飛騨街道

The Hida Kaido is an ancient road that once connected the towns of Takayama and Kiso. The route was treacherous, especially in the winter when heavy snow made the trek particularly dangerous. Nonetheless, in the Edo period (1603-1868), people transporting all kinds of goods, ran along the road all year round. From charcoal and silk, to horses and more, the most famous product to be transported along the ancient highway was the yellowtail, a fish beloved in Japan. At New Years most areas in Japan like to eat salmon, but Kiso and Matsumoto had a divergent culture that preferred yellowtail on New Years Day. As a result, every year runners carrying vast amounts of heavy yellowtail fish were rewarded financially for carrying the fish through heavy snow on the Hida Kaido.

This hike takes you over the Jizo Pass, one of the many passes on the Hida Kaido. This particular pass is full of fantastic and deep nature. It starts with a cultural stroll through the plains of Kaida, possibly a famous ice cream shop, and farms of Japan’s native horse species, the Kiso Uma as you marvel at the fantastic views of Japan’s second largest volcano, Mount Ontake (3,067m) on a clear day. Not long after this, the trail begins and climbs up and up, into the forest. A quick there and back will take you to a look out point with the best views of Mount Ontake that day. After this, the hike heads down, switching between forest and road as you aim for Karasawa Falls, a stunning multi-tiered waterfall in the mountains. From there you will pick up the pace as you walk down a quiet road toward your final treat of the day. A dip in Nihongi Onsen, a white coloured natural hot spring, highly unusual in this area and, despite not being the most luxurious onsen, surely one of the best and most unique in the area in terms of water quality.

During the trip, I will provide hot drinks, and snacks and you can even try on my own handmade waraji (traditional Japanese straw sandals), which I specialize in making.