TV Asahi's Super J Channel occasionally broadcasts a mini-documentary about Kamesei Ryokan. The latest will be shown on 30-May, 2023, the first in 3 years. During that time the Corona pandemic hit, and we have had a major development within our family -- tune in to find out the latest developments in the Kamesei story!
Here at Kamesei Ryokan, we have proudly decorated our inn with patchwork and quilt wall hangings made by Judi Lynch, the mother of our proprietor Tyler Lynch. For 4 weeks starting May 16th we will hold an exhibition of works by Judi Lynch in our large banquet room. The 30 pieces range from small wall hangings to queen-size quilts, many featuring designs inspired by Japan an incorporating vintage kimono material.
期間 Dates: 5/16 ~ 6/12
時間 Time: AM 9:00-11:00 PM 15:00-17:30
場所 Place: 亀清旅館の2階の大広間 Kamesei Ryokan's 2nd Floor Banquet Hall
料金 Price: 無料 Free *希望者にお茶とシアトルクッキーセット300円 Tea and Seattle Cookie Set available for 300 yen
お問い合わせ Contact Tel 026-275-1032 亀清旅館 Kamesei Ryokan
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.
For Kamesei Ryokan’s Anniversary Plan guests can choose a preserved flower making lesson. A couple celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary gathered in our lobby next to the wood stove and followed the kind instructions of Togura Kamiyamada Onsen’s flower artist Satoh-san from Atelier Bamboo to make a beautiful flower decoration.
Our Chef Takei's December version of his Kaiseki-style dinner. We're calling it our White Christmas menu. It features some new dishes and our latest addition of Arita-yaki porcelain.
Chef Takei's "White Christmas" menu, December 2022
旬の物 射込み蕪 Roe-stuffed Turnip
酢の物 フルーツ膾 Fruit Vinegarette
サラダ 若鳥サラダの安曇野仕立て Azumino Salad with Chicken
蒸し物 びっくり茶碗 Surprise Chawan egg custard
つくり 三点盛り Sashimi Trio
焼き物 鮎の煮びたし Stewed Ayu (Sweet fish)
台の物 ６種類茸鍋 Hot Pot with 6 types of local mushrooms
中皿 牡蠣の土手焼き Oysters with Nagano Miso
揚げ物 信州サーモン唐揚げ風 Shinshu Salmon Fried, Topped with Onion Sauce
お椀 もずくと豆腐の味噌汁 Mozuku Seaweed and Tofu Miso Soup
香の物 野沢菜 Nozawana and assorted Pickled Vegetables
水菓子 隠し味のアップルパイ Apple Pie with Secret Ingredient
Mt. Eboshi is a relatively easy-going climb from a very convenient trailhead (Tomi City’s Yunomaru plateau, a convenient 45 minutes by car from our Kamesei Ryokan). The view from the 2066m peak overlooks Tomi and the Chikuma River Valley below, and along the way there’s a marsh with a boardwalk, a treasure trove of alpine flowers, and reminders of ancient volcanic activity.
Mt. Eboshi’s distinctive 2-pronged peak is a prominent feature of the skyline in Ueda City (especially the Maruko District) and of course Tomi City. Its relatively tall height means it’s one of the first mountains in the area to be covered in snow in the winter. “Eboshi” refers to the high-peaked hat worn by nobility in the ancient Heian Era for ceremonies. The ascent is relatively mild hence the trail is popular with schoolchildren as well as elderly climbers. On our first climb we passed a group of over 100 elementary students. This time we met a guy in his 70s that climbs Eboshi several times a week. (His advice: May and June are best for seeing Mt. Fuji from the peak.)
烏帽子岳 Mt. Eboshi 2066m
登山道長さ Trail Length 3.8km 片道 + return
標高差 Elevation Gain 366m
登り Ascent 1:45, 下り Descent 1:30
体力 Level of Exertion ⚫️◯◯
難度 Level of Difficulty ⚫️◯◯
景色 Views / Sights ⚫️⚫️⚫️
表記 Signage ⚫️⚫️◯
登山口 Trailhead 🚘Px100+ 🚾有りYes
湯の丸から見る烏帽子 Mt. Eboshi as seen from Yunomaru登山口近くの臼窪湿原 Usukubo Marsh near the trailhead唐松と笹の世界 World of aspen trees and bamboo grass苔の世界 World of Moss最初の分岐点 （表記の距離は統一して欲しい）First trail split烏帽子と湯の丸山の間の鞍部 Col between Mt. Eboshi and Mt. Yunomaru火山の赤土 Red Volcanic Soil背景に塩田平と千曲川 Chikuma River Valley in the distance烏帽子岳の頂上 Mt. Eboshi’s summit
If climbing Mt. Eboshi wasn’t enough exercise for you, from the col (1850m) you can take the short but steep 800m long trail to the top of Mt. Yunomaru (2101m). You’ll get your exercise in addition to a well-deserved sense of accomplishment. The trail back down to the parking lot at Jizo Pass goes through an azalea field as well as one of the ski slopes (watch out for cow paddies as the slope is used for grazing in the green season). Mountain weather tends to be fickle — on our descent we were suddenly enveloped in fog. Use caution and be prepared!
Mt. Yunomaru summit厳しい勾配に霧 Steep trail with fog
立ち寄り湯: 湯の丸高原ホテル Post-Hike Onsen: Yunomaru Kogen Hotel
登山口である地蔵峠に湯の丸高原ホテルがあって、日帰り入場が可能。塩素の匂い無く、山の自然を楽しめる露天風呂あり、汗を流すのに最適だ♪ Located at the Jizo Pass trailhead, Yunomaru Kogen Hotel allows day-use of its onsen baths. The outdoor bath has an especially lovely setting, and is perfect for washing away the sweat and dust from the hike.
