Abandoned Ski Field and Phantom Forest of Tsuchiyu-yama (Mt. Tsuchiyu)
Located near The Forest of Illusions, Tsuchiyu-yama is an abandoned ski field with dilapidated structures and a rusted ski lift in the process of being reforested.
I have a special affinity for the Mogami River. While the first taste of the cherry-loving Yamagata prefecture for most of my English teacher friends was from a few thousand metres high in the sky, for me it was a two-hour drive through the prefecture, following the Mogami River along the way. That drive along the river was the first of many, and it only took me 11 years to realise that there was an abandoned ski field along the way.
Tsuchiyu-yama is a smallish peak on the banks of the Mogami River near the border of Tozawa-mura and Shonai-machi boasting Genso-no-Mori, The Forest of Illusions, or The Phantom Forest, and an abandoned ski field, the former Mogami-gawa Ski field.
The Mist of Mogami
The best time to be out along the Mogami River has got to be the early morning, just as the sun is rising. This is when the clouds are well and truly out to play. This was the case when I went to climb Tsuchiyu-yama, and it was the case when I went to climb Kamewari-yama a week later too.
Looking up from the base of the mountain, all I could see was a summit shrouded in cloud, the famous Mogami mist. But my first port of call wasn’t Tsuchiyu-yama that day. No, I was aiming for an even more mysterious destination, the fabled Genso-no-Mori, AKA The Phantom Forest or The Forest of Illusions.
Genso No Mori (The Forest of Illusions)
Genso-no-Mori is an ancient cedar forest full of mangled trees due to the heavy snowfall in the region that have well and truly stood the test of time. As an extremely mysterious location Genso-no-Mori is worthy of being a destination in and of itself. However, be warned that like Tsuchiyu-yama, Genso-no-Mori can be a bit tough to get to, and depending on the time of year, can also be covered in bugs.
Getting to Genso-no-Mori and Tsuchiyu-yama
To get to Genso-no-Mori and Tsuchiyu-yama, it’s easiest to find your bearings at the Shiraito Falls Michi no Eki Roadside Station (also known as the River Station) car park. From there, you can either walk to both Genso-no-mori and the Tsuchiyu-yama trailhead, or just drive there by heading east along Route 47. On the right there is a part where the railway crosses above a narrow road that heads into the mountains with a sign for Genso no Mori 幻想の森. Take this road.
The road is gravel, and is quite long and winded so be warned. Part-way up the road splits off to the left. This is the trailhead to Tsuchiyu-yama. Keep following the trail and you will eventually get to Genso-no-Mori. Then all you need to do is backtrack to the trailhead, which is also the best place to park your car. There is enough space there for maybe one or two cars, but be careful not to block the path.
The trail up Tsuchiyu-yama
Tsuchiyu-yama only has one trail. From the trailhead, you just need to keep following the trail all the way up, it’s pretty obvious. The trail will take you through a few forests and past some waterfalls, under the dilapidated ski lift and a fallen building, around the main ski field to the top of the lift, and then again through some beech forests until you reach these three antennae near the summit.
Then, there is a beech forest path with pink tags that you have to keep an eye out for until you reach the real summit. There isn’t a lookout from the summit, but the beech forest is fun to explore.
There are some very good views of the surrounding mountains along the trail, and if you’re lucky Chokai-zan, but it’s a bit of a slog to get up there, and similar views can be had elsewhere. Plus, the trail is gravel the whole way up. If like me you opt for yamabushi shoes, or just shoes with a thin sole, your feet are going to hurt. I’m used to it from walking barefoot a lot as a kid, but if you’re not used to it, it would probably be quite uncomfortable. Best to bring proper shoes.
Once you’re at the summit, it’s just a matter of backtracking to your car, perhaps stopping along the way to take in the views of the Mogami River, or the abandoned ski field. Otherwise, in all honesty, there isn’t that much to see on the mountain that can’t be seen elsewhere.
Tsuchiyu-yama (Mt. Tsuchiyu) is located along the border of Shonai Town and Tozawa Village, and is the final destination along the Tohoku nature path (Tohoku Shizen Hodo) called the Mogami Gorge and History Path (Mogami Kyo to Rekishi no Michi).
Locations near Tsuchiyu-yama worth checking out
Mogami River
The 229km Mogami River running the length of Yamagata Prefecture is the 7th longest river in Japan, and the longest contiguous river in one prefecture, taking 3 to 5 days for the water to flow from the source to the ocean. Along with the Fuji river in Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, and the Kuma River in Kumamoto, the Mogami is one of the big three fastest-flowing rivers in Japan.
The Mogami River was featured prominently in Matsuo Basho’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Matsuo Basho and his trusty partner Kawai Sore stayed three days in Oishida, and once they had good weather, they travelled to the Dewa Sanzan, boarding the Mogami River in the area right in front of Yamuki-yama.
This river voyage inspired the following haiku by Matsuo Basho:
Gathering the rains
Of summer, how swift she is
Mogami River
– Matsuo Basho
River Cruise on the Mogami
Need some inspiration? Why not do what Matsuo Basho did and take a cruise down the Mogami? River boat cruises along the Mogami are offered by multiple companies including during the cold winter months when you can sit under a heated Kotatsu and sip Amazake, a sweetened sake lees drink (the extract from making sake that is non-alcoholic).
Shiraito Falls
Located on the opposite bank of Mogami River at the terminus of the river cruise, the Shiraito Falls is well worth a stop if you get the chance. The Shiraito Falls is one of the top 100 Falls of Japan, and it’s not hard to see why when you see the real thing.
Haguro-san and the Dewa Sanzan
Haguro-san of the Dewa Sanzan is one of the best places to visit in all of Japan.
Yamuki-yama
Yamuki-yama is a low lying peak on the banks with a huge history as a strategic location for the medieval Yamuki castle for The Mogami Clan, and for the burgeoning trade along the Mogami River that helped lead Edo, modern-day Tokyo, to its status as a global city.
Yozo-san
Yozo-san is an epic hike along an ancient mountain pass of primeval beech forests, unstoppable views, mysterious swamps, massive gorges complete with breathtaking waterfalls and snow bridges, all with a legendary history.
Yonetaihei-san
I visited Yonetaihei-zan in winter so didn’t get to explore the marsh, but it wouldn’t be too far of a detour at all. Yonetaihei-zan is a 30min climb to the summit too, so it would be easy to do both of these mountains in the same day (weather and season permitting).
Kamewari-yama
Kamewari-yama (Mt. Kamewari亀割山かめわりやま) is a 594m (1948 ft.) peak in the Mogami region of Yamagata prefecture best climbed from June to October. Kamewari-yama is a level 1 in terms of physical demand, which means it is easy to hike, has a A technical grade, which means it requires little expertise, and you want to allow at least 3 hours for a climb.
Hijiori Onsen and Jizomori-yama
Hijiori Onsen is named after a monk who healed his broken elbow in the hot spring water found there. Tucked away in the hills behind Gassan, Hijiori Onsen is famous for recording the greatest snowfall of any region in Japan, and there is even an annual competition to see who can dig through the snow to the ground the fastest. Hijiori onsen is also home to the famous Jizomori-yama, a peak with a shrine tucked into an indent in the mountain and a cave for ascetic training.
Tsuchiyu-yama in Tozawa-Mura | 土湯山 | つちゆやま
Tsuchiyu-yama is known for:
- Genso-no-mori AKA The Forest of Illusions, The Phantom Forest
- Mogami-gawa Ski Field, Abandoned Ski Field they are trying to reforest
Tsuchiyu-yama (土湯山つちゆやま) is a 577m (1893 ft.) peak in the Shonai and Mogami regions of Yamagata prefecture. Tsuchiyu-yama is open year-round from what I can tell, but you will need snowshoes in the winter. Tsuchiyu-yama is a level 1 in terms of physical demand, which means it is easy to hike, has a D technical grade, which means it requires a relative amount of expertise, and you want to allow at least 3 hours for a climb.
Mountain Range: Tsuchiyu-yama
Region: Mogami and Shonai
Elevation: 577m (1893 ft.)
Technical Demand: D (requires a relative amount of expertise)
Physical Demand: 1 (easy to hike (I disagree, it’s a bit steep))
Trails: One: Tsuchiyu-yama Trail
Best time to climb: Year-round
Day trip possible? Yes
Minimum Time Required: 3 hours
Tsuchiyu-yama Map
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100 Famous Mountains of Yamagata Peaks
Here’s a list of articles for the 100 Famous Mountains of Yamagata. These are all the mountains I have climbed so far.
References
Yamap (Japanese): https://yamap.com/mountains/6970
Yamagatayama official website (Japanese): https://yamagatayama.com/hyakumeizan/no-047/
Information about the Mogami River (Japanese):
