Wonderful bike & train tour in Fukushima 福島大好きおじさんの自転車・鉄道旅日記

I participated in Iide-no-tsudoi or Mount Iide climbing tour promoted by Yamatomachi, Kitakata City, where the summit was located. It was a 3-day tour with two overnight stays at a mountain hut. Mount Iide (2105m) was known as a sacred mountain which was best suited for experienced climbers, as well as an attractive mountain where beautiful alpine flowers start blooming right after the thaw. It was designated as one of the best 100 mountains in Japan. Although I was still a beginner hiker, I challenged the mountain this time by joining the Iide-no-tsudoi party in order to experience the superb mountain. The excellent party took best care of every climber’s security with experienced leaders, local fire and police officials attended. I was grateful to all of those who supported for the safe trail tour. Photo above was a beautiful Chinguruma plant blooming in clusters at a little walk from Kiriawase mountain hut toward the summit on the second day.
喜多方市山都町主催の「飯豊の集い」に参加しました。山小屋２泊３日で、飯豊山（２１０５ｍ）に登るツアーです。飯豊山は、昔から信仰の山として、また雪解けと共に多彩な高山植物が咲く山として、中上級の登山者に人気があります。山頂は、福島県喜多方市に属しており、日本１００名山でもあります。私は登山の経験は浅いですが，この素晴らしい山を経験すべく、飯豊の集いにチャレンジしました。このパーティは、参加者の安全登山を、消防や警察も含めて全力で支援してくれて、本当に感謝しています。写真は、２日目に切合せ小屋から山頂に向かう途中に出会ったチングルマの群生です。


Talking from the beginning, on the night before the tour I stayed at a private house or “minshuku” as shown above, at a small village of Kawairi which was the nearest village to the starting point (Osawa camp ground) of the tour.
ツアーの前日は、登山口（御沢キャンプ場）に一番近い川入集落の民宿（写真）に泊まりました。


On the first day, the party started climbing with all the 43 participants and 11 leaders and security support staffs, from Osawa camp site at Kawairi. We headed for Kiriawase mountain hut (1769m) in the middle. It was a hard climbing for me (but not for everyone) with steep rocky trail of Kengamine and Akaiwa. There was no photo for this day because I was busy keeping pace with the party and also because it was a rainy day. We all reached the goal of Kiriawase hut in the late afternoon, which looked like as shown above on the right end early next morning. The mountain in the center was Mount Iide.
初日、パーティは４３名の参加者と１１名のリーダーや消防・警察で、川入の御沢キャンプ場を出発しました。本日は、標高１７６９ｍの中腹にある切合せ小屋を目指します。登山道は、私にとっては剣ヶ峰や赤岩など切り立った岩の難所は大変なものでした（多くの参加者は問題なくこなしていましたが）。この日は、そういうわけでついていくのが精一杯なのと、雨模様の天気で、写真はありません。夕方、全員無事、切合せ小屋に到着しました。写真は、次の日の朝撮った小屋（一番右手）と、中央に見えるのが、目指す飯豊本山です。


In the next morning we started toward the summit of Mount Iide. First, we met with a stone image called “Ubagongen” as shown above.
次の朝、飯豊本山に向かいます。途中、「姥権現」と呼ばれる写真の石像に出会います。


Then we came to another risky rock climbing place called “Ohisho” as shown above. The photo was taken after passing the site.
次に、「御秘所」と呼ばれる、難所の岩登り箇所が現れます。写真は、そこをクリアしたあとに撮ったものです。

Climbing toward the summit, we found some of alpine flowers as shown below.
山頂に向かう途中、出会った高山植物のいくつかを紹介します。


Photo shows pretty violet flowers of Hakusanfuro or Geranium yesoemse var. nipponicum.
写真は，紫のきれいなハクサンフウロ（白山風露）です。


Photo shows a cluster of Takanetsumekusa or Minuartia with pretty white flowers.
写真は、岩の所にたくさん咲いていた、タカネツメクサ（高嶺爪草）です。


Photo above shows violet flowers of Yotsubashiogama or Pedicularis japonica.
写真は、ヨツバシオガマ（四葉塩釜）の花です。


Photo above shows indigenous species of gentian called Iide-rindo which grows only on this mountain.
写真は、飯豊山固有種のイイデリンドウ（飯豊竜胆）です。




Finally we made it to the summit of Mount Iide (2105m) as shown above. This was a first order triangulation point.
ついに、飯豊山頂（２１０５ｍ）に到着しました。一等三角点です。


On the return trail we could see Nikko-kisuge flower field on the right slope as shown above. We spent another night at Kiriawasegoya hut tonight.
帰り道、登山道の右斜面に，写真のニッコウキスゲのお花畑が見えました。今夜は、切合せ小屋に２泊目です。

In the neighborhood of the hut I could see some other flowers as shown below. There were many of them around.
小屋の周りには、次のお花もたくさん咲いていました。


Photo shows orange flowers of Kurumayuri or Lilium medeoloides.
写真は、クルマユリ（車百合）です。


Photo above shows blue flowers of Takane-matsumushiso or Scabiosa japonica var. alpine.
写真は、タカネマツムシソウ（高嶺松虫草）です。


On the third day, we left the hut and headed toward the starting point at Kawairi. On the way we were lucky to find pretty pink Himesayuri or Lilium rubellum flowers along the trail as shown above.
３日目は、小屋をあとにし、川入の出発地点に戻ります。運良く、止まった所の登山道わきに、ヒメサユリが咲いていたので撮りました。


The party finally arrived at the goal or the starting point with all members safe. I was the last member to goal. I really appreciate the full support by leaders and security staff members otherwise I might not have made the goal safe. Finally we had a nice Yamato-soba lunch which was a great local specialty at Iidenoyu rest house which looked as shown above.
パーティは、全員無事ゴール（登山口）に戻ることができました。私は、だいぶ遅れて最後でした。リーダーの方、安全をサポートしてくださった消防などの方に本当に感謝致します。最後は、市の施設の「いいでのゆ」（写真）で、地元特産の本当においしい山都ソバを、全員で頂きました。


All of us were given a certificate of the accomplishment as shown above. I believe this Iide-no-tsudoi tour promoted by Kitakata City is an excellent occasion for those who want to experience climbing to Mount Iide for the first time.
全員、写真のような認定証を頂きました。この「飯豊の集い」は、初めて飯豊山に登る人にとって、大変よい機会と思います。

The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。




You can trace the route and altitude in the maps below. But this time the GPS trace was not complete or accurate maybe due to device problem.
下の地図で、ルートの標高を見ることができます。但し、今回は恐らくＧＰＳ機器の問題で、トレースは完全ではありません。

I participated in a cycling event “Hashitte-mippe” or “let’s go cycling” held in Minamiaizu Town on July 17th, 2017 which was a national holiday “Marine Day”. The route covered western part of the town area, which was mostly mountainous with green forests and rivers making it really refreshing to ride. About 700 cycling fans gathered for the event from across Japan including many from Tokyo metropolitan area. A photo above shows Byobuiwa Site with rocky landscape along the upper stream of the Ina River. The site was located at the southwestern end of the route near the border with Hinoemata Village. We had a light lunch and a short break on the rock at this aid station.
走ってみっぺ南会津！というサイクリングイベントに参加しました。南会津町で、７月１７日の海の日に行われました。町の西半分の森林や川の多い地域を気持ちよく走ります。首都圏など全国から約７００人が集まりました。写真は、ルートの西南端にある、桧枝岐村との境界近くの「屏風岩」で、伊南川上流の大きな岩が露出した景観になっています。ここで、簡単な昼と休みをとりました。


A photo above shows a scene just before the start at Takatsue ski resort located 950m above sea level.
写真は、出発点（及びゴール）のたかつえスキー場（標高９５０ｍ）で、出発間際の様子です。


Major part of the cycling route ran south to north along the Ina River which was beautiful as shown above. Many anglers enjoyed ayu fishing soaking into the river.
サイクリングコースの半分は、写真の美しい伊南川に沿い南北に走ります。川に入りあゆ釣りをしている人も多いです。


At a roadside station “Kirara 289” located along national Route 289 in the northwestern part of the town, new wooden bike stands which were made from local wood were installed as shown above.
町の北西部で、国道２８９沿いにある道の駅「きらら２８９」には、地元産の木材で作った新しいバイクスタンド３台が置かれていました。（写真）


Luckily I could successfully complete the course and got the certificate as shown above. The last 3km hill climb to the goal was extremely hard for me being already exhausted.
私も無事完走でき、完走証も頂きました。ラスト３ｋｍのヒルクライムは、疲労困憊の中での激坂で相当つらかったです。




The day before, I packed my bike and traveled to Aizukogen-0zeguchi Station which was the nearest to the event site, although it still took another 18km bike tour including a mountain pass to get to the site. I was lucky that I could experience a new limited express train “Revaty” as shown above between Aizutajima and Aizukogen-Ozeguchi Station introduced from just last April. The limited express train was comfortable and required no extra charge between the two stations.
その前日に、出発点最寄りの会津高原尾瀬口駅まで輪行しました。（最寄りといっても、そこから１８ｋｍの峠越えがあります。）そのとき、会津田島駅から、今年４月に導入されたばかりの新型特急リバティ（写真：会津田島で出発待ち）に乗ることかできました。会津高原尾瀬口までは、特急料金不要で、普通乗車券のみで乗れます。快適です。


Also on return trip, I could again take the limited express Revaty which came from Asakusa, Tokyo. Photo above shows the train coming into Aizukogen-Ozeguchi Station where I got on.
帰りも、会津田島までは、浅草発の特急リバティに乗りました。写真は、会津高原尾瀬口駅に入るリバティで、これに乗ります。

The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。


You can trace the route and altitude on the map below.
下の地図で、ルートの標高を見ることができます。

Today I visited Shramizu Amidado lotus garden in Iwaki City. The garden sees its best season in this time of year, around July 10th. The garden looked as shown above today. Although it’s already in its high season, there were not so many lotus flowers blooming in the garden. Still it was beautiful. Local people told me that many of the plants were eaten and damaged by wild boar this season.
本日は，いわき市の白水阿弥陀堂のハス園に行きました。ここは、毎年７月１０日前後に、見頃になります。今日のハス園は、写真のように花の数は少なめでしたが、それでもきれいでした。地元の話だと、今年はイノシシに食われて、少なくなったとのことです。


Photo above shows the lotus garden from a different angle. The whole garden was designed as Jodo or the Pure Land style garden.
ハス園を違った角度から撮ると、写真のようになります。この庭全体は、浄土式庭園になっています。


Photo above shows Shiramizu Amidado Hall in the far back with a part of the lotus garden in front. The building was built in 1160, which was during Heian Period, by a woman called Tokuhime for the memorial of her husband. The structure was designated as a national treasure.
写真は，白水阿弥陀堂の建物を背景に、ハス園の一部を撮ったものです。この建物は、１１６０年（平安時代末期）に、徳姫が亡き夫の供養のために建てたもので，国宝に指定されています。


Many ducks were strolling around the garden as shown above. The location of the garden is 30-minute walk from Uchigo Station of JR Joban Line.
庭園には、写真のようにカモが多くいます。場所は、ＪＲ常磐線の内郷駅から歩いて３０分です。

The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。