Gita a Shosenkyo (Japan)
Date: Monday 16 July 2012.(Bank Holiday)
Participants: Ilia Negri (me, ISM invited professor), Stefano Iacus (Guest, my husband), Ludovico Iacus (guest, my elder son, 10 years old) Lucia Iacus (guest, my daugther, 9 years old), Yoichi Nishiyama (ISM), Masao Urata (PMDA), Rei Nishiyama (Tokyo Metro. Gov.), Isao Sasaki (PMDA, OB)
Trip: we leave from Shinjuku station at 8.30 taking the Azusa 7. The train also stop at Mitaka to collect two participants and at Tachikawa to collect one participant. The train arrive at Kofu station at 10.20.
There we take a bus from the Bus stop N. 3 and we arrive at Shosenkyoguchi around 11.00.
Cost: the train price is 4220 円 (with reservation seat) and 580円 for the bus. The cost of the bus to return is 890 円, because we take it at the end of the valley. For the return train same price.
Weather: very sunny and hot, but fortunately the path is shadowed, so you can enjoy a very pleasant trip also in summer.
Description: the hiking starts at the beginning of the valley that is very impressive for the river (it is like a canyon) and the huge plaques of granite that rise through the vegetation. The trail runs along the right bank of the river for a total of about 4 km of length. During all the path many signs indicate the name of the rocks that are particularly beautiful.
During the path we meet a lot of insects that for us were very unusual as the “insetto stecco” (stick insect) that excited very much my son that loves insects.
During the walk along the path, a car pass saying an announcement in Japanese. Big suspense: a bear has been seen in the morning on the same path. Great fear between the children (but also between the adults!).
Around 12.30 we arrive at the top-site of the valley 『覚円峰』
Under this peak we stop for having lunch in one of the restaurant along the path. Our choice, suggested by Yoichi, was very good. We eat a very special hand made “pasta” and a very typical hot soba with vegetables and mushrooms.
We enjoy very much the lunch.
After lunch we follow the path that continue till the end of the valley. The best of the path as to came yet. A very beautiful waterfall and spectacular rock bridges suddenly appear.
We have another rest to eat “the second best soft ice cream of the world” and a delicious taste of wine. Children enjoy fishing precious stones in the river and in the evening they say that the hiking was the best hiking ever!
Also for me an my husband was a very enjoyable hiking in a superb scenery. At 14.32 we take the bus to return to Kofu station where after a light meal we return to Tokyo with the super “old” kaiji train.
About me: I love hiking because I think is the better way to know a country and people who lives in that territory. In Italy I’m using to go for hiking everywhere from little hill to high mountain. I come in Japan to do join research with Yoichi and so, during a discussion on stochastic integral and a simulation study I speak with Nishiyama san about my love for hiking, and some days later he propose me to join the hiking club of is friend Urata san. The first hiking was a city walk in Tokyo where we could appreciate a part of the city that I could never have known otherwise. This year the proposal was an Hiking to Shosenkyo and I was very happy about this choice because was in the Japanese mountain. As foreigners when we go alone in Japan for hiking sometimes it can be very frustrating because we cannot understand a lot of thing that we find along the path. But if you hike with the PMDA group this cannot happen and the excursion can became very interesting and sometimes very amazing! In particular we can appreciate the help of our friends in explaining every things that is difficult for us to understand. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. My dream is to go some day to the top of Fuji san and I think it would be great if this dream could become true with the PMDA hiking club!
