I have been missing the beauty of Canadian mountains and the peaceful feeling of freedom that only comes from breathing fresh mountain air so I decided to hike up Yahiko Mountain this weekend.
Mount Yahiko is an important part of Niigata`s historical and natural landscape. It is located near the village of Yahiko and is home to one of the oldest shrines in Niigata. On a short train ride you are transported from the city to the quaint and quiet countryside. I love watching the tall buildings disappear and the fields between houses become vast and green. Bright yellow flowers and reeds followed the train tracks and signaled the presence of autumn. When we stepped off of the train, the sounds of the city were distantly silent and only the wind and the birds were left to converse in whispers. The breeze was cooler than the city air so I was glad I bundled up in a big scarf and a chunky sweater.
We walked through Yahiko Village which reminded me a lot of Banff, on every corner there were shops selling souvenirs and restaurants featuring famous local dishes. The omiyagi (gifts/souvenirs) consisted of the standard phone trinkets, postcards, handbags, and sweets. I have learned that sweets in Japan are very important and there are different ones that mark special occasions, seasons, and celebrate significant historical moments for that particular local area. Every area in Japan has a different type of sweet treat that they are famous for. In Niigata all of the famous sweets are rice based because Niigata`s rice is renowned for its delicious taste. In Yahiko, all of the sweets are crushed mochi balls (sweet rice) shaped like rabbits and are called Tama Usagi which means rabbit. They are many stories about the God of Yahiko and how he tamed the rabbits that once overran the mountain but I am not sure of the exact myth. The stores are filled with these rabbit shaped rice cakes in all colours and sizes. There are also sweet crackers that have pictures of the shrine and the Shinto gates that welcome visitors into this holy sanctuary.
Sabina and I stopped to have a bowl of ramen before we started our hike. The broth warmed our bodies from the chilly mountain air and we were satisfied and set to wander. We walked through Yahiko park which is lined with gigantic cedar and bamboo trees. Everything was still very green because the leaves have only just begun to change colours. There was a small deer park along the way, we stopped to feed them and chuckled at their whiny soft cooing sounds. The shrine was incredibly beautiful, it wasn`t ornate and gold covered like temples in Thailand. Rather its intricate wooden structure looked strong and steeped in the mythology of the mountains that stood high beyond it. We walked around the park a little longer but then decided to venture up the mountain. Although this mountain does not compare to Canadian mountains in terms of difficulty and altitude the hike can still be a bit tricky and challenging because it is quite steep the whole way up. For those who do not want to hike, they can take the rope way up and enjoy the view. I was out of practice and clearly out of shape and found myself breathing heavily all the way up to the top where I collapsed in dramatic exhaustion. I was thankful for the cool breeze and the many gorgeous views along the way because that meant I could stop to take a picture and catch my breath. At the top of the mountain there are various smaller hills that you can climb to get a different view of the sea and the town of Yahiko. There is a restaurant that serves local dishes such as Oden (mushroom noodle soup), jumbo shiitake mushrooms, curry beans, and fresh seafood. The top of the mountain buzzed with the sound of mating dragonflies and people snapping pictures of the spectacular view.
Sabina and I climbed a smaller hill and found a peaceful viewpoint and just sat for awhile enjoying each other`s company in silent contentment (and from the exhausted feeling of accomplishment from completing our hike). We lost ourselves in the natural beauty and the endless distance of the horizon and ended up missing the train we wanted to catch. The next train wasn`t for another hour so we lazily made our way down the mountain (we took the rope way because we were tired and had to get back to the city in time for our dinner plans). We took our time looking through shops and taking pictures of the town. Once we were on the train, the adrenaline drained from our bodies and we were both almost lulled to sleep by the quiet rattle of the train vibrations.
Luckily we had our pay-day tradition of tabehoudai (all-you-can-eat) Yakiniku (BBQ) to look forward to. We finished our day with a dinner with a bunch of friends that came in to the city and had a few drinks at a local bar that has some amazing draft beers. At around midnight we got back to my place where our tired muscles ached for sleep.
I loved climbing Yahiko mountain, it was challenging, rewarding, beautiful, and one more thing to add to the list of things I love about Niigata. We decided we are going to go back to Yahiko in mid-November when all of the leaves turn a fiery red and visit Momoji Park which is filled with maple trees and is famous for koyo (red leaves).
This upcoming weekend we are going to have lunch with Geisha`s and then go out for Halloween. My friend Will is coming in from Sado Island, Morwa is coming from Sanjo, Shaun and Luke are coming from Niitsu, and Sabina is coming in from Kamo. It is going to be an amazing weekend. Oh, it is also my 25th birthday on Wednesday! Yikes...
Mount Yahiko is an important part of Niigata`s historical and natural landscape. It is located near the village of Yahiko and is home to one of the oldest shrines in Niigata. On a short train ride you are transported from the city to the quaint and quiet countryside. I love watching the tall buildings disappear and the fields between houses become vast and green. Bright yellow flowers and reeds followed the train tracks and signaled the presence of autumn. When we stepped off of the train, the sounds of the city were distantly silent and only the wind and the birds were left to converse in whispers. The breeze was cooler than the city air so I was glad I bundled up in a big scarf and a chunky sweater.
We walked through Yahiko Village which reminded me a lot of Banff, on every corner there were shops selling souvenirs and restaurants featuring famous local dishes. The omiyagi (gifts/souvenirs) consisted of the standard phone trinkets, postcards, handbags, and sweets. I have learned that sweets in Japan are very important and there are different ones that mark special occasions, seasons, and celebrate significant historical moments for that particular local area. Every area in Japan has a different type of sweet treat that they are famous for. In Niigata all of the famous sweets are rice based because Niigata`s rice is renowned for its delicious taste. In Yahiko, all of the sweets are crushed mochi balls (sweet rice) shaped like rabbits and are called Tama Usagi which means rabbit. They are many stories about the God of Yahiko and how he tamed the rabbits that once overran the mountain but I am not sure of the exact myth. The stores are filled with these rabbit shaped rice cakes in all colours and sizes. There are also sweet crackers that have pictures of the shrine and the Shinto gates that welcome visitors into this holy sanctuary.
Sabina and I stopped to have a bowl of ramen before we started our hike. The broth warmed our bodies from the chilly mountain air and we were satisfied and set to wander. We walked through Yahiko park which is lined with gigantic cedar and bamboo trees. Everything was still very green because the leaves have only just begun to change colours. There was a small deer park along the way, we stopped to feed them and chuckled at their whiny soft cooing sounds. The shrine was incredibly beautiful, it wasn`t ornate and gold covered like temples in Thailand. Rather its intricate wooden structure looked strong and steeped in the mythology of the mountains that stood high beyond it. We walked around the park a little longer but then decided to venture up the mountain. Although this mountain does not compare to Canadian mountains in terms of difficulty and altitude the hike can still be a bit tricky and challenging because it is quite steep the whole way up. For those who do not want to hike, they can take the rope way up and enjoy the view. I was out of practice and clearly out of shape and found myself breathing heavily all the way up to the top where I collapsed in dramatic exhaustion. I was thankful for the cool breeze and the many gorgeous views along the way because that meant I could stop to take a picture and catch my breath. At the top of the mountain there are various smaller hills that you can climb to get a different view of the sea and the town of Yahiko. There is a restaurant that serves local dishes such as Oden (mushroom noodle soup), jumbo shiitake mushrooms, curry beans, and fresh seafood. The top of the mountain buzzed with the sound of mating dragonflies and people snapping pictures of the spectacular view.
Sabina and I climbed a smaller hill and found a peaceful viewpoint and just sat for awhile enjoying each other`s company in silent contentment (and from the exhausted feeling of accomplishment from completing our hike). We lost ourselves in the natural beauty and the endless distance of the horizon and ended up missing the train we wanted to catch. The next train wasn`t for another hour so we lazily made our way down the mountain (we took the rope way because we were tired and had to get back to the city in time for our dinner plans). We took our time looking through shops and taking pictures of the town. Once we were on the train, the adrenaline drained from our bodies and we were both almost lulled to sleep by the quiet rattle of the train vibrations.
Luckily we had our pay-day tradition of tabehoudai (all-you-can-eat) Yakiniku (BBQ) to look forward to. We finished our day with a dinner with a bunch of friends that came in to the city and had a few drinks at a local bar that has some amazing draft beers. At around midnight we got back to my place where our tired muscles ached for sleep.
I loved climbing Yahiko mountain, it was challenging, rewarding, beautiful, and one more thing to add to the list of things I love about Niigata. We decided we are going to go back to Yahiko in mid-November when all of the leaves turn a fiery red and visit Momoji Park which is filled with maple trees and is famous for koyo (red leaves).
This upcoming weekend we are going to have lunch with Geisha`s and then go out for Halloween. My friend Will is coming in from Sado Island, Morwa is coming from Sanjo, Shaun and Luke are coming from Niitsu, and Sabina is coming in from Kamo. It is going to be an amazing weekend. Oh, it is also my 25th birthday on Wednesday! Yikes...
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