Waking up early next morning in one of the oldest traditional Japaneses ryokan, with sliding paper walls between each room, I saw the sunlit morning calling me to come outside. After breakfast, it was time to walk along the old samurai trail, (I believe it's name is Nakasendo Trail) down to the little historical post village Tsumago. It's a path undulating up and down, but our stretch mostly downhill. The part going through the bambu forest, was so lovely, forever etched into my heart. Sunbeams coming through a light green rustling and ethereal forest. We are sauntering downwards and did not have a care in the world. We had no hurry, just content with being there, at that moment.

 

Getting of the train, I took a bus to take me to my trail head for Kita -dake. It is not an technically difficult mountain, it's a trek, this one too. But, it's a respectful steep trek on 3.192 meter high mountain and it's the usual dragging your legs up the hill. And my legs have gotten heavier since last time I trekked in these Japanese alps. The trailhead I started at, is at around 1.500 meters something. The trails are quite well-trodden but steep, I was glad I did not have much to carry. I planned to make it to the hut before nightfall. The climb up took me, with various stops to look at some flower etc and small rests, somewhere around 7 hours. A faster hiker would have done it in 5, I guess. My wellkept nails were a memory gone, having been chipped and broken against the stones, when holding on in some parts. Being alone, I was very careful. I had been told that it's not that far from the hut to summit, and that the sunrise is worth getting up for. I rarely do anything alone by myself, I treasured this. The smell of the forest, the slight dampness in the shadows, the green lights through leaves on thin bransches. Gnawed roots among rocks on the ground, the earth itself. How the light changes, coming higher up and it opens up.  

 

When reaching the hut, it was quite big and simple, but nice. Quite the opposite of the luxuary night at the old ryokan last time I slept in these Alps. The water was expensive, understandable, they had no running water. (Outdoor toilets, thankfully. Japanese ladies rooms are made for shorter women than I am, the measuring is not made to fit a Scandinavian woman. At the height of my fore-head, they have shelf to put the handbag upon. That shelf is above the heads of most Japanese ladies, but I never seemed to learn. I had a bruise constantly, everytime in Japan.) I slept really well, on a mattress directly on the floor. People complain about how easily all the other hikers disturbs one's sleep in these huts, but I couldn't say. Closed my eyes and that was it. This was during work week, so it wasn't crowded, some other hikers, besides myself. I woke shortly before dawn. It was slightly chilly first and hot coffee made wonder. It was really close to the summit and while I walked up to it, the sun rose. Oh my oh my, it was gorgeous. Again, I saw Fuji. I saw Fuji once again over other mountains. That is one beautiful mountain! Taking a quiet break on the summit, while smoking a cigarette and watching the soft morninglight harden into day. The walk down was uneventful, I went slowly and carefully, enjoying the nature and being outdoors. Soon enough there was to be a long flight home.