2024.01.26
Report | and wander HIKING CLUB
in Kita-Yatsugatakeand wander journal #71
長野県中央部、諏訪湖の東側から山梨県へと伸びる山塊「八ヶ岳」は、その異なる山容から南北に分けて呼称されています。「赤岳（2,899m）」に代表される険しい南八ヶ岳とは対照的に、山容がおだやかで森や湖、頂のバリエーションに富んでいるのが北八ヶ岳。
今回のハイキングクラブはその北八ヶ岳が舞台。一泊二日の初の雪山での開催でもあり、夜は標高2,400mの黒百合平に建つ山小屋「黒百合ヒュッテ」に宿泊しながら、めいっぱい冬の山歩きを楽しんできました。うつくしい雪の森や、2,000m超級からの絶景、そして山小屋での憩いの様子を、どうぞお楽しみください。
The Yatsugatake Massif stretches from the east side of Lake Suwa in central Nagano into Yamanashi prefecture. The range can be divided into Northern and Southern Yatsugatake which have quite contrasting landscapes. Southern Yatsugatake is steep and rocky and is host to Yatsugatake’s highest peak–Akadake (2,899m). Northern Yatsugatake, on the other hand, has much gentler slopes and is home to a variety of alpine landscapes, including forests, lakes, and differently shaped peaks.
The setting for this Hiking Club was Northern Yatsugatake. This trip was the club’s first snow hike and was held over two days. The group stayed at the Kuroyuri Hyutte, located on the Kuroyuri plain at an altitude of 2,400m, and the two days were a great opportunity for participants to fully experience winter hiking. Read on to discover the beautiful snowy forests of Northern Yatsugatake, the exceptional views from over 2,000m, and the pleasures of staying in a mountain hut.
1日目 いざ雪山へ
よく晴れた12月のある日。長野県はJR中央本線の茅野駅に参加者が続々と集まってきました。みんな少し緊張した様子。初めて会うもの同士でこれから一泊二日の登山に行くわけですから、無理もありません。
Day 1 To the snowy peaks!
On a bright, clear day in December, Hiking Club participants gather at Chino station on the JR Chuo Main Line in Nagano prefecture. Everybody looks a little bit nervous, which is hardly surprising as they are all about to head off on a two-day hike with people they have only just met for the first time.
二日間にわたって帯同してくださる山岳ガイドの山本典子さん。車内では登山中にも使える「簡単ツボ講座」が開かれました。バスは茅野市のシンボルでもあるカラマツの森の奥へと進んでいきます。
甲斐の戦国大名、武田信玄ゆかりの秘湯でもある渋御殿湯に到着。既に標高は1,880mもあり、バスを降りた途端、急に寒さが増しました。トイレを済ませ、ウェアやチェーンスパイクなどの装備品を最終確認。登山口はこのすぐ奥です。
Mountain guide Noriko Yamamoto will lead the group for the two days. On the bus she gives us a short lecture about “easy pressure points” that can also be used while hiking. As she talks, the bus heads deep into the forest of Japanese larch trees, which are also a symbol of Chino city.
The group arrives at the hot spring hotel, Shibu Gotenyu, a secluded hot spring that was also frequented by Kai Province1 warlord, Takeda Shingen. Already at 1,880m, we notice that it is much colder outside as we get off the bus. After a toilet break we do a final check of all our gear and spikes etc. The trailhead is just a little bit further on.
1 Kai Province was established during the Nara period in the area of Japan that is today Yamanashi Prefecture.
心身をほぐしながらゆっくりと
渋川の堰堤にかかる橋を渡って登山開始。すぐに高見石と黒百合平の分岐が現れて、一行は右の黒百合平方面へ。実は翌日、ぐるっと山を回って左の高見石側からこの同じところに下りてくるのでした。
初めは身体を慣らすように、意識的にゆっくり歩いていきます。一本道なのに、みなさんがあちこちに向いているのは、雪道を滑らないように一歩一歩踏み出す足の位置を選んで置いているからです。時間はかかりますが、安全のため。またゆっくり歩くことで小さな発見も。雪の上に残ったさまざまなフィールドサインを見つけるのも楽しいです。
A gentle pace to relax our bodies and minds
We start our hike by crossing the bridge over the dam on River Shibu. Almost immediately we arrive at a fork in the trail, one side leading to Takamiishi, the other to Kuroyuri plain, and we take the path on the right towards Kuroyuri. Our route will take us on a big loop, and tomorrow we will actually come back down the mountain from the Takamiishi side of this fork.
We consciously walk slowly at first to help our bodies get used to the terrain. It’s a single path but the reason everybody is facing a different direction is because we are all carefully choosing the best place to put our feet for each step so as not to slip on the snowy path. It takes time, but it’s the safest way to climb. Walking slowly also means we make more little discoveries along the way. It’s fun to look for the various animal tracks left in the snow.
五感で楽しむ山の昼食
1時間半ほどで唐沢鉱泉分岐に到着。荷物を降ろして楽しみにしていた昼食の時間です。今回はクラフト・レトルトフードメーカーの「ONE POT WONDER」によるチキンカレーのフムスサンドを食します。あちこちから「おいしー！」の声。
昼食を終えるとガイドの山本さんが、シラビソの樹の幹の表面にある秘密を教えてくれました。爪でちょっと押してみるとまぁびっくり。柑橘系のいい匂いのする透明の樹液が出てきます。虫除けの効果があり、樹はこの樹液で害虫から身を守っているのだそう。
Lunch on the mountain is a feast for all the senses
After about an hour and a half, we arrive at the Karasawa-kosen fork. We unload our bags and then it’s the time we’ve all been looking forward to–lunch. Today’s lunch is a chicken curry hummus sandwich provided by craft boil-in-the-bag food maker, “ONE POT WONDER”. As we tuck in, cries of “Oishii!” (it’s delicious) erupt from all over the group.
After lunch, our guide Ms. Yamamoto shows us a secret hidden in the bark of the Veitch’s silver-fir, a fir that is native to Japan. As she gently pushes it with her nail–what a surprise, a citrus-scented clear sap oozes out! This sap acts as a natural insect repellant, and the tree uses it to ward off pests.
安全はみんなで管理
登山開始から約2時間が経過。標高が2,000mを超えて雪も深くなってきたところで、チェーンスパイクを装着。グリップ力が増して雪道も安心して歩くことができます。
この辺りから所々に顔を出しはじめる金網。雪が積もって見えませんが、岩と岩のすき間や歩行が危険なところなどに掛けられ、登山者の安全を支える一方で、自然への影響を最小限にとどめる役割も担っています。
We all make sure everyone is safe
It’s now been about two hours since we started hiking. We have exceeded 2,000m and the snow is starting to get a bit deep so we put on our microspikes. With the additional grip we can now feel more confident walking through snow as we continue our hike.
From here we start to see metal mesh mats here and there on the trail. Although you can’t see them all under the snow, they have been laid in the cracks between rocks and in places where walking would otherwise be dangerous. They serve to not only make the trail safer for hikers, but also to minimize our impact on the natural environment.
初めての山小屋泊
ついに黒百合ヒュッテ到着。1956（昭和31）年にできた黒百合ヒュッテは、雪山を楽しみたい登山者にはとてもありがたい通年営業をしている数少ない山小屋でもあります。名の由来は梅雨になるとこの小さな平地に咲くクロユリの花から。今夜はこちらの小屋にお世話になります。
Staying in a mountain hut for the first time
Finally, we arrive at Kuroyuri Hyutte. Built in 1956, Kuroyuri Hyutte is one of few mountains huts that remain open all year round and is very much appreciated by hikers who want to enjoy the mountains during the winter season. The name of the hut is inspired by the Kamchatka or “black” lilies that flower on this small plain during the rainy season. Tonight, we will be staying in this mountain hut.
2,400mでのシャンプーとアイスクリームづくり
夕食までまだ時間がたっぷりあるので、みんなでワークショップにチャレンジ。まずは作ったその夜にすぐ使えて、頭皮にやさしく山行にも便利なドライシャンプー作りに挑戦。コーンスターチと重曹を混ぜ、エッセンシャルオイルで香りをつけます。各テーブルをのぞいてみると「くしゃみ禁止」の緊張が走っていました。完成後はさっそくみんなで頭皮に振りかけシャカシャカシャカ。マッサージにもなって気持ち良さそうです。
続いてアイスクリームづくり。ナルゲンボトルに牛乳と生クリームと砂糖を入れて混ぜ合わせ、小屋の外の雪中、天然の冷凍庫でじっくり凍らせて夕食後に予定されているトークタイムのデザートにしました。
Making shampoo and ice cream at 2,400m
As we have plenty of time before dinner, we all join a workshop. First of all, we have a go at making dry shampoo, which we will all be able to use this evening. This dry shampoo is very gentle on the scalp and also perfect for taking hiking. We mix cornstarch and bicarbonate of soda and add a little essential oil for fragrance. Looking round the tables there is a tense “no sneezing allowed” atmosphere. Once we have made the shampoo, we all give it a go, sprinkling it on our heads. Rubbing it in to our hair roots also serves as a pleasant scalp massage.
Next, ice cream making. We mix milk, cream and sugar together in Nalgene bottles and then leave them outside to freeze in nature’s freezer. They will be tonight’s desert, which we will enjoy during the after-dinner talk time.
黒百合ヒュッテの夕食
さあいよいよお楽しみの夕食の時間。疲れた身体がよろこぶ手作りハンバーグをいただきました。粒がキラキラしたご飯とあたたかいお味噌汁はなんとおかわり自由。野菜や煮物など、栄養バランスが考えられたメニューに小屋番のみなさんのやさしさを感じます。特に保存の効かない生鮮食品はふもとから担いで持ってくる必要があるため、とても貴重なのではないでしょうか。ここが2,400mの山の中だということを忘れてしまうほどおいしかったです。
Dinner at Kuroyuri Hyutte
Now the time we’ve all been waiting for–dinner. The handmade hamburgers are just what our tired bodies need and the perfectly cooked rice and hot miso soup come with free refills. The nutritious meal includes plenty of salad and cooked vegetables and reflects the kind hospitality of our hosts at the mountain hut. Fresh ingredients, especially those that do not keep long, must be a scarce resource as they have to be physically carried up the mountain. The meal is so delicious it makes us forget that we are 2,400m above sea level.
山小屋での暮らしを聞く
夕食の後、黒百合ヒュッテのご主人、米川岳樹さんを囲んで八ヶ岳の魅力や山小屋の歴史などについてお話を聞きました。厳しい自然環境にある山小屋は建物の老朽化が早く、定期的に修復を重ねてきた一方で、だんだん山小屋修復の専門知識を持った大工さんが減ってきているそう。
また山小屋のスタッフは小屋にやってきた登山客をもてなすだけでなく、周辺の登山道の整備、山の植生や動物たちの生態の保全管理（その範囲が驚くほど広い）、山の中で事故が起きた緊急時には、いの一番に駆けつけて救助をサポートすることもあるそう。そんな山小屋のおかげで、安心して登山することができるのだと再認識できました。
Learning about mountain hut life
After dinner, we all sit around the owner of Kuroyuri Hyutte, Takeki Yonekawa, to hear about the charms of the Yatsugatake mountains and the history of Kuroyuri Hyutte. He tells us that, due to the harsh weather conditions, the hut ages quickly and they regularly need to do repairs. However, builders who have specialist knowledge of repairing and restoring mountain huts are increasingly few and far between.
We also learn that the role of mountain hut staff is not only to welcome hikers who come to the hut for shelter, but also includes maintaining the surrounding trails, conservation, and management of the surrounding habitat for plants and animals (the area they cover was surprisingly large!), and even being the first on the scene in the case of any accident or emergency in the mountains. We are reminded that it is thanks to the presence of such huts that us hikers are able to enjoy the mountains with peace of mind.
楽しい雑魚寝
20時の就寝の時間となり、2階の大部屋にはずらりと布団が敷かれていました。今日一日、一緒に山を登ってきた仲間と並んで眠ります。ちなみに消灯後は完全にまっ暗になるので、階下のトイレに行くには両手が自由になるヘッドライトが必須。寝ている人を起こさないようにそーっと忍足で。
Sleeping together - “Zakone” style
It’s 8pm and time for lights-out so we head up to the large room on the second floor where our futons have all been laid out side by side. Tonight, we sleep alongside the same people we hiked with all day. Once the lights are turned off, it’s pitch black, so a head lamp that enables you to keep both hands free is essential when going to the downstairs toilet in the night. We creep out of the room like ninjas so as not to wake anyone.
2日目
ちょっとそこまで朝日を見に
目が覚めるともう朝食の用意ができていました。真っ白な炊き立てご飯と味噌汁に、焼き魚に煮物や漬物などがついて、しっかり元気をチャージ。
朝食後はみんなで朝日を見ようということになり、小屋の前の「天狗の奥庭」へ。眼上には雲ひとつない虚空が広がり、やがて東の空がゆっくりとオレンジ色に変わり始めました。写真は朝日に浮かび上がる天狗岳の双耳峰。向かって左側の尖っている方が「東天狗」。右側の丸みを帯びた方が「西天狗（2,646m）」。
Day two
Popping out to see the sunrise
Breakfast is already waiting for us when we wake up. Freshly cooked white rice and miso soup with grilled fish, stewed vegetables, and pickles recharge us for the day ahead.
After breakfast we head out to Tengu no Okuniwa (Tengu’s back yard) in front of the hut to see the sunrise. We look out to see a completely cloudless and clear sky. Slowly, the sky to the east turns orange. Pictured are the two peaks of Mt. Tengu, backlit by the sunrise. The pointy one on the left is called Higashi (East) Tengu and the rounder one on the right is Nishi (West) Tengu (2,646m).
絶景が待つ中山峠へ
たっぷり朝日を堪能し、小屋に戻って荷物を整えたらいよいよ出発。小屋のスタッフのみなさんがわざわざお見送りしてくださいました。スタッフのみなさんも食事も居心地もすべてがあたたかい黒百合ヒュッテ。必ずまた訪れたいと思いました。
2日目も快晴に恵まれ、青空と雪道の間の山の稜線を北へ北へと歩きます。時折、背後の視界が開けると大きな天狗が羽を広げて一行を見送ってくれているようでした。ガイドの山本さんに導かれるようにして歩き、銀世界の中を少しずつ標高を上げていきます。
To the Nakayama pass and its amazing view
After enjoying the sunrise, we return to the hut to pack up our things and get ready to set off. The staff from the hut even come to see us off. The people, the food and the atmosphere were all so warm at Kuroyuri Hutte. I’m sure we’ll be back.
We are blessed with good weather again on day two as we head north along the mountain ridge, with snow beneath us and blue sky above us. When we sometimes look back and get a clear view of the mountains, we can see Mt. Tengu spreading its wings as if to wave to us as we leave. Following the lead of our guide, Ms. Yamamoto, we continue to climb through the winter wonderland.
樹林の中の「中山（2,496m）」を通過して、その奥にある大きく開けた「中山展望台」へ到着。大きなケルン（石積）がいくつもありました。遥か遠くには霞みがかった北アルプスの山々も。
We pass the forested Nakayama (2,496m) to reach the Nakayama View Point. Here we are surrounded by many cairns (stone piles) and in the haze in the distance we can see the Northern Alps.
高見石小屋
北八ヶ岳特有の瑞々しい苔や、樹々の合間から指す木漏れ日を浴びながら、ゆるやかなくだりを「高見石小屋」へと向かいます。小屋の中にはランタンがたくさん吊され、まるでおとぎ話の世界のよう。実はand wanderはこの高見石小屋で2012年SSのカタログ撮影をさせてもらったことがありました。
Takamiishi Goya
As we walk through dappled sunlight down a gentle decline towards Takamiishi Goya mountain hut, we are surrounded by the vibrant moss that is typical of the Northern Yatsugatake mountains. Inside the hut it’s like we’ve arrived in a fairytale land, with a canopy of lanterns hanging from the ceiling. and wander actually used this hut as the location for the photography for its 2012 SS catalogue.
昼食に高見石小屋の名物の揚げパンとホットドッグにコーヒーをいただいたあと、小屋のご主人の木村託さんとお話することができました。登山道だけではない、北八ヶ岳全体の環境保全や修復への取り組みについて、みんなで考えて取り組んでいくべき課題はたくさんあります。
人と山との関わりはさまざまですが、例えば歩くための木道は、あれば便利だけど山の生態そのものに干渉してまで必要なのか。山の気持ちになってより良い関係を築こうと働きかける木村さんたちの想いに共感しました。
After enjoying Takamiishi Goya’s famous agepan (deep fried bread) and hotdog with coffee for lunch, we have a chance to talk with the hut’s owner, Taku Kimura. We learn that there are many issues that concern us all and that we need to address together in order to protect the entire environment and habitat of Northern Yatsugatake, not just around the hiking trails.
There are many different ways that people can interact with the mountains, but for example, wooden paths might be useful for hikers, but it is really necessary to install them even when it means interfering with the ecosystem? Mr. Kimura’s work to promote a relationship with nature that looks at things from the point of view of the mountain itself resonates with us.
高見石小屋のすぐ裏手の岩塊によじ登ると、蓼科山（2,531m）や縞枯山（2,403m）を拝む絶景が広がり、眼下に見える北八ヶ岳最大の山上湖、白駒池は凍っていました。池の周辺には山の自浄作用とも言われる「縞枯現象」が。
When we climb onto a rock behind Takamiishi Goya, we get a view of Mt. Tateshina (2,531m) and Mt. Shimagare (2,403m), while below us we can look out over the largest mountain lake of Northern Yatsugatake, Lake Shirakoma, which is currently frozen over. Around the lake we can see “fir waves”, which are said to be a way that the mountain cleansing itself.
ヨイショコラショノ賽ノ河原
高見石小屋を後にし、いよいよ最後の行程です。原始的な苔の森を少し歩くと一面が無数の岩石に埋め尽くされた「賽ノ河原」の斜面が現れました。次々と風景が変化する実に豊かな北八ヶ岳の山容です。
Sainokawara
We leave Takamiishi Goya and start on the final leg of our hike. After walking through the primordial mossy forest, we come to Sainokawara–a slope that is filled with countless rocks. Northern Yatsugatake is truly a place of everchanging landscapes.
旅の終わりに
ゴロゴロした岩石の賽ノ河原を無事に渡りきり、再び苔の森の中を1時間ほど歩きます。あっという間だったこの二日間を振り返りながらスタート地点の渋の湯まで戻ってきました。
みんな無事に下山。思い出をたくさんの北八ヶ岳。
一晩、山の中に身を置いてみてはじめて気がつくことがあります。それは不便という言葉のすぐ裏にある大切なこと。つい在って当たり前だと思いがちな、自然や空気や水、植物や昆虫や動物、四季や食事や健康のこと。
今回宿泊した黒百合ヒュッテや、昼食をとった高見石小屋は、これまでいったいどれだけの登山者を見送ってきたのでしょう。
その一人ひとりとなった今回のハイキングクラブ一行は、水と食事と寝床をいただき、空と星を眺め、陽と火に暖をとり、緑に癒やされました。それは当たり前ではなく、支える人々がいてくれるおかげだと知ることができた、北八ヶ岳でした。
At the end of our trip
After safely crossing the rocky Sainokawara, we walk for another hour or so through the mossy forest again. We reflect on the past two days, which went by very quickly, as we arrive back at the starting point of our hike, Shibu No Yu.
All safely returned. Northern Yatsugatake is now full of memories.
We discovered something for the first time after spending a night in the mountains–something important hiding behind the notion of “inconvenience”. We discovered the things that we tend to take for granted–nature, air, water, plants, insects and animals, the four seasons, food and our health.
I wonder how many hikers have passed through Kuroyuri Hyutte, where we stayed, and Takamiishi Goya, where we had lunch.
Each member of our group is now one of those people. We were given water, food and shelter. We looked at the sky and the stars. We took warmth from the sun and fire, and nature healed our bodies and souls. Northern Yatsugatake taught us that these are things that we cannot take for granted, and that they exist thanks to the people who make them possible.
translation Yuko Caroline Omura