Takakura Mountain

On Saturday morning, Fuminori, Shoichi, Kazuhiro, and I went hiking up Takakura Mountain. The mountain is only a little over 1,300m in height, but the hike was very difficult because there was still lots of snow to walk or wade through. It took us about 3 hours to reach the summit.

The hike up the mountain was difficult for a number of reasons. Firstly, there was the snow. Secondly, our rucksacks were heavy with equipment and with food. Thirdly, the mountain slopes were covered in loose stones and trees (some with sharp needles). However, when we reached the top, our efforts were rewarded with fantastic views of Shimogo and the surrounding area.
This photo is a view towards the central area of Shimogo. I think that the smoke in the picture is from people burning rice stubble in preparation for planting new rice plants.

Although the weather was sunny, it was very cold at the top of the mountain due to a strong wind.

We stopped for about one hour to have lunch. Shoichi made kimchi nabe (spicy Korean hot pot) and this was washed down with a can of beer.

After lunch, we tidied up and took a few pictures of the area before our journey down the mountain. This was a very good day and I hope to do some more hiking during the spring and summer months. After I returned home, I went for a short ride on my mountain bike and then relaxed at home in the evening.