In Japan to visit trek travel agencies, I took the opportunity that last Monday was a national holiday to do the 3 days traverse called Shirane-sanzan in the Southern Alps with 2 friends. The second day is spend on a ridge linking Mount Kitadake, the second highest peak in Japan with 2 other 3000m summits : Ainodake and Nōtoridake. They offer gorgeous views, especially on the nearby Mount Fuji as well as the Central and Northern Alps, Yatsugatake…

At first my friends were talking about staying in mountain lodges. But generally speaking lodges in Japan and especially at Shirane-sanzan are not as comfortable as the ones Europe. The night with breakfast and dinner is around 8000 yen, making the 2 nights for about 16000yen; with the spectacular increase of the yen regarding euro and dollars it was about 140 euros (180 dollars), the price of a night in a 4 stars hotel in a resort like Chamonix! I imposed camping, and I’m glad we did! Camping in mountain is generally such a nice experience. The first night we camped at the Kitadake-kata-no-koya lodge’s camp site just under the summit. The second night was spent in the wild, away from lodges, with mountains and the panorama on Mount Fuji facing us all for ourselves. Moments of wilderness and solitude shared with friends, such a pleasure! On top of that, we could taste real gourmet dinners of fresh vegetables prepare by my friends; I had never seen such a thing!

At this period of the year, it can easily and quickly become winter conditions in the Japanese Alps, so we were equipped in consequence: backpacks were heavy! I was especially worrying about the ridge, exposed to northern wind, being covered with ice as I experienced once. In fact except a continuous and strong wind the second day, we had exceptionally good conditions. Blue sky, just some remaining snow from the past weeks, breathtaking mountain views, scarlet sunrise on Mount Fuji…pure happiness! And of course at the end of the trek, a bath in the nearby onsen as a reward.

What else do you want more?
A rare species, like the rock ptarmigan, coming from the ice age, who ran away in altitude when glaciers reseeded? Here you go :

Yes these three days in the Southern Alps where just magic on a lot of aspects !