Japan Alps Omote Ginza &　Ura　Ginza 1st day

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7th Oct 2014

Start from Nakabusa (1462m) 12:15 - Enzanso ( 2704 m) 17:00 Actually we ( not me! ) are very slow. 

This is the first time for my friend ( Japanese / he is my partner and I will call him " pet" in this trip report) to go the mountains in Japan. I have brought him to Europe alps many times. So he understood the mountain life in Europe. I was wondering what he thought about the mountain trip in Japan.

First day is relatively easy compare to other dates. However, we have not yet accustomed to walk in mountains and takes time to going up. Especially today's route is all climbing up. So it seems that it is very hard starting up for him.


After getting off the bus from hotaka JR station, we found out that Nakafusa Onsen ( hot spring ) serve the lunch at the starting point. So my friend ate curry rice and I ate my lunch box. Actually I have passed Nakafusa Onsen at least 20 times, however, this is first time for me to know Nakafusa onsen serve lunch ! In addition, Nakafusa Onsen serve very nice hot spring too. Highly recommended to go Nakafusa Onsen after the walking. ( This time we walk through to another Onsen / Hot spring. So unfortunately we have no chance to enjoy Nakafusa Onsen. )




We can see nice autumn colors below 2000 m area. Last year I enjoyed just the very nice colors at 2500 m area which is the best altitude to enjoy autumn colors at Northern Japan Alps. ( 3rd Oct - 10th Oct 2014 is the best autumn colors in Japan  last year ) I planned to enjoy this year too. However it is a little late this year. It seems that end of September is the best period for  this year. The best period is different every year. Currently I am living at UK. So I have to guess and book my holiday and Flight at least one month before. However! My guess was not so correct this year. But never mind I can enjoy another nice weather and another altitude of  autumn colors !

This route from Nakabusa to Enzanso looks very steep, however, the route has been nicely kept for mountaineer by mountain hut ( Enzanso ) and it is easy to walk up. Of course, it is climbing up more than 1200m and it will make you tired. Especially my pet seems very tired because he has not climbing up more than 1 year.

We can enjoy brake every 30 min at bench.

This is 1st bench.






This is 2nd Bench.



This is Fujimi Bench.  You can see Mt. Fuji only if weather is nice.  Unfortunately we cannot see this time.





After fujimi Bench you will arrive  Kassen Koya. You cannot stay overnight here. However you can enjoy drinks, snacks, noodle.  You can enjoy very nice sweet water melon only in summer time.  My pet enjoyed cup noodle which is very popular instant noodle in Japan.


It takes approx 1 hour from Kassen Koya to Enzanso ! Finally arrived. ( This photo is not this year but last year photo. It seems I forgot to take Enzanso's photo this year. )





I had worked Enzanso 8 years ago. However I still come back every year and enjoy meeting mountain hut staff. I personally think this is the best mountain hut in Japan. The building is very old and has been build using very nice wood. The hut has been maintained by staff very well. Actually I know how this has been kept ! Also inside has been nicely cleaned up and very hygiene.

Normal room is like below photo and you no need to bring your sleeping bag to Enzanso. If you pay more, you can stay at private room only with your group. However the number of private room is limited and sometimes not available.  ( Can you see Japanese " Tatami " and " Futon " ? These are our traditional flooring " Tatami and traditional a kind of mattress  " futon ".




Our dinner started at 18:00. Most of the mountain hut normally serve dinner or breakfast or lunch box. ( Of course you have to pay in addition to mountain hut usage fee. ) For example, current Enzanso tariff ( Oct 2014 )  is below for your information. Normally most of the people enjoy warm dinner and breakfast at hut.

Mountain hut usage fee  : JPY 6200  1 overnight stay without meal      ( Today's /26th Oct 2014 exchange rate : JPY 108 = USD 1.00)
Mountain hut usage fee + dinner + breakfast ( or you can change to lunch box ) : JPY 9800
Lunch box : JPY 1000

*** Card payment is not acceptable at mountain hut in Japan. So you have to bring cash not credit card. This is also one of very different point from other country. ***

There is no photo of Enzanso Dinner. Sorry.  However I have taken photo at next hut. So you can see Japanese hut dinner on my next day trip report.

The hut in Japan normally serve Miso soup and rice and a plate. Sorry you cannot choose other menu like vegetarian. If you stay 2 nights at same hut, some mountain hut change the menu. However you can enjoy a kind of Japanese food which is very healthy. I believe this is one of the enjoyable experience in Japan mountain hut. Actually we enjoyed mountain Japanese food very much because we missed these kind of food in the U.K.

To avoid misunderstanding, please note the mountain hut dinner is not like full course dinner but just very simple basic Japanese food. Please do not expect Sushi or raw fish. I can say mountain hut meal is similar to Japanese home food. 

In addition to dinner, we enjoyed Japanese wine and salami and cheese after nice dinner. We enjoyed red Japanese ( Goitsu Wine ) . Unexpectedly this wine and Salami / Cheese were very nice.  If you have chance to go to Enzanso, please try Japanese wine!






Enzanso altitude is 2700m and it seems that my pet feel high mountain sickness as usual and he has gone back to our room. It seems that I am strong for high mountain because I had experience of staying high mountain 5 month in 8 years before ? So I went to staff room and enjoyed another drink ! Thank you very much for everyone!







This is last year Sunset.



This is last year photo. You can see nice yellow colored tree ! ( 3rd Oct 2013 )


This is this year.

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