I want to go to the mountains, but it’s so hot…
I want to hike, but if I try to book a mountain hut last minute, they’re always full. Setting up a tent for camping is a hassle, and a day hike in this heat sounds exhausting and tough… I really love climbing, but summer hikes always leave me with these kinds of dilemmas.
Maybe Utsukushigahara or Kirigamine?
Then, I suddenly remembered visiting Utsukushigahara in the summer. It wasn’t just cool; I actually felt a bit chilly! So, I eagerly checked the map and saw that Kirigamine is also at a high elevation, with minimal changes in altitude even for a “climb.” It looked like a leisurely 4-hour circuit was possible. “This could be a refreshing hike!” I thought. So, I decided to head out on this course:
Kurumayama-kata → Mount Kurumayama Summit → Kurumayama-norikoshi → Chouchou-miyama → Monomi-iwa → Okukiri-goya-ato → Yashima Wetland → Sawado → Kurumayama-kata
To the Summit of Mount Kurumayama
As I started climbing from Kurumayama-kata, the beautiful yellowish-green grasslands spreading all around immediately caught my eye and lifted my spirits. The sun was strong, but it was cool. This was exactly what I was looking for.
After about 30 minutes of walking up a gentle slope, enjoying the lush greenery, I saw a building topped with a white sphere, which seemed to be for weather observation. Before I knew it, I had reached the summit of Mount Kurumayama. It didn’t really feel like a “climb,” but still, from the nearly 2000-meter summit, I could enjoy a lovely 360-degree panorama.
I hadn’t eaten breakfast, so I slowly munched on an onigiri while enjoying the view. Usually, I’d finish a tough climb and be starving before eating, but this kind of relaxed meal is nice once in a while.
This white sphere, which seems to be for weather observation, is quite visible even from a distance. It’s handy for identifying the summit of Mount Kurumayama, which is rather flat and makes you wonder, “Where exactly is the peak?”
There’s also Kurumayama Shrine at the summit, with Onbashira pillars enshrined, similar to the nearby Suwa Shrine.
Gazing at Mount Tateshina and Lake Shirakaba
There’s a lift from Kurumayama Kogen Ski Resort to the summit of Mount Kurumayama, and from here, you get a pretty good view of Mount Tateshina and Lake Shirakaba straight ahead. When Mount Tateshina, which had been hidden by clouds while I was at the summit, finally appeared, I couldn’t help but exclaim, “Oh wow!” It really has such a beautiful shape.
The descent towards Kurumayama-norikoshi also offered incredibly beautiful and refreshing grasslands stretching out before me.
From Kurumayama-norikoshi to Chouchou-miyama, I followed a single path through the grasslands. Alpine flowers bloomed here and there. I thought it would be cool, but there was absolutely no shade, so the strong sunlight was a bit intense.
Looking back, summery clouds billowed in the sky. The strong sunlight made the contrast incredibly sharp, which is personally a landscape I really love.
Arrived at Chouchou-miyama, elevation 1836 meters. Just like the summit of Mount Kurumayama, it felt more like the top of a hill than a mountain peak. Even though it was peak summer tourist season, fewer people seemed to venture this far compared to Kurumayama, so I had the summit all to myself that day.
Towards Yashima Wetland
It was a leisurely walk of just under an hour from Chouchou-miyama to the entrance of Yashima Wetland. Amidst all the grasslands, Monomi-iwa (literally “Observation Rock”) stands out as a somewhat unusual rock formation.
Moving past Monomi-iwa, a vast, flat grassland suddenly unfolded before my eyes. This seemed to be the Yashima Wetland—it’s quite expansive! The structure visible on the right side of the photo looks like the ruins of Okukiri Hut, so I figured I’d descend there and walk along the wetland from that point.
Yashima Wetland, Ablaze with Flowers
Yashima Wetland, designated as a National Natural Monument, had fences installed at its entrance to prevent deer from entering.
The first pond you see on this route is Kamaga-ike, which definitely has the classic wetland pond vibe.
Relatively wide boardwalks are set up across the wetland. It seems there’s a promenade specifically for circling just the Yashima Wetland, separate from the “mountain trail” I had been walking. Many people stop to take photos of the flowers blooming along the boardwalk.
This is Yashima-ga-ike, and on this day, the blue sky was reflected in it like a mirror.
The wetland was overflowing with white, pink, yellow, and purple flowers, truly beautiful against the backdrop of green grasslands, blue sky, and white clouds. Plus, with Chestnut Tiger butterflies occasionally resting on the flowers, I just couldn’t help but stop to admire them.
So, yeah, everyone naturally stopped to take photos. After passing through Yashima Wetland and returning to Kurumayama-kata, I saw summery clouds and the summit of Mount Kurumayama. Ah, what a great stroll it was!
Flowers and Insects I Spotted
I must have seen many more insects and flowers, but here are the ones that caught my eye and I managed to photograph. Seriously, why do alpine plants have such beautiful colors and shapes?
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