Hiking Mt.Takamikuira

                                         (Panaromic view of Mt.Takamikura from our 11th floor apartment in Takasago)

Mt.Takamikura is located just 4-5 kms from Takasago. It is a chain of a number of hills, and thus has several hike routes -which has prevented me from hiking there, as stepping into the 'wrong' trail could take one to a different area altogether!

Kayoko-san whom I met in Takasago International Association (TIA) came to my help. She, along with some 20 guys in Takasago has formed a Hikers Club and has been actively hiking throughout the year. She has hiked in the Himalayas, and in almost every mountain I know of in Japan. A housewife who is reluctant to call herself a 'pro'.

We started at 10am sharp from the backside of popular Kashima-jinja .... and quickly went into a steep route. Unlike Mt.Rokko and Tendaki Falls area where you had 1 2-ft width trail along the edges of the mountains, this trail was mostly on rocks. ("When you hike during rainy days, take extra care" said she, without knowing that I won't even go out for shopping on a rainy day!). She kept on giving me several tips even as we hiked -"have shorter steps" "walk on your toes". She also said it is an unwritten rule that those who go uphill should get the way of priority to those who come downhill (which is contrary to driving practice where the down-comers get the priority). It is because those who hike uphill could only have limited visibility -about 1m above their spot.

As we reached the peak (304m) at 12 noon, it was time to sit for lunch. She took out from her bag something that was of the size of a soap-case, which in minutes turned out to be a stove and kettle. She made coffee (There was no vending machine anywhere on the trail or at the peak). There were many enthusiastic hikers I saw on the way; many were hiking individually -not as a group or with the company of anybody. There were some couples. At least there was one group of children from a nearby elementary(!) school. I also saw families with young children -they hiked the less-difficult trail- there are many in Mt.Takamikura. Near the peak some people were posing for a photo behind a board that showed the map of trails. It was then I realized that I had hiked Mt.Takamikura several years ago (in 1993) when Shibu was hardly 3. Fushino-san family took us on the less-difficult route, but I had not known then it was Mt.Takamikura (see pic).

                                                                   A 1993 pic in Mt.Takamikura with Fushino-san family

We climbed down through another route to Nagao -which took around 45 minutes. The entire trail was of 5 km long, and we were hiking on the highest points of the mountains for the most part (see pic).

And that's how Hiking Mt.Takamikura became a regular weekly activity for me -like jogging or going to gym once a week- since I first started in Oct 2009.