The Japanese Alps: The Kiso Mountains (Part 2)
Of the three major alpine ranges, the Kiso Mountains are my favorite. I lived at the base of them for two years. Every season brings a different experience. I explored the hot, monkey filled valleys in summer and the frozen sideways summit icicles of winter. The Kiso Mountains are the smallest of the three major alpine ranges. They do not have the most remote regions or the biggest mountains. But they do have quite a few features that make it stand on its own.
The Kiso Story
The Kiso Mountains are aptly located in the Kiso area of Nagano prefecture. Bordering Gifu to the southwest, the Kiso Mountains occupy a thin slice of southern Nagano prefecture (and partially Gifu when you include Mt. Ena). To the north is Matsumoto, and to the east are the cities of Ida, Ena, and Komagane. In feudal times, this was the ancient Shinano province. More recently, a reshuffling of prefectures led to a part of Nagano becoming a part of nearby Gifu. This brought up some old territorial tensions and even resulted in some minor rioting. At one point, the Tokugawa’s Owari domain ruled over the southern part, harvesting the famed and valuable lumber from the valleys. This was and still is one of the main exports in the area. The revered Kiso Hinoki (a type of Japanese cypress) grows in the valleys around the mountains and can fetch a steep price. To bring these goods to market in the old days, they used the ancient Nakasendo road which connects Tokyo and Kyoto. Post towns spread along the famous trade route, with a castle being built among the steep valley cliffs of Kiso-Fukushima (it no longer exists).
Ropeway and Senjojiki
The most popular attraction to the mountains themselves is the ropeway. The Kiso mountains host both the longest ropeway in Japan, and the highest hotel in Japan. All of these are centered around the beautiful Senjojiki Cirque. Carved from ancient glaciers, the cirque is stunning in all seasons. Above it sits the towering and steep Hokendake, known for several overhanging rocks with extreme exposure that you are required to cross to climb. To the east, a clear view of Fuji and the Southern Alps can be seen. For those who are not interested in a strenuous hike, the ropeway lets you skip all that and takes you right into the action. To the west sits the tallest mountain in the range, Mt. Kisokoma. A bulbous thing, Kisokoma sits at 2,956 meters. In an annual tradition, local village middle school children take part in a hike to the top of Mt. Kisokoma (meaning a peak that looks like a toy spinning top). More than 100 years ago, another class did the same and was tragically lost to a storm. You can still see their memorial today on the ridges north of Mt. Kisokoma.
Backcountry
Outside of the ropeway and Mt. Kisokoma, the tourist population drops significantly. This is the real charm for avid hikers. Multiple starting spots to the south and north see comparably little walking traffic. The Mt. Chausu to Mt. Kisokoma loop is a good mid to low traffic hiking loop that lets you see the northern section of the range quite well. I personally enjoy hiking in the southern section. A long winding road through the Inagawa valley brings you to an abrupt stop at steep cliffs. After shooting right up on to the misty rock strewn ridges, you can truck along, often without seeing a soul more than once a day. With mountain huts for lodging and clearings for camping, it is never difficult to find a spot. I would sometimes find myself fighting for space with monkeys at the lower elevations. The eastern Ena/Komagane side sees more traffic due to its population and ease of access, but I rarely see long lines of hikers outside of the main ropeway area. The ridges between southern Kisokoma and Mt. Kosumo have been some of the most enjoyable hiking for me to date.
Post towns
The steep southern slopes slowly peter out and gradually roll into the famed nakasendo post towns of Magome and Tsumago. The post towns served as resting spots along the long the road from Kyoto to Edo (now Tokyo) in the feudal era. These towns are a popular destination to view traditional Japanese crafts as well. The streets and storefronts are renovated in a style similar to the feudal Edo period. These towns offer a look into the long rich history of post towns and what it was like to travel along the Nakasendo in those times.
Winter Conditions
The winter conditions in the mountains are cold. I have routinely been in the mountains when they registered as -18c to -20c. Winter brings a drop in population to the surrounding Kiso valley. The cold often keeps people away. The mountains can be a popular destination for some easier mountaineering routes. The mountains lack the elevation of their neighbors but offer comparable challenges in terrain. The ropeway, which still operates in winter, gives climbers easy access to the slopes. Whereas I rarely run into people in the snowy backcountry, I often see tracks. Winter in the Kiso Mountains is stunningly beautiful. The steep gullies pack with snow. Darkened crags stick up like cathedral spires. This is all viewed in an air of snowy, quiet, reverence.
Hot Springs
When the cold becomes too much, there are plenty of hot springs scattered around the valley to rest your weary feet in. My own personal refuge and often the motivation for me completing a difficult trek is the hot spring inn, Komanoyu (named after the mountain it sits below). It is located near to several Kiso side trailheads. This beautiful well maintained inn has excellent bathing facilities and a fair price for the day use of the facilities. To the south, near the post towns of Magume and Tsumago, is Hirugami Hot Springs. As an avid hot spring fanatic, I maintain to this day that Hirugami has some of the best hot spring water in all of Japan. It is a clear mineral spring that has a peculiar nuru-nuru effect. This means the baths leave your skin with a sort of slippery wet feeling. Further to the north, Minowa Hot Spring sits on the way to lake Suwa. It has large comfortable facilities with a beautiful outdoor forest view. I found myself going there often when coming back from the Komagane side of the mountains.
Swimming holes and Mt. Ontake
While not technically in the Kiso Mountains, there are a few significant areas nearby. Near the village of Okuwa is the stunningly beautiful valley of Atera. It is known around Japan as one of the most beautiful mountain swimming holes (possibly THE most beautiful). The clear water leeches minerals from the rocks on the valley floor giving it a unique cerulean color known as ‘Atera Blue’. The water can be quite cold, even in summer. With deep pools, and diving rocks, it is a popular destination for summer travelers looking to escape the heat. Please exercise caution, the swift cold waters can be deceptive. In winter the valley mostly empties out and offers a picturesque scene of frozen winter. I have even seen the famed Japanese serow wandering around the valley.
A bit further to the west is the massive and religiously revered volcano of Mt. Ontake. This erupted in 2014, killing 63 people who were on the mountain at the time. Much of it was closed off after the eruption, and it is just now being opened up. The mountain is a holy site among the Buddhist Shugendo mountain worshippers. As such, there are mountain shrines present around the whole of the mountain. You can often see tourists and monks in a meditative pose under the roaring waterfalls of the mountain practicing what is known as takigyo, a waterfall meditation. People come from all over Japan seeking inspiration from the mountain. The beautiful alpine lake of Sannoike sits near the top, with stunning views. Mt. Ontake has a ropeway as well, but expect to walk most of the way to the top. Plenty of hotsprings can be found at the base of this mountain as well. They are mostly iron red and brown hot springs. The remote village of Otaki at the base of the mountain has a large lake for kayaking and a beautiful hot spring that looks directly up at the mountain.
The Kiso Mountains have a lot to offer. Some of my favorite times have been sipping the valley’s usunigori sake out of a locally made hinoki cup while looking up at the snow-capped peaks. Travelers have enjoyed this area for centuries and that is not going to change any time soon.
