In August 1972, I set out for my first visit to the Hotaka Mountains.
“My original plan was to go from Dakesawa to Hotaka, then on to Yari, Otenjo, Jonen, Chō, and finally Tokusawa. However, the snowfields in Dakesawa, as seen from the bus, looked extremely steep, and being rather timid, I had no choice but to make a major change to my plan. I then heard that bears had been seen in Yarizawa, and in the end I settled on this route.” —so I wrote in my diary.
It made sense: it was the first time in my life that I had ever seen a snowfield, and I must have felt quite uneasy. There were indeed warning signs about bears, but they would rarely appear on well-traveled mountain trails. Still, it seems that I feared bears more than the rocky ridges of Hotaka.
I left Kamikōchi before noon and stayed that night at the campsite in Yokoo.
The following day, I climbed from Yokoo via Karasawa to the hut at Kitahotaka Hut, but it took me quite a long time. I was not yet accustomed to high altitudes, and my new boots had caused painful blisters.
“In this climb, I became exhausted again and again—on the ascent to Kitahotaka, along the Daikiretto, and on the Higashikama Ridge—everywhere,” I noted.m
In my youth, I had believed I walked much more briskly, but looking back, it seems my lack of stamina has not changed much over the years.
I had packed my old-fashioned Kissering rucksack with all sorts of things, and I suspect I did not even carry it properly. I still remember how steep the descent from Kitahotaka to the Daikiretto felt, and how worried I was that my bulky pack might catch on the rocks.
The route from Mount Yarigatake to Mount Otenjo and Mount Tsubakuro is known as the “Alps Ginza” or “Omote Ginza” course—one of the most popular routes in the Northern Alps. Compared to the first half, it felt easier, and I was able to enjoy a leisurely walk along the ridgeline (though I also wrote that I grew tired even on the Higashikama Ridge).
Reading my old diary now, I find a litany of complaints: the Kissering pack was cumbersome, my blisters were severe, my Radius stove was malfunctioning, and I keenly felt my lack of physical strength. Yet despite all that, completing my first traverse of the 3,000-meter-class peaks of the Japanese Alps filled me with a deep sense of fulfillment.
Looking at the photographs, those magnificent scenes rise again from the fading depths of memory.
Since then, I have been drawn again and again to Hotaka. Even now, when I can no longer undertake such demanding climbs, my dreams still roam those mountains. “What is your favorite mountain?” is a difficult question, but I feel that the Hotaka range, centered around Karasawa, offers the most authentic alpine atmosphere.
In my youth, when I could not fully devote myself to academics or sports, it was the mountains that captivated me. Perhaps that is why Hotaka remains my emotional Heimat, filled with memories from those formative years.
I have scanned some old photographs. They are in black and white and somewhat worn, but I hope you will forgive their imperfections.
English version prepared with AI assistance
(Originally written in Japanese)
Japanese version: