2024.09.09
Report | and wander HIKING CLUB
in Kita-Yatsugatake Takamiishi Goyaand wander journal #80
梅雨入り間近の北八ヶ岳へ。標高2,300mの深い森にある“星とランプの宿”として知られる「高見石小屋」を起点に、太古からの樹海に生す苔や豊かな植生、夜空に広がる星々、登山道の整備などについて、楽しみながら学ぶ1泊2日のハイキングクラブが開催されました。
悠久の地球の営みを身体いっぱいに感じることができた2日間の様子を、どうぞお楽しみください。
The start of the Japanese rainy season is imminent as we head into Kita-Yatsugatake (the Northern Yatsugatake mountains). For this two-day Hiking Club excursion, we will stay at Takamiishi Goya, also known as the “mountain hut of stars and lamps”. Takamiishi Goya is located deep inside the forest at an altitude of 2,300m. During our visit we will explore this forest of ancient trees, immerse ourselves in a world of moss and lush vegetation, marvel at the stars that fill the night sky and also learn about the challenges of mountain trail maintenance.
Read on and delve into our two-day adventure through the earth’s perpetual life force.
DAY1
北八ヶ岳の素肌 / Kita-Yatsugatake unveiled
今回のスタート・ゴール地点となる麦草ヒュッテ。予報では曇りのち雨でしたが、朝のうちはまだ晴れ間も見え、辺りは鮮やかな新緑に包まれていました。
午前11時。登山ガイドの山本典子さんに先導されて麦草峠登山口を出発……と思いきや、「ちょっと見せたいものが」とのことで後ろを着いていくと、なんと池の側に「ヒカリゴケ」がありました。じんわり光る不思議な姿にみんな大喜び。
This Hiking Club starts and ends at Mugikusa Hutte. Although the forecast for the day was cloud followed by rain, there were still some patches of blue sky shining through in the morning as we set off through the bright spring greenery.
11 a.m. We start our hike from the Mugikusa Pass trailhead, led by mountain guide Noriko Yamamoto… or so we thought until she says “there’s something I want to show you”. We follow her to the lakeside where she proceeds to show us some Dragon’s gold or luminous moss. Everyone is delighted at the mystical sight of the faintly luminescent moss.
八ヶ岳の麓に暮らす山本さんは「山はやさしく歩こう」をテーマに、ピークハントだけではない、山の自然の小さな発見を楽しく教えてくれる頼もしい存在。昨冬の北八ヶ岳に続き、今回もガイドをお願いさせていただきました。
Our guide, Ms. Yamamoto, lives at the foot of Yatsugatake. With her motto: “walk gently in the mountains”, she shows us that hiking is not all about trying to conquer and tick off as many peaks as possible. Our trusted guide, she helps us discover all the small natural fascinations that are to be found in the mountains. This is the second time we have asked her to accompany us into the mountain, following our previous hike in Kita-Yatsugatake last winter.
歩き始め1時間ほどは北八ヶ岳の多様な森を楽しむことができます。縄文時代に石器に用いる黒曜石の産地でもあった「黒曜の森」、ハイマツやコケモモといった亜高山植物に囲まれた「白駒の奥庭」と続き、針葉樹が立ち並ぶ「白駒の森」には波打つような苔の絨毯が。この辺りは他の植物が根を伸ばせないほど表土が薄く、苔の光合成に適した環境なのです。
For about an hour after we start walking we admire the many marvels of Kita-Yatsugatake’s forests: the “Kokuyo no mori” (forest of obsidian) which was a source of obsidian for stoneware during the Jomon Period (14,000 - 300 BC), the “Shirakoma no Okuniwa” (back garden of Shirakoma) which is surrounded by subalpine plants such as the Japanese stone pine (Pinus pumila) and the lingonberry or mountain cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea). Then we enter the “Shirakoma forest”, which is surrounded by conifers and where the ground is covered in an undulating carpet of moss. The topsoil around here is so thin that most plants are unable to spread their roots, making it the ideal environment for moss to photosynthesise.
「白駒池」で小休憩。標高2,100m以上にある天然湖としては日本最大の湖面を眺めながら、みんな思い思いにエネルギーを補給します。ガイドの山本さんはおすすめだという煮干しとナッツを食べていました。
この先の道は急登になるためスリップに注意。歩幅を大きくとるときは、なるべく手も使って体を支えましょう。
We take a short break at Shirakoma Pond. Although it’s called a “pond” it is in fact a lake with the largest surface area of any natural lake in Japan above 2,100m. We look out over its expansive waters as we recharge. Our guide Ms. Yamamoto enjoys some niboshi (small dried fish) and nuts, a snack that she highly recommends.
From here on in we must be careful not to slip as the path becomes very steep. When taking big steps, it’s best to try and use your hands to steady yourself.
高見石小屋に向かう「高見の森」で「オサバグサ」を見つけました。白駒池周辺には10カ所もの森があり、森を散策するだけで充分に原生の苔や植生を楽しむことができます。
On our way to Takamiishi Goya we pass through Takami Forest where we come across Pteridophyllum, a flowering plant endemic to Japan. There are 10 forests located around Shirakoma Pond, and just walking around these forests alone provides plenty of opportunities to enjoy the native plants and moss.
高見石小屋
白駒池から40分ほどで今夜宿泊する高見石小屋に到着。ちょうどお昼どきとあってたくさんの登山者が訪れていました。たっぷり北八ヶ岳の森を堪能してきたみんなはすっかりお腹ペコペコです。
Takamiishi Goya
About 40 minutes from Shirakoma Pond we arrive at our accommodation for the night, Takamiishi Goya. It’s lunch time when we arrive so it’s busy with many hikers. Everyone in our group was hungry after a morning of alpine exploration.
1956年に建てられた高見石小屋。昔ながらの趣きある雰囲気もさることながら、最寄りの登山口から1時間かからずに行ける通年営業の山小屋ということもあって利用者が多く、ランチメニューの揚げパンや、宿泊者へ提供される豪華な食事のほか、星の観察スポットとしても人気です。
and wanderとも関係が長く、ブランドがスタートして間もない2012年SSシーズンのカタログを撮影させていただいたり、コロナ禍の2020年には山小屋支援プロジェクトにも参加していただきました。
Takamiishi Goya was built in 1956 and still retains its old charming appearance. Open year-round and located only 1 hour away from the trailhead, it’s a popular destination with hikers. It’s also well known as a great location for star gazing as well as for its culinary delights, such as the lunch menu age-pan (deep fried bread rolls) and the delicious meals served to overnight guests.
Takamiishi Goya also has a long-standing relationship with and wander. Not long after the brand was founded, Takamiishi Goya was used as the location for the 2012 SS season catalogue photoshoot, and it also participated in and wander’s “Mountain Hut Support Project” in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
お腹を満たしたら、さあ冒険へ。小屋のすぐ裏手にある「高見石」にみんなでよじ登ります。数百万年前の火山活動で溶岩の塊が積み重なってできたという高見石。眼下には先ほど歩いてきた白駒池を望む絶景のパノラマが広がります。
After filling our stomachs it’s time for more adventures. We all clamber up onto Takamiishi, which can be found just behind the hut. Takamiishi is a pile of volcanic rock that was formed millions of years ago by volcanic activity in the area. Below us is a stunning panoramic view of Shirakoma Pond where we just were.
管理人の木村託さん
厨房が忙しくなるランチタイムを終え、特別に管理人の木村託さんが周辺を案内してくれました。高見石小屋の歴史や、山小屋での生活、苔やキノコ、登山道の荒廃の理由や、その整備の大変さなどについてお話くださいました。
たとえば登山道の脇がえぐられて、土層が剥き出しになっているような箇所を見ることがありますが、人の踏圧に加えて冬季の霜柱が凍って溶けてを繰り返すことによって少しずつ表土が流されてしまっているのだそう。登山道の荒廃は、このように人と自然現象が関係しあって起きているのです。
Takamiishi Goya manager Taku Kimura
After completing the busy lunch service, Takamiishi Goya manager Taku Kimura gave us a special guided tour of the surrounding area. He tells us about the history of Takamiishi Goya, what mountain hut life is like, about moss and mushrooms, and about why hiking paths are deteriorating and the challenges involved in maintaining them.
For example, we see places where the edge of the path has been carved out, leaving a layer of soil exposed. He explains that top soil is gradually washed away by the repeated freezing and thawing of frost columns during the winter, and the compacting of soil due to people walking on the paths. In this way, the deterioration of hiking trails is caused by a combination of natural and man-made factors.
ランプに明かりが灯り、楽しみにしていた夕食の時間。なるべく地産地消の食材、手作りの食事を心がけているという高見石小屋の今夜のメニューは、きのこのクリームソースのハンバーグに、エビフライやクラムチャウダー、野菜もたくさんついて、ご飯は長野米に黒米（おかわり自由）という豪華さ。食後にはティラミスまで。
The lamps are lit and it’s time for the evening meal that we’ve all been looking forward to. Takamiishi Goya always tries to serve homecooked food made using local ingredients and tonight’s menu is: hamburgers served with a mushroom cream sauce, deep-fried prawns and clam chowder, with lots of vegetables. The rice, a blend of white and black rice, is from Nagano prefecture (rice refills are free). What a spread! There’s even tiramisu for dessert.
星の夜
夕食の後、星博士の異名を持つ木村さんによる天体講座が開かれました。晴天率の高い北八ヶ岳ですが、星空が見えない夜はプロジェクターを用いて行われます。季節の星座を見つけるコツや彗星の話などを聞いていると、星々がとても身近に思えてきます。
高見石小屋らしい星の夜を過ごし時刻は21時をまわりました。明日に備えて就寝です。目を閉じると今日歩いた森の景色が鮮明に蘇ってきます。程よい疲労感に包まれて、おやすみなさい。
A night with the stars
After dinner, Mr. Kimura, who is also known as “Professor of the Stars”, gives us an astronomy class. Although Kita-Yatsugatake is known for having mostly clear weather, on nights when the stars are not visible he uses a projector. As we listen to him telling us all about comets, and about how to find different stars according to the season, the stars suddenly start to feel that much closer.
After enjoying a Takamiishi Goya style night with the stars, it’s after 9 p.m. and time for us to go to bed in order to be well rested for tomorrow. As we close our eyes, vivid visions of the forest from the day fill our minds. Comfortably tired — we wish you good night!
DAY2
高見石小屋の朝
朝食は6時。目が覚めると食堂からいい匂いがしてきました。今朝はアボカドとエビのサンドイッチに、ソーセージ、カボチャとグリーンサラダにヨーグルト。山で新鮮な生野菜がたっぷり食べられるのはありがたいことです。
DAY2
Morning in Takamiishi Goya
Breakfast is at 6 a.m. When we wake up a delicious smell greets us from the dining room. This morning’s menu is prawn and avocado sandwiches, sausages, pumpkin, green salad and yogurt. We are grateful to be able to eat so many fresh vegetables despite being up a mountain.
昨夜から降り続いている雨が弱まるまで出発の時間を伸ばすことに。すると「雨の八ヶ岳をこんなふうに書いた人もいますよ」と木村さんが読んでくれたのは『北八ッ彷徨』（山口輝久 著）と『山のパンセ』（串田孫一 著）。
高見石小屋には小説から写真集までたくさんの山や星についての本があり、まるで図書館のよう。雨の森のなかでゆっくりと本の虫になるのもいいものですね。
It’s been raining since last night, and we decide to delay our departure until it lets up a little. While we are waiting, Mr. Kimura tells us that “there are people who have written about a rainy Yatsugatake” and reads us “Kitayatsu-hoko” (Wandering in the Northern Eight) by Akihisa Yamaguchi and “Yama no Pensée” (Thoughts of the Mountain) by Magoichi Kushida.
Takamiishi Goya is a veritable alpine library, full of books about the mountains and the stars, with everything from novels to photography collections. Curling up with a good book would also be a great way to enjoy a rainy day in the forest.
雨と登山道と整備
雨脚が弱まってきたのを見計らい、レインウェアに身を包んで出発。昨日に引き続き木村さんが一緒に歩いてくださいます。わずか一晩ですが、心身ともに充実した滞在をさせてくれた高見石小屋。ありがとうございました。
Rain, mountain trails and maintenance
Once the rain slows, we put on our raingear and set off. Following on from yesterday, Mr. Kimura is coming with us again today. Although it was for just one night, we all feel truly refreshed in both body and mind after our stay at Takamiishi Goya. Thank you!
歩き出すとすぐ、大きな水たまりがあちこちにできていました。登山道には人が歩くことによる踏圧の影響だけではなく、集中豪雨などで発生した大量の雨水が地表の土砂を流してしまい、吸水機能が低下したところに水が溜まり、そこを登山者が迂回することで道が拡幅、複線化して……といった悪循環になっている箇所も多いのだそう。
Soon after we start walking we come across lots of large puddles. Mountains are affected not only by compaction of soil cause by people, but torrential rains can also wash away surface gravel. As a result, puddles form in places where the ground has lost its ability to absorb all the water. As hikers walk around these areas to avoid the puddles this leads to a widening or multiplication of paths … many mountains paths get stuck in this vicious cycle.
ふもとから資材を運んできてメンテナンスを継続していく整備方法だけでなく、倒木や小枝や石など、なるべくその付近の自然環境にあるものを活かして、流水の勢いを分散させることが大切だといいます。大小の石を積み上げて「石組み」を作ったり、倒木をジグザグに設置して水の流れを左右にいなしたり。木村さんは数年前からこのような手法を実践しています。
Mr. Kimura explains that it’s important to do maintenance not only using materials brought up from the foot of the mountain, but to also use materials from the surrounding natural environment, such as fallen trees or small branches, to disperse the force of the flowing water. Mr. Kimura has been practicing such techniques for the past few years, for example by creating ishigumi or rock arrangements using stones and rocks of different sizes, or laying fallen trees in a zigzag pattern across the path to divert the flow of water from right to left.
しかし一度失われた自然機能を取り戻すのは簡単ではありません。登山道は一体誰のものなのか。その管理責任の一端は、山を楽しませてもらう私たちにもあるはずです。
木村さんのお話を聞いて「私たちにも整備を手伝える機会はありませんか？」と尋ねると、これまで小屋のスタッフや山小屋仲間によるボランティア活動が中心だったものの、まだまだ人手が足らない状況で、近い将来一般の人でも参加できるような枠組みを検討しているとのことでした。ハイキングクラブも少しでも力になれたらと思います。
However, it’s not easy to restore a natural function once it’s been lost. Who do mountain trails belong to? Part of the responsibility for looking after them must lie with people like us who use them to enjoy the mountains.
After listening to Mr. Kimura we ask “is there an opportunity for us to help with maintaining the paths”. He tells us that up until now it’s mainly been done on a volunteer basis by mountain hut staff or other people from mountain huts, but there’s still not enough people, so they are considering creating a system for the general public to be able to participate too in the near future. We at the Hiking Club would also like to help, even if only a little.
白駒の森を抜け、麦草ヒュッテまで戻ってきました。小屋のご好意に甘えて一旦休ませていただき、荷物をデポして最後のスポット「地獄谷」へ向かいます。晴れていれば15分ほどですが、この日は水たまりの道を慎重に。
After going through the forest of Shirakoma we arrive back at Mugikusa Hutte. We take them up on their kind offer of a short rest and leave our bags there while we go to our last destination, “Jigokudani” (Hell Valley). On a sunny day it would take about 15 minutes, but today we take our time due to the puddles.
しばらく行くと突如現れるすり鉢状の窪地に、ゴロゴロと横たわる苔をまとった大岩の郡れ。火口跡の「地獄谷」に到着です。「下まで降りれますよ」という木村さんの声に後押しされて恐る恐る深部へ向かう一行。一歩下りるごとに冷気が増し、冷蔵庫のような底には雪が残っていました。
After walking for a while, we suddenly come across a large bowl-shaped depression in the ground full of large rocks covered in moss — the remains of a volcanic crater known as “Jigokudani”. Encouraged by Mr. Kimura who tells us that we can go down to the bottom, we climb down gingerly. With each step down the air becomes colder. The bottom is as chilly as a fridge, and we notice some residual snow.
地獄谷を堪能した一行は来た道を麦草ヒュッテへ戻り、昼食をいただいたのち、柿木観光バスに揺られて茅野駅へ。
太古の森にある小屋に泊まり、夜空の星々に物語を描き、鮮やかな苔に掌をはわせる。心と身体を自然に染み込ませていくような体験をした一方で、登山道整備の必要性を強く感じた2日間でした。
雨の北八ヶ岳は五感がよろこぶ魅力がいっぱいです。装備と行動計画に無理のないよう注意して、みなさんもぜひ楽しんでみてください。
【ハイキングクラブ一行が辿ったコース】
日時：2024年6月22日、23日
山名：北八ヶ岳
場所：高見石小屋
標高：2,300m
距離：約5.5km（2日間合計）
行程：1日目 - 麦草ヒュッテ（11:00）… 黒曜の森（11:35）…白駒の奥庭（11:50）…白駒の森（12:05）…白駒池（12:15）…高見の森（12:50）…高見石小屋（13:20）［宿泊］
2日目 - 高見石小屋出発（8:40）…白駒池分岐（9:40）…白駒の森（9:50）…白駒の奥庭（9:55）…黒曜の森（10:00）…麦草ヒュッテ（10:30）［休憩20分、10:50出発］…地獄谷（11:10）…麦草ヒュッテ（11:40）
After exploring Jigokudani the group returns back along the same path to Mugikusa Hutte, and after having lunch, we head back to Chino station on the Kakinoki-Kanko bus.
We stayed in a hut in the ancient forest, we wrote our stories in the stars, we caressed the brightly coloured moss. Although our experiences over the past two days brought us closer to nature both in body and spirit, we also realised the acute importance of mountain trail maintenance.
Kita-Yatsugatake in the rain is full of amazing discoveries that inspire all five senses. We hope you will also enjoy visiting Kita-Yatsugatake, just be sure you are properly prepared and plan carefully.
【The route taken by the Hiking Club】
Date: 22-23 June, 2024
Mountain: Kita-Yatsugatake
Location: Takamiishi Goya
Altitude: 2,300m
Distance: Approximately 5.5km (total over 2 days)
Route: Day 1 – Mugikusa Hutte (11:00) … Kokuyo no Mori (11:35) … Shirakoma no Okuniwa (11:50) … Shirakoma Forest (12:05) … Shirakoma Pond (12:15) … Takami Forest (12:50) … Takamiishi Goya (13:20) [accommodation]
Day 2 – Depart from Takamiishi Goya (8:40) … Shirakoma Pond fork (9:40) … Shirakoma Forest (9:50) … Shirakoma no Okuniwa (9:55) … Kokuyo no Mori (10:00) … Mugikusa Hutte (10:30) [Break 20 mins, depart 10:50] … Jigokudani (11:10) … Mugikusa Hutte (11:40)
translation Yuko Caroline Omura