For most of the uphill climb after departing Highway 45 near Kori Station (古里駅) the above is all you can see. Few people were on this trail (in the 奥多摩町 area). In fact, we would have thought we were on some of our favorite hikes near home in Ashland, Oregon were it not for the roots lining the trail, the trees not being quite the same (sugi maybe? 杉), and the occasional hiker saying konnichiwa to us.

Upon reaching the ridge after a couple of hours, the views changed rather dramatically. They were also very different depending on which way you looked. Trees on one side of the ridge were non-existent on the opposing side and vice versa. Some trees had lost most of their leaves.

Other trees, like these Japanese Maples, were peaking.

I wasn’t expecting to see susuki up here, but there it was. From this last spot, if one could jump 50 feet straight up, they would be treated with a vast overview of Tokyo.

Posted on November 26th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: hiking, japanese maple, mt. mitake, susuki, 紅葉. Comments: 1

Next stop on our Grutt Pass tour of Tokyo was 国立科学博物館附属自然教育園. That’s a mouthful. It doesn’t get much better in English with “Institute for Nature Study, National Museum of Nature and Science.”

This place is walking distance from Meguro Station. If you are looking for an uncrowded piece of nature in Tokyo then this is it. We were even there on a Sunday afternoon (by far the worst time to visit such places), and it was still very peaceful. No more than 300 people are allowed into the 200,000 square meter area at a time which means you’ll have plenty of elbow room.

Linda and Ryan enjoyed one of the ponds on the grounds while an old Japanese couple ate a bento nearby.

The trees in this place are really beautiful. There are countless kinds. They were all still very green for us in early November, but the place must be even more gorgeous in late November when the colors change.

Posted on November 13th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: grutt pass, nature, people, susuki, Tokyo. Comments: 2

I can’t imagine Lake Aoki (青木湖) being any more beautiful than it is in October. That said, October is when the fewest people are there. The lake was empty when we weren’t on it. We took a break on the banks and skipped some rocks. With no wind, the rock skipping was very successful.

The surface of Lake Aoki was like glass, and from our vantage point in the canoes we could see large fish in the clear water.

We ate lunch at the bottom of the chairlift on Happo-One. The colors were great, and an occasional paraglider came over the ridge. The mountain side was covered in ススキ (Japanese pampas grass).

Posted on November 5th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: hakuba, Nagano, nature, susuki, 紅葉. Comments: 2

Last week we visited Owakudani and some other areas of Hakone for the first time in two and a half years. Mt. Fuji made an appearance or two before quickly hiding itself behind clouds.

Posted on October 28th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: hakone, mt. fuji, susuki. Comments: None