaching the flatter section we could see 3 people in the distance with colorful jackets on.
We approached them and learned that they were snowboarders from the nearby ski resort. They asked us where we came from and we said the 8th Station from Mount Gassan and they gasped. They said that the season is still closed due to melting snow. The paths are dangerous and should not be attempted on foot. They were surprised we made it to the top of Mount Gassan from that direction.
We had made it and the views at the peak were breathtaking. The land and mountains were stretching as far as eyes could see. A top the mountain sat the shrine of Mount Gassan more modest then Haguro, but just as peaceful.
I guess we conquered the mountain of death as the time neared 2:30 pm, but it was time for the cross-peak hike over to Mount Yudono - the pilgrimage of rebirth. We started down the other side of Gassan on a stone path, which quickly dead-ended in a slope of snow. We started seeing more people here as we could see the ski resort lifts in the distance and some people were hiking up higher for a longer ski run. Watching people ski down as we struggled on foot, convinced us it was time to ski ourselves.
Instead of walking we kind of ran/slid down and it seemed to work, with the occasional wipe out but it was faster. We trekked across the snow closer to the ski resort area to the left, but we could see the Yudono Shrine gate far off in the distance to the right. We were at the final crossroads and had to decide to keep going to Yudono Shrine, where we were supposed to be picked up. The time was now 3:30 pm.
Mt Yudono
At first the trail picked up again on a stone path, but after a few small snow patches, we hit an almost vertical ice wall that we had to cross. So again, we gathered up the best stones we could and picked away on the ice, climbing sideways. Only this time we could not get as good a footing as last time with the sharper angle. We both slipped a few times. The only thing stopping us from sliding down 500 plus feet into the rocky bushes below was digging our rocks into the icy snow.
We made it through that section and realized at that point there was no turning back. We had to make it to Yudono. The skiers had now disappeared and we were on our own. We ventured down more snow, sliding and being careful with drop-offs to lower rivers around a few turns. Overtime, after winding through snow, rivers, and rock we saw an outpost. This was the final stop at the base of Mount Yudono. Mount Yudono itself has no hiking trails, but Yudono Shrine was situated at the base of the mountain and we had to continue our descent the time was now 4:30 pm.
The trail picked back up again and led into the forest where we found old rusted ladders bolted into the ground leading down. We climbed down one by one for hundreds of feet. Once we reached the bottom of the ladders, we faced a steep dirt decline with a dangling rope to descend.
After the rope section, we could see the river and a dam off in the distance below and across the river and further away Yudono Shrine. We were getting close. But the trail ended again, and we faced a very steep slope. We could run/slide down, but the problem was it was steeper and the path where we needed to go was at an angle. So, we had to do our best to climb sideways and slide down at an angle to continue on the “path”. At this point the only markers left for the trail were pink ribbons tied around an occasional tree.
After we got to the bottom of the hill, we walked over to the tree with the pink ribbon looking for the path, but the only path was a rushing river going down a section of rocks and rapids. We looked everywhere for the next ribbon until we spotted one about 100 feet down the stream. We had no choice but to follow the river in ankle deep rushing water, holding onto tree branches and bigger rocks for balance and footing. Drenched and cold, we finally found the “path”. It was some wooden boards floating brokenly in the water. We quickly realized that the creek was only there because of snow melting, causing the rapids, which would normally be dry in July and August once the snow finished melting. We finished the downward section close to 5:20 pm.
We could see the dam again this time much closer, but the trail was nowhere to be seen, so we hiked along the creek’s edge. We could finally see the last bridge and the entrance to the shrine. The only problem was the path on our side was covered in ice and snow and we could not reach the bridge. This was not a creek, but a massive river funneled out from the dam and we needed to be on the other side. Somehow, we crossed it safely and were ‘reborn.’
We made it to Yudono Shrine at 5:45 pm. We thought that we made great time, all things considering. Hoping to see Julia and uncle Vince, we looked everywhere around the shrine only to find it completely empty. We hiked the trail out to the parking lot and the massive gate symbolizing the end of Dewa Sanza.
Upon hiking down the road, we got to the front gate and sure enough it was closed, similar to the other side of Mount Gassan. We still didn’t see our ride. We hoped the road was blocked further down at the highway and that they would be waiting there. So, we hiked down another 4 miles to the highway only to find it vacant, it was now 6:15 pm and the sun was setting.
At this point we did not know what to do. Since neither of us had cellular service, we had to go somewhere to find Wi-Fi to try to message them on WhatsApp. The problem was we were in the middle of nowhere next to a highway with no stops or places nearby.
We walked down the highway towards Tsurouka trying to catch a ride. We tried flagging drivers down, sticking our thumb out, waving both hands, holding up our phone, yelling help to no avail for 30 minutes. Finally, a gentleman pulled over and tried to ask what was wrong. We pointed towards our phones and towards his car and asked for a ride to a gas station or 7-11. He seemed to understand and gratefully let us into his vehicle. He then called a friend of his who spoke English and we were able to detail our problem.
He told us that the nearest Wi-Fi location was 30-40 minutes away. Thankfully, he had a Wi-Fi hotspot and allowed us to connect to it. We checked WhatsApp and saw 4 missed calls from Julia along with frantic messages from friends and families. We tried to call them but could not get through. We just wanted to let them know we were safe and heading to the city.
Finally, Julia got through to us. We explained where we were and what happened, and she told us that the police were looking for us. She told us to get out of the car and stay where we were because the police would come get us.
We thanked the man for a ride, got out of the car, and just waited. We were picturing an imminent arrest, tasers, cuffs, and a night in jail. As our imaginations went wild the police arrived and we held out our hands ready for the worst. The police officers smiled and waved us over. They asked if we were safe and that our family was waiting at the police station. We got a ride in the back of the Japanese police car to the main station, where Julia and uncle Vince were restlessly awaiting us.
Upon arriving, the officers scanned our passports and let us go. They were all just amazed that we made it down Yudono trail as it surely was impossible at this time of the year before the snow had melted.
Later, Julia and uncle Vince explained to us that they did make it to the specified pick up spot at the Yudono Shrine at 5:30, but were told by every park ranger and worker that the hike was blocked and impossible to complete and that we likely turned around and went back to the original drop off spot at the 8th station of Mount Gassan. So, together with a park ranger, they drove back an hour to the drop off location to find no one there. At that time, the situation was becoming alarming and they called the police.
And that’s the story of how we conquered the mountains of birth, death, and rebirth – the Dewa Sanzan. It was a wild day of hitchhiking and rides in the back of a Japanese police car but one we’ll never forget. Thanks Japan and everyone we met. Arigato.
No comments:
Post a Comment