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青い空、秋の好日に、藤原岳。

10月下旬。本州のくびれた腰のあたり。岐阜、三重、滋賀の3県にまたがる鈴鹿山脈のひとつ「藤原岳」を舞台に、モデルとして活躍しながら山に関するYouTubeチャンネルを手がける山下舞弓さんをゲストに迎え、and wander ハイキングクラブが開催されました。

標高1,140mの藤原岳は、山好きとして知られる作家の田中澄江による『花の百名山』の一座にも数えられ、春の晴れた日にだけ花を咲かす“フクジュソウ”に代表される豊かな山野草が人気の山です。

Clear blue skies and Fujiwara-dake on a beautiful autumn day.

In early October, in central Japan, and wander’s HIKING CLUB visited “Fujiwara-dake”, part of the Suzuka mountain range that straddles Gifu, Mie and Shiga prefectures. The group was joined by model and YouTuber, Mayumi Yamashita, who has her own YouTube channel dedicated to videos about mountain hiking.

At an elevation of 1,140m, Fujiwara-dake is featured in the essay collection Hana no Hyakumeizan (lit. “Flowers of one hundred mountains”) by writer and mountain lover, Sumie Tanaka. It is known for its many wild grasses and flowers, such as Adonis amurensis, which only flowers on sunny spring days.

夏に涼しく、冬に暖かい“招き屋根”が愛らしい「藤原岳登山口休憩所」。今回のスタート/ゴール地点です。25台ほどの駐車スペースがあり、最寄りの三岐鉄道「西藤原駅」から徒歩で10分ほどと、電車でのアクセスにも便利。

登山口に立て記された「藤原岳の四季」によると、一行が訪れた10月下旬は、濃い夏の緑が、目の覚めるような秋の紅葉に変わり始めるころ。さらに冬の樹氷、春は一面のフクジュソウなど、四季を通じて楽しむことができます。

The Fujiwara-dake trailhead rest-house has a distinctive Japanese-style two level roof that is naturally cool in the summer and warm in the winter. This was the starting point and end goal of our hike. Its car park has space for about 25 cars and it is also easily accessible by train, being just ten minutes’ walk from the nearest station - “Nishi-fujiwara” on the Sangi Railway.

According to a trailhead sign about the “Four Seasons of Fujiwara-dake”, early October is when the dark greens of summer start to make way for brightly coloured autumn foliage. Every season has its own charms - the beauty of frost-covered trees in winter and carpets of Adonis amurensis in spring.

さんさんと降りそそぐ木漏れ日を浴びながら、表登山道を登り始める一行。序盤はつい張り切りすぎて体力を消耗してしまいがちですが、できるだけゆっくりと小股でリズム良く、が理想です。少しずつ身体を山に馴染ませるように、一歩一歩。ハイキングクラブでは先頭をつとめるスタッフが参加者に合わせたペース配分を考えて先導してくれるので、安心ですよ。藤原岳さん、今日は一日、よろしくお願いします。

The group starts along the front path as we commence the hike under the dappled sunlight that streams through the foliage. It’s easy to become too enthusiastic at the start of a hike and use up too much energy too early on; but ideally one wants to commence the hike as slowly as possible, taking short steps and getting into a good rhythm. This allows the body to adapt to the mountain environment gradually with each step. The staff member leading the HIKING CLUB always takes care to set the pace according to the participants, so they can relax without having to worry about pacing. As we commence the hike, we greet Mt. Fujiwara-dake, our host for the day.

山の道は次々と現れる岩や小石、木の根を眺めながら歩くだけでも楽しいです。街ではなかなかしませんが、山登りの途中、ぜひしゃがんで目線を低くして斜面を見てみてください。道の両脇から木の根が這い、幹が立ち並び、枝葉が覆い、森のトンネルの中を歩いていることがよくわかります。

One of the simple pleasures of walking on mountain trails is just looking at the rocks, stones and tree roots that appear in front of you one after the other as you walk. You can crouch down to get an ant’s level view of the sloping land - something you would probably never feel inclined to do in the city. From this perspective, you will have a clear view of the natural tunnel created by the tree roots that spread out from the side of the path, the tree trunks that reach up into the air, and the trees’ branches and leaves that arch overhead.

休憩のたびに標高は上がり、参加者同士の距離も縮まってお互いに話しかけやすくなるから登山は不思議。山遊びにまつわるたくさんのインデックスの中でも特に男性に人気なのが「ギア（＝道具）」について。参加者とスタッフのマニアックなギア談義もハイキングクラブによく見られる光景です。

また長時間にわたって全方位的な動きが必要な登山では、ウェアやシューズはもちろん、バックパックに至るあらゆる装備品と身体の間にある“隙間”のコントロールが大切です。一日の山行で数万歩も歩くことを考えると、わずかな違和感が蓄積して疲労やストレスの原因となりかねません。この日は登山経験豊富な山下舞弓さんによる“フィッティング講座”が突然開かれる場面も。コツを得た少しの調整で驚くほど歩きやすさが変わります。

There’s a curious and wonderful thing about hiking – each time we take a break, as we get higher and higher above sea level, the distance between the members of the group somehow shrinks and people find it easier and easier to talk to each other. Of all things hiking-related, the topic of gear is always popular, especially among the male participants. These excursions are often great opportunities for hiking enthusiasts amongst the staff and participants to exchange all sorts of information and tips regarding hiking gear.

Hiking requires multidirectional movement over extended periods of time. As such, it is important to control the various “spaces” between your body and your attire, shoes, backpack and other equipment. When you are taking tens of thousands of steps in a day, even the slightest discomfort can build up over time causing tiredness and stress on the body. At one point during the hike, there was an impromptu “fitting class” by experienced hiker Mayumi Yamashita. Just a few small but well-placed adjustments can make a surprisingly big difference in terms of comfort and ease of movement.

現代の生活ではスマートフォンのことをすっかり忘れて、ただゆっくり歩くことが難しいのかもしれません。歩いているうちに気になることが浮かんできて、そのことに気を取られているとついまた早歩きになってしまう。でも山の中では、ゆっくり歩くほど五感が開かれ、樹木の色や香り、木漏れ日の暖かさ、生き物の気配や風の音など、次々とおもしろい発見があります。

In modern-day life, it can be difficult to completely switch off, to forget about your mobile phone and just go for a leisurely walk. You may find that as you are walking you think about something, and as you get distracted by that thought, you end up walking fast again. But in the mountains, the slower you walk the more alert your five senses become, and the more aware you are of new sensations, such as the colour and smell of the trees, the warmth of the dappled sunlight, the presence of creatures and the sound of the wind.

木は一本でも百本でも驚きを与えてくれます。6合目付近の樹林は谷間からの強風に煽られたのか、みんな揃って幹の根本がねじれていました。まだ若木の細い根っこがしっかりと土を掴み、身体が曲がってしまうくらいの強風に耐え続けていたことを思うと、「よく頑張ったなぁ」と声をかけてあげたい気持ちになります。

Be it a single tree or a grove of a hundred, trees are always full of surprises. At the sixth station, all the trees’ trunks were twisted in the same way, maybe due to a strong wind blowing from the valley. When you imagine how the thin roots of the younger trees must have held on tightly to the soil as they strained against a wind so strong that it could bend their trunks, you feel like calling out to the forest in encouragement.

登山開始から1時間半ほど。それまでの道のりで参加者のみなさんもすっかり打ち解けあって会話も弾みますが、実は山登りは黙っていても「間」が苦になりません。同じ道を歩いているもの同士の息遣いやウェアやザックが擦れる音、次々と流れていく景色を共有することで、無意識の間に心を通わせているのかもしれません。

One and a half hours into the hike, the group’s members have all opened up to each other and the conversation is lively. However, one thing about mountain climbing is that gaps in the conversation or moments of silence are not uncomfortable either. Could this be because, as we all walk along the same path, we are also subconsciously communicating through our shared experience of the changing scenery and of the many sounds, such as the rustling of our gear and our breathing?

9合目付近まで登ってくると藤原岳らしい“カルスト大地”の白いごつごつした岩が現れ、一気に眺望がひらけます。気温が低い山頂付近ではさらに紅葉が進んでおり、もう数週間もすればまさに目の覚めるような鮮やかさになっているでしょう。紅葉はどこから眺めてもきれいですが、伊勢平野から伊勢湾までセットで見渡せる、晴れた日の藤原岳の景観は格別です。

As we get near to the ninth station we start to see the big white rocks of the “karst landscape” that is characteristic of Fujiwara-dake. The temperature near the peak is cooler, and more of the leaves have started to change colour at the higher altitude. In just a few weeks the foliage will be full of bright autumnal colours. Views of autumn leaves are beautiful wherever you see them from, however the view from Fujiwara-dake on a clear day when you can see out over the Ise plain all the way to Ise Bay is exceptionally stunning.

ほぼ予定通り、頂上間近の「藤原山荘」に到着。若干の風があるものの、うららかな空の下で気持ちよく昼食タイム。おにぎりや惣菜パン、カップ麺までメニューはさまざまですが、中には本格的なすき焼きを作る上級者も。

今回はゲストの山下舞弓さんによるおすすめレシピがサービスされました。アツアツでサクサクの「鯖のホットサンド」と、チーズの芳醇な香りが食欲をそそる「カマンベールフォンデュ」。ともに順番待ちができるほど大人気で豊かな休み時間を満喫します。もちろん、ハイキングクラブ恒例のドリップコーヒーサービスも。

We arrived at the “Fujiwara-sanso” lodge, located near the peak, almost exactly on schedule. Although it was slightly windy, we were able to enjoy our lunch under bright clear skies. The lunches people had brought were varied, with some people having onigiri rice balls, others bread rolls or cup noodles, and some even making real sukiyaki.

Guest Mayumi Yamashita’s recommended recipes were also shared with the group. Piping hot and crispy “toasted mackerel sandwiches” and a “camembert fondue” that filled the air with an enticingly rich and cheesy aroma. We all enjoyed a refreshing break, with both dishes so popular that people were queueing up to be served. Of course, the customary HIKING CLUB drip coffee was also served.

午後に向けて満たされたお腹を休める間、デザイナーの森さんとゲストの山下さんを囲んでトークタイム。それぞれ登山をはじめたきっかけの話では、“友達やパートナーに誘われて”という理由が多数を占めていました。

As we let our stomachs rest in preparation for the hike back down in the afternoon, we sat round with designer Ms. Mori and guest Ms. Yamashita for a talk session. When everyone shared why they had started hiking, being “invited by friends or partners” emerged as a common theme.

休憩後、藤原山荘の近くにある展望台に向かう一行。視界の至るところで鹿が気持ちよさそうに駆け回っていました。遠くから見ると人も植物も動物もそれぞれが「色」に見え、and wanderのウェアが山容に馴染んでいるのがよくわかります。

After the break, the group headed to a lookout point near Furiwara-sanso lodge. Everywhere we looked, deer were frolicking happily. From a distance, the people, plants and animals all appear as “colours”, demonstrating how and wander hiking wear blends into the mountain scene.

1,140mの山頂では360度を見渡せる爽快な景色が待っていました。北西に広がる鈴鹿山脈の荒く険しい山並みは数百年前の隆起によってできたのだそう。山々の向こうには琵琶湖があります。

At the 1,140-metre-high peak we were greeted by an exhilarating 360-degree view. It is believed that the rough and treacherous mountain ranges of the Suzuka mountains that were visible to the northwest were created by geologic upheaval hundreds of years ago.

山頂の澄んだ空気をたっぷり味わったら、来た道をまた歩いて下山します。足元に視野が広がる下りでは、登りでは気が付かなかったさまざまな“アート作品”を見つけることができました。きっとみなさんの中にも、登山の最中に突如として現れる誰かの“遊び”に、疲れを癒された経験があるのではないでしょうか。

ひとつ例を挙げれば、行き交う登山者がひとつの作品を“アップデート”し続けているタイプです。たまたま誰かが切り株に小枝を置く。後から来た別の誰かも小枝を置く。さらに後から来た誰かが…という具合にただ“枝を置く”という行為が連鎖し、不思議な姿にまで成長してしまったものなどです。

また最近、隣の山から越してきた石の家族のような作品や、木漏れ日に照らされる多彩な色をまとった石など、石や葉っぱの場合もあります。鮮やかな紅葉シーズンを期待させる色とりどりの落ち葉は、シチューに入ったおいしそうな野菜に見えました。

After filling our lungs with the crisp summit air, we descended the mountain via the same route we had come up. On the descent, we have a wider field of vision around our feet, and we discover numerous “works of art” that had gone unnoticed on the way up. I’m sure that many of our readers have also felt their exhaustion fade when they suddenly came across someone’s artistic creation while on a hike.

One such example is when hikers each “update” a work of art as they pass it. Say one person just happened to place a twig on a stump. Then someone who came along later also places a twig on the same stump. And then another person, and another person, thus the original single act becomes a sequence of acts and eventually grows into a mysterious creation.

Or it could be stones or leaves. For example, a group of stones that looks like a family that has recently travelled over from the next mountain, or a stone that reflects the colourful hues of the dappled sunlight. Or the brightly coloured fallen leaves, hinting to the autumn season to come, that seem to resemble tasty vegetables in a stew.

大きな段差や石、木の根につまずいてバランスを崩しやすく、衝撃を吸収する膝に疲労が溜まる下りの道。トレッキングポールがあると重心移動が安定するだけでなく、腕の重さも分散できて便利です。もちろん下り道だけでなく、登りでは身体を持ち上げる第3の足となり、平地では腕を休ませる支えに。この日も多くの方が使用していました。

On the descent, it’s easy to lose one’s balance on an uneven part of the path, or to trip on tree roots, and our knees can get tired from constantly having to act as shock absorbers. Trekking poles can be useful by allowing for more stability when shifting one’s centre of gravity and by also helping to disperse weight through the arms. Of course, they can also be used on the ascent as a third leg to pull the body up, or to let the arms rest when on level ground. Many people used trekking poles on this hike too.

無事に下山してくるとハイキングクラブ特製ワッペンのプレゼントが待っていました。「また山でお会いしましょうね」と山下さんから一人ひとりに手渡されます。この日のために何度も練習登山をして挑んだ方も、早起きして大阪方面から参加してくださった方も、数ヶ月前から準備に奔走したスタッフも、みんな心地よい疲労感を携えながら、それぞれの帰路に。

Upon completing the descent, everyone received a specially-made HIKING CLUB woven patch as a present. Ms. Yamashita personally handed them to each hiker saying “lets meet again on the mountain”. Then everyone set off on their respective journeys home, tired but content; some had done many practice hikes in preparation for this day, others woke up very early to join us from Osaka, and the staff started preparing for this hike months ago.

雄大な姿でそびえる山はしばしば、大きな志の象徴として讃えられますが、一方では日常にそっと寄り添うような身近な山もあります。日々の暮らしの中で、喉が渇いたら水を飲むように、目が疲れたら窓の外を眺めるように、無意識のうちにしている些細な仕草にも、僕たちは自然によって心身のバランスを微調整しているのだという証左を見ることができます。

街の暮らしのすぐ側にあって、気負わずに、誰の手にも届く山。幼い頃には父と手を繋いで、やがて学友と語りながら、時々ひとりで気ままに登る。藤原岳は、そんな些細な日常で彩られる、みんなの“アルバム”のような山でした。

Magnificent mountains that tower above us are often referred to as symbols of grand aspirations. However, mountains can also be familiar companions to our day-to-day lives. In the same way that we look out the window when our eyes are tired or that we drink water when we feel thirsty, our unconscious actions show how we turn to nature for mental and physical balance.

Easily accessible mountains can be a backdrop to urban life. These are the mountains that we climbed as children holding our parents’ hands, that we climbed as students immersed in deep conversation and that we sometimes climb solo and carefree. Fujiwara-dake is like an “album” filled with these snapshots from our lives.