< Getting There | Japan (Spring 2004) | Tama Zoo >
Mount Mitake
2004.Apr.06 - 2004.Apr.07
Actually a visit to grandmother in Yaizu was planned. However, even though over 90 now, she still can't let go of garden work and, weeding too much, hurt her back again and had to go to hospital 
for a day or two. As she preferred to postpone the visit and the weather was supposed to be good for the next two days, we decided to go on a little hiking tour.
Going too far would not be advisable for a two day trip. So from the possibilities I had already brooded over before coming to Japan, I picked Mitake-san. And off we went, by train to Mitake. First we thought about changing trains at Kawasaki for Tachikawa, but as the train we happened to catch at Totsuka was the new line going directly to Shinjuku, we decided to go as far as Shinjuku and go to Tachikawa from there, using Chuo line. Arriving at Mitake station around noon a small lunch or at least a lunch box would have been a good idea, but not having any such facilities nearby and realizing the bus to Takimoto would be leaving very soon, we boarded the bus. Had I been on my own, I'd probably have taken a much earlier train and walked up the way from Takimoto to Mount Mitake (Mitake-san), but with the kids coming along and my wife feeling hungry, the cable car was the option which was much less likely to get me stoned. At the top, feeding the wife before setting out seemed like another precaution to stay alive and unhurt.
So finally, after some sansai-udon and curry-udon, we started towards Mitake Jinja, from where we went on via Mount Odake (Odake-san) and Mount Nokogiri (Nokogiri-yama) to Oku-tama. On the way we rested for a 
couple of minutes on Nokogiri-yama and in no time had a number of cute small birds coming very close, not minding us at all as long as we did not make any abrupt movements.
Our arrival at Oku-tama was slightly after sunset. We didn't have any reservations for the night, but travelling off season, it was not too hard to find a suitable place for the night. 
Dinner was already over at that place, so we went out to a local restaurant. After soaking in the bath we all assembled around a small coal fire to listen to some local tales told by the owner of the place.
The next day, after a gorgeous breakfast, the bus was taken to Nippara, to visit Nippara Shonyudo, the Nippara limestone caves. The kids were not so much interested in this, but much more in the surprise which we had planned: On the way back we stopped at Tokyo and for dinner went to Ninniku-ya, the all-garlic restaurant in Ebisu.
< Getting There | Japan (Spring 2004) | Tama Zoo >