▲ ■ Location: Noshiro City ■ Trek Length: 9.0 km 8 Mt. Nanakura ■ A seven-mountain range where native Akita Trek Altitude: 269.6 m ■ Cedar trees are grown, rare in modern times. Topographical Map (1/25,000): Height: 287.6 m Western part of Takanosu grade Physical 2 Skill B Strength level 2 1 Enjoying the scenic beauty of Shirakami Mountain from the Minokura Observation Spot 2 A deformed rock called Hokkenoiwa Boulder 1 Late April, I embarked from the former site of Tenjin Lodge, where some nationally- known celebrities, including a famous singer, Misora Hibari, had once stayed overnight. Proceeding clockwise, I encountered an array of spring flowers growing along the trail, including anemone pseudoaltaica H. hara, violets, Stee Matsukura Roadside and soft windflowers - I felt as if I had been dnhills Trek Starting Point Statin nearby ● 20m Futatsi swept into a picture book. 7 It seems that the abundance of remaining cedar ▲Matskura trees is due to the then feudal lord, the Satake 159.3 clan, prohibiting them from timbering them in order to preserve their position along the ▲⬅ Okra 60 Yoneshiro River. min Kotsunagi ▲ I touched the Shishiatama, a stone statue of a Yoneshir Sanbonsgikura 3 iver lion head that was once drawn by famous travel min Viewing 30 writer Sugae Masumi, who was hoping that it Shirakai ⬅ Nanakra Mountains Shibakra▲ Shrine Nanakura would help prevent a brain stroke. I then went to Nibuna Bridge to Hokkenoiwa Cave, which was similar to a big Tenin rek inokura ●▲ starting point bee hive. In the past, some Buddhist monks were chsan Observation Spot ● ● 18m to Aikawa, ？巻末の 一覧表では Shrine JunctinJunction WC P Kamikoani believed to carry out their religious training ゴール地点が松倉 登 山 口 、タ イ ム の San Shrine here. ゴールは天神登山 Eboshikura▲ 236 口（ 松 倉 登 山 口 か ら ● 天神登山口の30分 ⬅ Gngenkutsu I was completely satisfied with not only the を合わせて3時間 Noshiro ity 30 min 20分になる） min numerous spring flowers – including shorita – 50 ⬅ blooming on the summit, but with my having Mt. Nanakura Matsunokura Course 287.6 climbed up the seven ridges, all with the great (Gongenkra) ⬅ (the approach t the shrine) 10 view of Yoneshiro River down below. I also highly min Hokkeniwa oulder ● recommend looking over this mountain from min Stee slope Corse tie ibna 0 250m 500m ● 20 Kimimachi Slope. Junctin ▼ ▼ ▼ 3 h 20 m ⬅ Starting the Roadside Station Futatsui, cross Nanakura Bridge in Kotsunagi District to reach ACCESS Nibuna. Or go along Yoneshiro River after crossing Ginnan Bridge in Futatsui District. It takes approx. 10 min. from JR Futatsui Station to the trekking start by car. 10 Contact Info. Noshiro City Office Futatsui Branch, Division of General Affairs and Planning TEL 0185-73-2112 ■ Location: ▲ Mitane Town ■ Trek Length: 6.2 km 9 Mt.Sakanoue no Tamuramaro,Boju a great warrior from around ■ Trek Altitude: 153.4 m the 9th century, was believed to have a severe battle ■ Topographical Map (1/25,000): Height: 409.4 m here in order to conquer the present Tohoku region. Komataguchi grade Physical 2 Skill B Strength level 2 1 Splendid view from the summit of the mountain 2 Offering a prayer at Boju Shrine before climbing 1 to Terayashiki Site I visited Mt. Boju during Golden Week in May, a day after it had rained, in hopes of seeing 409.4 0 250m 500m Mt. Bou ▼ ▼ ▼ transparent umbrella leaves, fallen from the rain. As this mountain has been worshipped as a sacred ⬅ 30 40 mountain by locals, there are 33 Buddhist Statues min min Noshiro ity ➡ of Mercy and others erected as well. Nature bservation I ran into a Kannon Statue amid the cedar and Educatinal rest beech trees, shortly after Boju Shrine. Nearby itane own was a sign written Daikura Slope, also known Makiichi Daikra as Babaotoshi, which means to abandoning old Daikranosaka Course ● has a stee slope. Adventure Course ladies. As this ancient legend implies, this was the Yo should take Makiichi orse to ● Daikranosaka toughest slope of the mountain - I had to watch trek safely. Stee Junctin slope my step the whole time, and cling onto the rope. ➡ min Boj min 30 Continuing from here, I enjoyed many spring Shrine 30 ➡ ⬅ min 30 min Takinoue urs flowers, such as glaucidium palmatum and ⬅30 ● Trek starting oint trigonotis guilielmi. But arriving at the crestland 256m ● of umbrella leaves, I was disappointed to find only P WC their flowers and leaves destroyed by yesterday’s hail. The lodge standing at the summit was so cozy that I decided to take it easy and stay Idogeta Trail there for lunch. Corse tie to Regional to Regional 3 h 10 m Road 37 Road 37 Leave the Akita Express Highway at the Kotooka Moritake IC to get on the Regional Road 37, ACCESS aiming for Koarasawa District. Or move from Kamikoani Village Obayashi District in the middle of the National Route 285 to Koarasawa District along the Regional Road 37. The trekking course begins nearby the rest place, Bojukan. Contact Info. Mitane Town Office, Division of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism Exchange TEL 0185-85-4830 11 ■ Location: Oga City ▲ ■ Trek Length: 12.9 km 10 ThreeA mountain hikeOga running Mountains through the three ■ Trek Altitude: 550.0 m mountains from which Namahage originate ■ Topographical Map (1/25,000): Height: 715.0 m from. Kitaura / Funagawa grade Physical 3 Skill A Strength level 1 to Namahage-Line Corse tie amahage enter P WC 5 h ● Gosyaden ● Kamishinzan 0 500m 1km ● 165m ▼ ▼ ▼ Shinzan Shrine min 80 ⬅ Shinzan 567 Mountain 2 Kintri Slope. Watch t for 1 Ascending from Shinzan to ●Futatsuai80 Kamoaosa falling rocks Shrine, famous for 715.0 min The Self-Defence Force Namahage Honzan ➡ Kamo Sub Base B29 Three Oga Mountains Evacatin ● 2 Mnument ● seen far away from Hnzan unctin The Self-Defence Kitaurashinzan Force’s road WC Junctin ● 59 ▲Kenashiyama ountain 677 In late April, I trekked from Shinzan Shrine, from which Namahage are believed to depart from on New Year’s Eve, through Choraku Temple at Monzen. min Starting from stone steps, I climbed up the steep 130 ⬅ ramp of wooden steps and ropes towards the rear shrine of Shinzan Shrine. Descending a bit from here, I turned left at Futatsuai Junction since a road sign indicated that Kintori Slope was too steep to enter. At the summit of Honzan, the Self-Defense Force’s Radar Base prohibits people from entering. But Oga ity instead, I looked over to the west, where the Sea of Japan was lightly covered with fog. The cluster ●10 Goshado Shrine of violet, anemone pseudoaltania, and dogtooth Eboshiiwa Otaki min Rock ● Hunagawaminato violet flowers relieved the toil from climbing down WC P ➡ Ryugashima ● Honzanmonzen Choraku emle Mt. Kenashi, but I’m afraid I missed the chance to 80m to Oga City see amur adonis flowers. Because I was impressed the Sea f Japan by the long history of the Gosha Hall at Akagami Shrine, I managed to go through all 999 stone steps. Drive through the National Routes 7 and 101 toward Oga City to get on the Motorway ACCESS Namahage Line in aiming for Shinzan District. The trekking route starts just in front of the Shinzan Shrine. *It is advisable either to park your car at the course terminal or to arrange a taxi in advance, as the trekking course start and its terminal are different spots respectively. 12 Contact Info. Oga City Office, Division of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry TEL 0185-24-9141 ■ Location: Gojome Town / Akita City ▲ ■ Trek Length: 8.9 km 11 BabamedakeA mountain located on the westernMountain side of Mt. ■ Trek Altitude: 744.5 m Taihei, also referred to as a guardian god of ■ Topographical Map (1/25,000): Height: 1,037.5 m horses. Mt. Taihei grade Physical 3 Skill A Strength level 2 1 Trekking through the beech forest 2 Mt. Taihei seen from the lodge 1 Before starting from Asahimata, I had well prepared for a long climb, based on what I saw from a Ginnosawa to Kitanomata, Sugisawa 0 250m 500m topographic map. Course ▼ ▼ ▼ Babaedake WC Following a relatively flat trail running along the Mountain Babamedake odge 1037.5 Gojoe own mountain stream and crossing a bridge, I faced a to Akakuradake Mountain, ⬅ 40 50 Mt Taihei tough climb through a cedar foreast. The trail was The summit min min colored with fallen orange beech leaves and yellow of the ontain ➡ Anu offers the 6 degree ● maple leaves, and the higher I trekked, the brighter panoraic view the trail became. I found a lot of beech nuts as ● Akakra Junctin Beech well. Even so, the well-conditioned state of the trail forest ➡ – for example, the grass being mowed and pink-tape min min 40 30 marking the trail – expedited my path forward. ⬅ I turned to the left at the junction of Akakuradake ● Natral cedar Mountain, and I caught a sight of the summit and a lodge while descending. Mt. Taihei, seen from farther Cedar rest away than the marshland, looked slim and attractive! ➡ min min The summit offered me a panoramic view of Mt. 50 60 ⬅ Akita ity Moriyoshi, Hachimantai Plateau, and Oga Peninsula. I then gave my prayer to the guardian god of horses, and had lunch at a lodge. Akakradake Montain orse WC To avoid the scorching summer, I opted to climb P A trekking starting point in late autumn. Thus, I was able to also enjoy ● of Asahimata 293m the changing autumn foliage, including the reddish Asahi iver Corse tie mountain maples at Asahikawa Dam Park on my way to Nibetsukokuminnomori, to Mt.Taihei Akita City 4 h 30 m back.