Mountains of Blossoms – Part Two: Hikarijo-yama
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Take the Shinonoi Line north out of Matsumoto Station and before long you’ll see Hikarijo-yama pass by on your right. If it’s cherry blossom season you’ll see a line of flowering trees running up the side of the mountain – pinkish-white popcorn contrasting with the browns and greens of the nascent Spring.
If you jump off the train at Tazawa Station and walk up the street you can take a stroll right up the belly of that popcorny flowery snake.
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A steep side road gets you to the trailhead parking lot where, oddly considering this is Japan, there’s a bathroom and not much else.
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Don’t mind the bear warnings. The groups of hiking retirees do a thorough and honorable job of keeping them all away.
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It’s a good steady climb up the side of Hikarijo-yama…
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…but it doesn’t take long for the views to take your mind off the effort.
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On the way up the path splits in several places. Take your pick, they all lead to the top. I think.
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Whichever way you go, you’ll likely not be disappointed.
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When you reach the point where the blossoming snake fattens and flattens out you know you’re almost at the top.
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At the top take some time to soak up the wide open views of the Fuchu Plains below and the Northern Alps to the west.
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And of course, there’s plenty of room for a little O-hanami.
Want to go ahead and check out Hikarijo-yama for yourself? Awesome. The train ride to Tazawa Station is a shade under ten minutes from Matsumoto. But be warned: trains only depart about once every ninety minutes. Once you get off at Tazawa you have a thirty minute walk to the trailhead. The hike up the mountain itself is another forty-five minutes to an hour.
This might all seem like a bit too much time and effort. But in cherry blossom season, a trip to Hikarijo-yama is worth your while.
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