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Cornwall Morganeering Copyright

 

Japan

The North Alps - September 2009

Day 1.

Murodo

There are basically three ways of geting from Tokyo to Toyama, the starting point for this walk in the North Alps, namely road, rail or air, in ascending order of cost. I decided to try the overnight bus this time, and was able to make a booking over the internet from the U.K. I boarded the Willer Express bus at 10-25 p.m. at the Konan Exit of Shinagawa Station and at exactly 10-30 p.m. the bus left Shinagawa and headed to Shinjuku, where it was to pick up additional passengers. We left Shinjuku at 11-30 p.m., made stops at service areas at Matsushiro (2-45 a.m.) and Arisoumi (5-00 a.m.) before arriving at Toyama Station at 6-00 a.m. on the dot.

 

The Willer Express Royal Hi Decker overnight bus at Toyama Station

Cute sleeper-seats on the overnight bus!

 

The Tateyama train goes on the Chiho Densha Line of Toyama Chiho Tetsudo Company Ltd from Dentestu Toyama Station. Toyama to Tateyama Station is 34 km and takes one hour.

 

Train to Tateyama Station
I soon had my Yen 1,170 ticket for the 6-28 a.m. train, and queued along with several other hikers heading for the mountains. The Chiho Densha Line is really quite nice; an old line that meanders down the valley past old wooden stations revealing a bit of old Japan until it terminates at Tateyama Station. From here I transferred to the Tateyama Cable Car and bought a combined cable car/bus ticket for Yen 2,360 to take me to Murodo. The cable car, or funicular, runs on a 1.3 km track and is quite steep, taking you up 487 m to Bijoudaira at approximately 1,000 m elevation.
 

The Cable Car to Bijoudaira

 

At Bijoudaira you transfer to a bus for the ride up to Murodo, 2,400 m elevation, along a road that seems to comprise of one hair pin bend after another. Bijoudaira to Murodo is 23 km and takes 50 minutes. There are some scales at Bijoudaira and hikers with bags weighing more than 10 kg are charged a supplemental Yen 300.

 

On route to Murodo. Takimidai, at 1,280 m elevation

I took the 8-00 a.m. bus and arrived at Murodo at 8-45 a.m. You enter the Murodo terminal at the ground floor level and have to make your way up to the third floor to exit. It was quite a shock as I exited, as Japan was experiencing very unseasonal weather, and it was very cold and windy as I left the building. Furthermore the route that I was planning to hike, Raichozawa up to Tsurugi Gozen Lodge, was shrouded in mist and looked most unwelcoming. I felt quite jaded after my travels and had a headache from the altitude, so I did not fancy starting off along a very cold ridge shrouded in cloud!

 

The Tateyama range of mountains was completely enveloped in cloud

Ichinokoshi Lodge is just a blip on the col when viewed from Murodo

 

 

Looking back down to Murodo with the bus terminus on the left

To the right I could see the col at Ichinokoshi and the lodge there, at the foot of the 3,003 m peak O-yama, and decided that Ichinokoshi would be a better bet for the first day. I set off and reached the lodge after 11—00 a.m.

 

Ichinokoshi Lodge, 2,700 m elevation

The Reception or "Front"

 

I checked in, explain to the lodge keeper that I just travelled from London and Tokyo, and he gave me a room straight away so that I could have a sleep during the afternoon. I slept though till 4 p.m., and then went down into the main lodge room to be ready for dinner at 5-00 p.m. There were less than 10 other hikers in the lodge, and I was surprised how quiet it was. After talking to other hikers for a while in the “shokudo” and watching sumo results on the TV I turned in for bed at 8-30 p.m.


Dinner at Ichinokoshi Lodge

Tatami room at Ichinokoshi Lodge

Communal washing facilities