百名山である2,354mの四阿山と花百名山である2,207mの根子岳は菅平牧場から約7時間の登山ループで繋がれている。Mt. Azumaya (one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains) and Neko-dake (a Top 100 Wildflower Mountain) can both be climbed via a 7-hour loop hike from the Sugadaira Pasture.
菅平から見る根子岳（左）と四阿山 Nekodake (left) and Mt. Azumaya from Sugadaira
We’d climbed both peaks individually before but on 20-April we managed to do the 2.5km course to Nekodake after summiting Mt. Azumaya for an enjoyable loop hike. The 360-degree view from the top of Azumaya was particularly impressive, and the trail offers a great variety of scenery, from bamboo grass with birch trees to pine forests. Nekodake’s course runs along a cow pasture at the bottom for expansive views of the Sugadaira Highlands and ski areas.
牧場の駐車場から北アルプスの眺め まだ冬季だったから簡易トイレ敷かなかったけど、4月21日は公式の開山だそうで、それから常設トイレと売店が開くそうです。 View of the Northern Japanese Alps from the Sugadaira Pasture parking lot. The regular toilet and gift shop probably open with the official start of the climbing season on 21-April, but there was a porta-potty.
Mt. Azumaya trailhead
前半は笹と白樺 The trail starts through "sasa" (bamboo grass) and birch trees.
中間の高台から見る四阿山 View of Mt. Azumaya from a high point midway up the mountain
菅平高原を見下ろす 背景に北アルプス Looking down over Sugadaira Highlands with the Northern Japanese Alps in the distance
登山道は面白い地質を通る。時に赤っぽい石、時に青っぽい、他の場所に黒い土。火山の影響かな? この石は赤と青のハイブリッド。 Interesting geology along the path. Some areas with reddish rocks and dirt, some with blue rocks, and others with dark black earth. We could sense the ancient volcanic activity. This rock was a hybrid of red and blue.
4月20日の時点で所々に雪が残っていて、アイゼンは必要だった。 As of April 20th, there was still snow in several places. We definitely made us of our crampons.
四阿山の頂上付近の木の階段 Wooden stairs near Mt. Azumaya's summit
四阿山の頂上にある宮。真田地区の山家神社の説明版によると、戦国時代に四阿山が修験道の聖地だったのでその神社が登山口だったそうです。 Shrine at the top of Mt. Azumaya. According to a sign at Yamaga Shrine down back at the Sanada District, Mt. Azuyama was a pilgrimage destination back in the Warring States era, with Yamaga Shrine as the trailhead.
Mt. Azumaya's summit (2,354 meters elevation)
四阿山の北側の下り。アイゼンに感謝！ Descending Mt. Azuyama's north side. Thank goodness for crampons!
道が雪で隠れて、足跡も少なく、ピンクリボン探しでした。 The path was covered in snow, and footprints were hard to find, so we had to rely on the pink trail markers.
二つの山の間の笹平（標高2,040m） これから根子岳の頂上へ The bamboo grass flat between the two peaks (elevation 2,040m). From here we started the ascent to the top of Mt. Nekodake.
笹平を見下ろして、背景は四阿山 Overlooking the bamboo grass flat, with Mt. Azumaya in the background
根子岳の頂上付近の岩場。ドキドキする道。 Boulders near the summit of Mt. Nekodake. The path is not for the faint of heart.
根子岳の頂上 Mt. Nekodake summit 2,207m
根子岳の頂上から牧場へ降りる道 Descent from Mt. Nekodake's summit back to the pasture trailhead
途中に牧場の上で展望台の東屋がある Gazebo at the viewpoint at the top of the pasture.
左は牧場、右は白樺の林 Pasture to the left, birch woods to the right.
下りてからのお勧めのソフトアイス; 菅清園 Best spot for post-climb soft-serve ice cream: Kanseien in Sugadaira's central village
今回の立ち寄り湯; 十福の湯 外の広い石風呂と周りの庭園（枝垂れ桜も山桜も満開だった!）で体の充電が出来た。 Our post-climb bath this time was Juppuku no Yu. With it's outdoor bath made of majestic rocks and glorious garden (the weeping cherry trees and wild cherry trees on the nearby hillside were in full bloom), we rejuvenated our sore bodies.
There aren't too many places where you can climb two mountains from one starting point, so being able to summit both Mt. Azumaya and Mt. Nekodake from the Sugadaira Pasture trailhead is pretty special. It takes a long time (I suggest planning on 7 hours to be safe) but you get twice the summitting satisfaction. We went Pasture - Mt. Azumaya - Mt. Nekodake - Pasture (i.e. reverse-clockwise). However, in the summer, the path from the bamboo grass flat up to Nekodake doesn't have any tree shade whereas the ascent to Azumaya would be through a pine forest (thus relatively cooler) so I suggest circling clockwise.
長野市・善光寺さんの七年に一度のご開帳は6月29日（水）まで。駐車場が溢れて、回向柱、戒壇巡り、御朱印そしてお蕎麦屋さんに列が長くて、最後まで待つ人が多いんで、これからはさらに混む可能性大。ラストスパートのご開帳のためのアドバイスを提供します。The venerable Zenkoji Temple in center of Nagano City is celebrating its once every 7 years Gokaicho ceremony through 29-June.
先日は常連のお客様の送迎でさくらんぼの出荷場に寄ってお土産に買ってあげました。The other day I was driving some longtime guests home and stopped at a cherry stand and bought them some as a gift.
朝採りさくらんぼ: 90代のお二人にぴったりのお土産 Fresh-picked cherries — the perfect gift for a pair of 90ish ladies.
お客様は90代の女性お二人です。前回に送迎した時はハゼ掛けの時期でしたのでせっかくだから姨捨棚田をサービスで通りました。お二人に凄く印象的だったのようで、今回の滞在で「素敵な思い出だった」と何回か言ってくださりました。（90代の割には頭がしっかり…） The guests were a pair of ladies in their nineties. Last time they came it was rice harvest season so on the drive here I took them through the Obasute Rice Terraces. Apparently the scenery made a big impact on them because they couldn’t stop talking about it. (Both of their minds are quite sharp for being in their nineties.)
今回の送迎でより大きな印象を、と思い、しかし、何が良いかと悩みました。そして、途中にさくらんぼの出荷場があると思い出しました。シーズンが短いんですが運が良く販売してました。On the drive this time I was hoping to do something that would make an even bigger impact. Then I remembered there’s a cherry stand along the way. Cherry season is so short but fortunately they were open.
お二人は朝採りのさくらんぼが初めてだった様で、大喜び。90代の方を喜ばせるのはなかなか難しいですが、おかげ様で大成功しました！It was their first time to have fresh-picked cherries so they were very pleased. It’s not everyday that you can make a pair of ninety year olds happy but this was an outstanding success!
次回はさらに大きな印象が出来る様に、青い目のおもてなしにおまかせください♪ Next time I’ve got to think of something to make an even bigger impact, but that’s what hospitality is about.
戸倉上山田温泉の夏祭りと千曲川花火大会は3年ぶりに開催決定なのでカレンダーに入れましょう♪ Togura Kamiyamada’s Onsen Summer Festival and Chikuma River Fireworks will both be held for the first time in 3 years, so mark your calendar!
千曲川に反射する花火 Fireworks reflecting on the Chikuma River
2022年千曲川花火大会8月7日 2022 Chikuma River Fireworks 07-August
第91回信州千曲市千曲川納涼煙火大会が2022年8月7日（日）午後7時半〜9時まで開催。我が亀清旅館から川辺（土手）まで徒歩5分。かなり迫力のある花火です。打上げ数がなんと10,000発！近くから見えますから真上で光る様な感覚。そして音は周辺の山から響くし。グランフィナーレの万葉橋の「ナイヤガラ」が格別。 The 91st edition of Togura's Chikuma River Fireworks will be held on Sunday 07-August 7:30-9pm. The riverside viewing area is a short 5 minute walk from our inn Kamesei Ryokan. This is a stunning pyrotechnical display with over 10,000 fireworks launched. From the river bank the explosions seem to happen practically overhead, with the flashes reflecting on the surface of the Chikuma River and the sound reverberating off the surrounding hills. The grand finale includes an awe-inspiring "Niagara" of fireworks extending the length of Manyo Bridge.
土手に並ぶ屋台 Festival food stalls万葉橋の「ナイヤガラ」 Manyo Bridge “Niagara”
ギャル神輿が輝く Popular "Gal" omikoshi
2022年上山田温泉夏祭り9月18日に延期 2022 Kamiyamada Onsen Summer Festival postponed to 18-September
コロナの影響で2022年度の上山田温泉夏祭りは海の日の連休から9月18日日（日）に延期。若連のお神輿と勇獅子と冠着太鼓がいつもの様に燃えます♪ Kamiyamada Onsen's Summer Festival normally takes place on the Marine Day holiday weekend in July, but this year it will be held on Sunday 18-September instead. The energetic Omikoshi (portable shrines), massive Shishi Lion and Kamuriki Taiko Drummers will be as explosive as always.
子供達が真っ直ぐに成長するように。 Children’s Day is officially May 5th but here in the countryside many such holidays are celebrated 1 month later. Part of the tradition is to put a type of iris called ‘Shobu’ (Acorus calamus, “sweet flag”) in the bath.
ロビーの子供の日の人形の隣にも菖蒲。Shobu in our lobby next to the Children’s Day doll
Shobu grows straight and strong so it is placed in the bath in the hopes that children also grow up that way. The phrase for ‘fight to the finish’ is also called ‘Shobu’ so another reason for the tradition is hoping children grow up stronger.
Setsubun-so (Eranthis pinnatifida “winter aconite”) is a cute harbinger of winter. The wildflower’s tiny (2-3cm) snowy white petals contrast with the purple and yellow stamens to form an elegant color combination. In warmer climates it blooms around Setsubun, the change in seasons around February 3rd, hence the flower’s name. Here at our elevation the snow doesn’t melt until early March so Setsubun-so blooms a month later. (Note: for 2022 there’s been an unusually large snowfall so prime viewing won’t start until around the weekend of March 12th.)
戸倉キティパークの駐車場から徒歩750m、約20分 From the Togura Kitty Park parking lot, 750 meters, approximately 20 minutes on foot途中の自在山神社と樹齢400年の天狗の松 Jizaisan Shrine and its 400-year old Tengu pine tree
Kobo-Yama is the smallish mountain behind national treasure Zenzan-ji Temple on Ueda City’s Shioda Plain. Despite its short stature the view from the summit is stunning but what makes Kobo-Yama distinct are the remains of the Warring State era Shioda Castle and the adventure of finding the 33 stone Buddhas tucked into crevices around the peak.
弘法山から見下ろす塩田平 Looking down on the Shioda Plain from Mt. Kobo塩田城跡（虎口）Shioda Castle: remains of the Tiger Gate33石仏（弘法の眼）Searching for the 33 stone Buddhas — the Eye of the Kobo (Priest)
弘法山 Mt. Kobo (842m)
距離 Length 1.3km. 標高差 Elevation Gain 280m. 登り Ascent 90 min. 下り Descent 90 min. （探検しながら、前山寺見学含め）難度 Level of Difficulty: 初心者 Easy (冬は雪でアイゼン必須・中級 In winter Moderate due to needing crampons when snow). 2022.03.01
前山手の駐車場（とトイレ）Zenzan-ji parking lot (with toilet)登山口（後は弘法山） Trailhead (Mt. Kobo in the distance)足跡がガイド Footprints were our guide一つ目の石仏見付け♪ Found the first stone Buddha岩に階段が掘られた Stairs carved in stone岩場 stone cliff高さ2mの穴も Some hollows were 2m tall他は高さ1.5m Others only 1.5 meters tall背景は菅平 Sugadaira in the distance塩田平と背景は戸隠山 The Shioda Plain with Mt. Togakushi in the background塩田城城・虎口 Shioda Castle Remaiy前山寺の未完成の三重塔 Zenzan-Ji’s “Unfinished” Pagoda
ACCESS: By car, Zenzan-ji Temple is a National Treasure so well-signed. Use the large parking lot by the public toilet. By train, from Ueda Station take the Bessho Line to Shiodamachi and transfer to Bus #8 to the Zenzan-ji stop (frequency and operation limited). From Kamesei Ryokan, 20km (40 min.) by car. From Togura Station via Ueda 45 min. to Shiodamachi +20 min. bus or 5 min. taxi.
コース: 正面の登山口と塩田城経由の二つのコースがあるからループ可能。33石仏探しも含めて中嶋豊さんの「信州山歩き地図・里山編III北信東信」がマスト。COURSE: Two trailheads (official one above Zenzan-ji Temple and via Shioda Castle) so can be done as a loop. For both the course and for finding the 33 stone Buddhas, get Yutaka Nakajima’s 3rd hiking book.
信州の冬の人気な楽しみ方は温泉にのんびり入ってハウスでいちご狩りをする事です。外は寒いからこそ温泉は気持ち良いし、いちご狩りのハウスの中がぽかぽかです。何しろ、苺が甘くて美味しいです！ Here in Nagano one way that’s popular for enjoying winter is to soak in a hot spring bath and to go all-you-can-eat strawberry picking in a toasty warm greenhouse.
アグリパークAgri-Park
この亀清旅館・戸倉上山田温泉の同じ千曲市にアグリパークと言う有名ないちご狩り場所があります。約19kmで車で18分です。いちご狩りは時間制限無しで楽しめて、複数な種類があります。二段に分けてあるので小さいお子さん達は下の段がちょうど採りやすい高さです。隣接にパン屋さん、食堂、サボテンガーデン、みかん狩りハウス、植木や花の販売もあり、長く遊べます。 In the same Chikuma City that our Kamesei Ryokan and Onsen Town Togura Kamiyamada are located is Agri-Park, a famous strawberry picking spot. Located only 19km away, it is 18 minutes by car (or around 45 minutes by bicycle). There is no time limit For picking and eating the strawberries and several different varieties to try. Agri-Park also has a cactus garden, mikan orange picking, a bakery and cafeteria, and a flower and plant nursery so it is easy to spend half a day there.
東京方面からのお客様にいちご狩りのお勧め: 小諸市「布引いちご園」。ここの苺はまた甘〜い！ハウスも広くて中に食べれるテーブルと椅子もあります。隣接に立ち寄り湯もあります。For guests coming from the Tokyo area, another recommended strawberry picking place is Nunobiki Ichigo-en in Komoro City. The berries there are the sweetest, and the greenhouses are spacious and even have a designated eating area with tables and chairs.
The giant cedar trees of Togakushi’s Okusha (Inner Shrine) in the mountains above central Nagano City are popular as a sort of Power Vortex. The cedars are especially impressive during the winter and the area is our favorite place for snowshoeing.
戸隠奥社の杉並木。雪と素敵なコントラスト。The towering cedars lining the path to Togakushi’s Inner Shrine
Winter in Nagano is synonymous with skiing and snowboarding and rightly so. But steadily snowshoeing is gaining in popularity. We’ve gone snowshoeing throughout the prefecture but keep returning to our favorite: Togakushi. It has areas that are only accessible when covered in snow and would be impossible with just regular shoes.
亀清の女将: スノーシューの笑顔 Kamesei’s proprietress in her happy place snowshoeing at Togakushi
When we went in early February there was about 5 feet of snow. We parked at the Okusha entrance, put on the snowshoes, passed the Torii gate and headed towards the Zuijinmon Gate which marks the beginning of the cedars.
入り口の鳥居。随神門まではよく通られて普通な靴で行けるがその道から一歩離ればスノーシューが必要。The entrance Torii. The path to Zuijinmon is well-enough traveled so that regular shoes could suffice but take one step off the path and you’ll need snowshoes.ミズナラ大王 “King of the Forest” Oak
天命稲荷神社を通って Pass by the Tenmei Inari Shrine and its rows of vermilion Torii gates長〜い影 Long shadows鏡池の上から見る戸隠山 Togakushi Mtn. as seen from on top of Mirror Pond
冬で鏡池に雪が積もるから上に歩ける。戸隠連峰が迫力ある背景になります。ピクニックには最適な場所。 In winter Kagami Ike (“Mirror Pond”) is covered by a layer of snow so thick that you can walk out on to the middle of the pond, meaning you can literally walk on water. With the towering Togakushi Range as a dramatic backdrop the pond makes a perfect place for a picnic.
