Jiigatake

“I had a chance to visit Jiigatake and was fascinated by its three peaks - the north, middle, and south. The middle peak was the highest, standing tall at 2,669 meters. Interestingly, I learned that local teenagers in the Shinano-Omachi area undertake a climb to Mt.Tateyama Oyama as part of a school tradition, while those in Toyama do the same with Mt. Surprisingly, such a tradition doesn't exist in Kanagawa Prefecture or even Tokyo. Looking forward to hearing others' experiences and perspectives. Best regards,”

“I have experienced the mystique of Mt. Jiigatake with its three intriguing peaks. Initially, I climbed the southern peak and felt a sense of accomplishment, only to discover that the middle peak was indeed the highest. The need to ascend it again brought about a unique thrill akin to the joy of rice bran. This journey was documented through aerial photography on YouTube.”

“During the Obon holidays, I chose to ascend Mt. Jigatake together with my wife and second daughter. We hit the trail at 5:40 am, starting our journey on the Kashiwara New Trail. Despite its steepness, the trail is well-maintained and pleasant to climb. The surrounding foliage provided shade and a cool environment, making our climb enjoyable. We reached Taneike Sanso, dropped off our luggage, and continued our hike towards the southern peak of Jigatake. Although our view was obscured by fog, we relished in the adventure. Upon descending, we returned to the hut and savored a scrumptious pizza. The weather took a turn for the worse at around 10:30 am, compelling us to descend hastily. Fortunately, the rain ceased after 10 minutes and we enjoyed a serene descent under intermittent sunlight, reaching the trailhead at 13:10. Years later, in anticipation of the birth of my first grandchild, I decided to revisit the mountain. This time, the landscape was adorned with the beginnings of autumn foliage. Although the trail was more crowded, we managed to start our climb at 5:45 am, reaching Taneike at 08:30. Our mission was to purchase a "Jii" T-shirt, but unfortunately, only two green 3L size shirts were left. We then ascended to the southern peak of Jijigatake, enjoyed some seafood noodles we had packed, and began our descent. The weather was fine, but the view on the southeastern side was obscured. However, the Japan Sea side offered a clear view of the traverse route to Mt. Kashima-Yari and Mt. Tsurugi, allowing us to appreciate the breathtaking mountain scenery. My knees were a bit sore during the descent, probably from pushing myself too hard on the climb, but despite the minor discomfort, the experience was worthwhile. The hiking trails are well-kept and I am certain that the autumn leaves will make the view even more stunning in a week's time. I highly recommend this adventure!”

“I found Jiigatake beautifully positioned at the very southern end of the Hakuba mountain range.”