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About the
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John Osaki's Blog
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Arrival Day Overnight in Kyoto Arrive in Osaka, Japan and transfer on your own to Kyoto, Japan's old imperial capital. Your hotel in Kyoto is included this evening. |
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Day 1 Overnight in Kanazawa Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Travel from Kyoto to Kanazawa and begin your immersion into Japan. Visit the renowned Kenrokuen, generally recognized as being one of the top three gardens in Japan. Overnight in Kanazawa sometimes called "little Kyoto" because of its rich history and strong craft traditions. |
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Day 2 Overnight in Haku-san National Park Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Travel to Haku-san (“White Mountain”), an old stratovolcano whose last recorded activity occurred in the mid-seventeenth century. Along with Mount Fuji and Tateyama, it is regarded as one of Japan's three sacred mountains (Sanreizan) and thus a site for religious pilgrimages. In 1962, Haku-san became the centerpiece of the Haku-san National Park and in 1980 was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. During the winter months, Haku-san is one of the snowiest places in Japan, and this abundance of moisture nurtures the mountain's unique flora and fauna. Asiatic black bears (tsuki-nowaguma), Japanese eagles (inuwashi) and a stunning array of alpine wildflowers including the black lily (Fritillaria camtschatcensis) make their home within this wilderness preserve. Hike up the slopes of Haku-san via the hiking trail known as the Sabo Shindo, and spend the night in a mountain lodge high on the slopes of the sacred mountain. |
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Day 3 Overnight in Shirakawago Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Descend from the mountain hut on Haku-san and travel by vehicle to Shirakawago, a remote, mountainous region in northern Gifu Prefecture. Shirakawago is famous for its old farmhouses built in a style called gassho-zukuri in reference to the shape of the steeply pitched roofs resembling two hands folded in prayer. An open fireplace, or irori, is a characteristic feature of these houses. Time permitting, enjoy a stroll to a viewpoint that provides you with a sweeping view over picturesque Ogimachi village. You'll stay overnight in one of the farmhouses for a rustic, but unforgettable experience. Shirakawago is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. |
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Day 4 Overnight in the Japan Alps Breakfast, lunch & dinner included From Shirakawago, travel by vehicle to Kamikochi in the northern Japan Alps. Begin your four-day hike through the Chubu Sangaku National Park which protects large portions of the northern Japan Alps. Follow the path along the Azusa River (Azusa-gawa) gradually ascending through forests of birch and pine. You may spot Japanese macaque monkeys along the way! Spend the evening in a riverside lodge. |
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Day 5 Overnight in the Japan Alps Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Continue hiking up-valley along the river to the Ichi-no-mata from where you'll enjoy your first views of Yarigatake, the sharp summit sometimes known as Japan's Matterhorn. Continue ascending the Yarisawa Valley past the tree-line to arrive at the Yarigatake mountain lodge located near the base of the spear-shaped summit pinnacle of Yarigatake. Here, you'll spend the evening. If there's time after you arrive, you might consider pushing on to Yarigatake's summit then retracing your steps to the lodge before evening falls. |
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Day 6 Overnight in the Japan Alps Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Descend the ridge from Yarigatake and hike along the Omote Ginza (ridge) enjoying the cool mountain breezes and unobstructed alpine views as you make your way to the Otensho Hut where you'll spend the evening. |
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Day 7 Overnight in the Japan Alps Breakfast, lunch & dinner included Continue your "skywalk" along an alpine ridge to the Tsubakuro mountain lodge and the peak of Tsubakurodake. Enjoy lunch at Tsubakuro lodge before descending to Hotaka Onsen (hot springs). Overnight at an inn at the onsen. |
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Day 8 Overnight in Matsumoto Breakfast, lunch & dinner included This morning, travel by vehicle to Matsumoto. Tour the principal sights of the city including the picturesque Matsumoto Castle for which the city is well-known. Overnight in Matsumoto. Your lodging for the evening in Matsumoto and breakfast the following morning are included. |
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Departure Day Depart Matsumoto by train for Nagoya, Osaka, or Tokyo airports and your flight home. Or extend your stay in Japan with a Mount Fuji climb. |
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Other Details
about this Trip Trip Dates: July 15-22, 2012 Price: $3,995 (7 or more participants); $4,175 (4-6 participants) [Book now to lock-in this 2011 price.] Single Room for entire trip: $250 Trip Begins: Kyoto, Japan Trip Ends: Matsumoto, Japan Accommodations: Three nights in small hotels; two nights in traditional Japanese inns; four nights in mountain lodges (yama-goya). Please note that we plan to overnight at traditional Japanese inns on two evenings; those traveling as singles may need to “double up” though we will endeavor to secure you private rooms. During the nights spent in the mountain lodges, sleeping accommodations will be in a communal space (either a small room with four to six places, or a larger dormitory) with futons on tatami mats. Bathing and toilet facilities are normally shared in traditional Japanese inns and mountain lodges. Typically, there will be separate bathing/toilet facilities for men and women with showers and a hot water tub (ofuro) intended for use only after showering. On the evenings spent in hotels you can expect private hotel rooms (either Western or Japanese-style) with private bath facilities. Note that your accommodations in Kyoto on the evening of July 14 are included in the trip price. Meals: Nine breakfasts, eight lunches (packed lunch or restaurant depending on the day), and eight dinners are included and will normally be Japanese-style. There are limited Western-style food options at some of the hotels. Arriving in Kyoto: The nearest major international airport to Kyoto is Osaka's Kansai International Airport. There is express rail service via the Haruka train from the Kansai Airport terminal building to Kyoto every hour (about 1.25 hours journey time, $40). Minivan service to Kyoto hotels is also provided by MK Skygate (about 1.5 hours, $40). Departing Matsumoto: From Matsumoto, you can travel by rail to Tokyo (Narita Airport) or Osaka (Kansai International Airport) in about 4-5 hours (about $120-$160 depending on routing). Or, you can take the train to Nagoya and the new Central Japan International Airport (Chubu Centrair) in about 3 hours (about $85). |
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Other Resources
Visit the
Shirayama-no-ki website for a wealth of information about the
natural and cultural history of the Haku-san region. Howard
French describes the pleasures of Matsumoto in his New York Times article, "A
Japanese Castle Bares its Secrets."
Web cam view
of Yarigatake from the Yarigatake mountain lodge in Chubu Sangaku
National Park, Japan Alps.
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If you have questions about this trip, you can submit them to us by using the form below: |
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If you're ready to submit the form, click the Submit button once and wait for the confirmation message. Thank you for choosing Mountain Hiking Holidays! |
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Photo Credits |
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© Mountain
Hiking Holidays, Inc. |
The peaks of the northern Japan Alps. 
July 15-22, 2012 
