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Trail Architecture in Japan
Man-made accessories on the trail Trail maintenance takes many forms. It can lead to some impressive, and some disruptive trail architecture. In the most basic case, it involves the clearing of debris from an established trail. This is routine maintenance which can be seasonal, especially in the spring after snow-cover melts. Sometimes after storms or…
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A Winding Road: まき道 – Maki Michi
The term まき道 – makimichi literally means ‘winding road.’ That could describe almost every trail in the woods, but maki michi have a specific function. They are alternate routes created in addition to main routes up hills. In Japan’s low mountains, there are many jagged peaks. Maki michi have evolved as a means to quicker…
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Hasetsune Course: Mt Hinode to Itsukaichi Hall
Distance 9.2K Elevation Gain 270m Elevation Drop 925m Long runnable section to finish the course This last section is by far the longest. Though there are some landmarks along the way, the course never crests a mountain or goes through a shrine or temple. It is a nice long, mostly runnable downhill. Sunrise Mountain It…
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Hasetsune Course: Mt Mitake To Mt Hinode
Distance 2.2K Elevation Gain 135m Elevation Drop 115m 2.2K from historic Mitake to the last peak on the course As you enter the town of 御岳山 – Mitakesan, the trail ceases to run a border between municipalities. Where it had been separating 奥多摩町 – Okutama to the north and 檜原村 – Hinohara to the south…
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Hasetsune Course: Mt Otake to Mt Mitake
Distance 3.9K Elevation Gain 128m Elevation Drop 491m The long road down to the finish starts on Mt Otake The route down 大岳山 – Mt Otake starts with a short 80m drop to the main site of the 大岳神社 – Otake Shrine. The stone steps up to the complex from the torii can be slippery,…
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Hasetsune Course: Odawa to Mt Otake
Distance 3.3K Elevation Gain 325m Elevation Drop 65m Rock Scrambles up to Mt Otake This segment begins at a wide part of a mountain road which comes up from the 檜原村 – Hinohara side. The path down to 奥多摩町 – Okutama is blocked and the signs indicate that the road is closed even to pedestrian…
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Hasetsune Course: Mt Gozen to Odawa
Distance 2.8K Elevation Gain 108m Elevation Drop 497m Extended DownHill with Steps and a Water Supply This short section is mostly downhill, punctuated with a few short peaks. The initial section as you step off the top of 御前山 – Mt Gozen is a long wavy staircase. In general we here at jmt distain such…
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Hasetsune Course: Tsukiyomi Parking to Mt Gozen
Distance 4.1K Elevation Gain 471m Elevation Drop 160m Maki Michi, a long Climb, & Trail Architecture Looking at the parking lot from the road side from which you enter, there are three pairs of metal hoops along the back wall. The trail goes through the pair to the left. It starts with a sharp descent.…
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Hasetsune Course: Mt Mito to Tsukiyomi Parking
Distance 5.3K Elevation Gain 257m Elevation Drop 660m This section is has three distinct features: a long descent from 三頭山 – Mt Mito, stretches of runnable trail, and a few short sections where you flirt with the road. I would venture that this is the least practiced upon section, as it is the most remote…
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Hasetsune Course: Saibara Pass to Mt Mito
Distance 3.1K Elevation Gain 472m Elevation Drop 133m Enter the Forest of Tokyo Citizens A quick glance at the elevation chart above and one can tell this is a trail of two halves. The first part is a very nice runnable gentle downhill. Then you start to climb. Runnable First 1K Starting off at 西原峠…
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Hasetsune Course: Maruyama to Saibara Pass
Distance 4.2K Elevation Gain 235m Elevation Drop 149m From 丸山 – Maruyama up to 三頭山 – Mito there are interesting geological features. a type of rock called 数馬御影石 – kazuuma mikageishi – Kazuma Granite can be found here. Interestingly the rock on this souther section of the trail is different than the northern section. To…
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Hasetsune Course: Sengen Pass to Maruyama
Distance 4.9K Elevation Gain 455m Elevation Drop 228m Trail Jizo, a water spot, and a mountain pass with an alias The trail from 浅間峠 – Sengen Pass to 丸山 – Maruyama starts up a short hill. You then head down for a good 200 meters and the familiar up and down starts again. After dipping…
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Hasetsune Course: Mt Mikuni to Sengen Pass
Distance 4K Elevation Gain 196m Elevation Drop 301m Sasa Ridge Power Spot At 三国山 – Mt Mikuni, on a clear day you can see 富士山 – Mt Fuji. It is especially easy in the winter. The air is crisp and visibility is naturally better, and the trees are striped of their leaves. This short section…
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Hasetsune Course: Daigomaru to Mt Mikuni
Two Yama no Kami, Many Maki michi, and two Marus Distance 3.6K Elevation Gain 297m Elevation Drop 202m At about 15K into the course, 醍醐丸 – Daigomaru is a good place to take a break and move stuff around in your pack. There are some benches in the small area that makes up the peak.…
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Hasetsune Course: Mt Ichimichi to Daigomaru
Steep downhill followed by Soft Technical trail Before a multi-pitch climb Distance 2.8K Elevation Gain 264m Elevation Drop 176m Start by turning back to the left after you reach the signpost at the base of the southern approach to the 市道山 – Mt Ichimichi peak. After a bit of slope-hugging, the trail descends increasingly steeply…
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Hasetsune Course: Iriyama Pass to Ichimichi Turn
Relentless up and down section of the Hasetsune Course Distance 4.1K Elevation Gain 480m Elevation Drop 320m This section starts at 601m above sea level, and reaches a maximum of 787m just before the finish. Over the ensuing 4.1K, you climb more than double the 186m altitude difference between the section start and finish. The…
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Hasetsune Course: Mt Imakuma To Iriyama Pass
Hasetsune Course from Imakuma to Iriyama Pass Distance 2.5K Elevation Gain 180m Elevation Drop 70m For the next 30k there will be a series of up/downs gradually increasing in height until 三頭山 – Mt Mito. There is only one road crossing, which comes at the end of this short section. The first piece of the…
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Hasetsune Course: Start to Mt Imakuma
Get to know the first 4.5 K of the Hasetsune Cup course. Distance 4.5K Elevation Gain 350m Elevation Drop 80m The Start: the Jr High Ground The race starts at the junior high ground. Using the honor system, you line up based on your own projected finish time.After a couple welcome speeches, the gun goes…
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The Best 25K Mountain Training Run in Tokyo
Believe me, this is probably the best mountain 25K training run in Tokyo. Though there is about 1200m of climbing, you barely feel it. It has long sections of single-track and a fair amount of technical roots and rocks. The Route The course is a there-and-back between 武蔵五日市 – musashi itsukaichi shi – Musashi Itsukaichi…
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小仏峠 – Little Buddha Pass
小仏峠, pronounced Kobotoke Touge, is a mountain pass on Sasa Ridge. On the run from Mt Takao to Mt Jimba, you pass through Kobotoke Pass between Mt Shiroyama and Mt Kagenobu. The Sasa Ridge starts at Takaosanguchi train station and along its path are mountains including Mt Jimba, Mt Shoutou, and Mt Makiyose, ending at…
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The Every Day Trail Event: Mt Takao to Mt Jimba
15 Kilometers with 4 built-in aid stations, the route from 高尾山 – Takaosan – Mt Takao to 陣馬山 – Jimbasan – Mt Jimba is set up like a trail event for every day. If you are looking for a 3-4 hour trailrun which is easily reachable from central 東京 – Toukyou –Tokyo, the route from…
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How to Read Hasetsune Trail Markers
Often when you are out running the trail with a group, after a bit of time together, there are times when you find yourself out on your own. That is a great time to enjoy some solitude, run at your own pace, and connect with nature, etc. While it is good to get lost in…
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The Hometown of Japan Trailrunning – Musashi Itsukaichi
If trail running had a home town in the Tokyo area, it would have to be 武蔵五日市 – Musashi Itsukaichi in the あきる野市- Akiruno City district. Some may say that 高尾山 – Mt Takao should hold this title. Though Takao is very popular and has many shops and restaurants, the Takao area is very much…
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Mt Takao Trailhead Options: Attractions, Hikes, & Trailruns
Mt Takao is great. Mt Takao can be busy. Takao is the most accessible mountain in Tokyo. It regularly is given three stars in the Michelin Travel Guide. The stars are primarily for the tourist area, which combines a lot of what is good about Japan: nature, history, culture and kitch. Above the cable car…