Hikes around Sakurae

Kawahira to Tanijyugo(15K)
November 20, 2004

I take the local train downriver to the next station, Kawahira. My plan is to head over the mountains and come down into the back of Ichiyama. Not far from the station I find the impressive Torii that leads to the steps up to Kawahira Shrine. Closer to the top the steps are covered with the golden-yellow leaves of the Gingko tree. The crest above the shrine entrance tells me that this is a Hachiman Shrine. Shrines to the god of war Hachiman are the most common in Japan. High in the eaves is a curious sculpted head unlike anything I have seen at a shrine before... yet one more thing on the infinite list of things I need to find out more about.
I descend the steps on the other side of the hill and walk across the paddy fields towards a red-roofed temple that looks quite impressive from a distance, but becomes plainer as you get closer. At the bottom of the hill under the temple is an old storehouse and in front of it a huge old cherry tree with most of its boughs supported by upright planks of wood. It is said that the tree is more than 300 years old.
I head away from the river, up the valley which soon narrows to the width of the stream and narrow road beside it. Crossing a small bridge the road now switchbacks up the mountain. Leaving the roaring water below. At the top the road rejoins the stream. This is my favorite type of area. The road is narrow and might as well be a hiking trail for all the traffic that isnt on it. Its peaceful and quiet, interrupted by the occasional birdsong and white noise of small waterfalls. After awhile I reach a junction in the road. Surprisingly there are small wooden roadsigns. Usually these mountain roads are unsigned. people who live here know where the roads go, so why are signs needed? By the side of the road is a small Jizo, so I sit in its shade and enjoy a sandwhich and coffee.
Suitably refreshed, I shoulder my bag and head off down the road. I love it up here ion these mountain roads. So quiet and peacceful with only the occasional farmhouse where the narrow valleys open up slightly. I pass through a small settleemt that has a shrine and a temple marked on the map, but can find neither. Up ahead I sea the high-tension power line that snakes across the mountains. According to the map right where the road I am on reaches the powerline is the turn I need to take. When I get there however there is no sign of a road. I wander back and forth to see if I can find any sign of where a road might once have been, but to no avail. frustrated I backtrack to a turning in the road that MAY take me where I want to go, though my map shows it turning into a trail, and so many trails have disapperared nowadays. Heading down the road I pass through a settlement that doesnt appear on the map, getting more and more confused the road now starts to descend very steeply, and is no longer surfaced with asphalt but ribbed concrete such as you would find on a steep driveway. I start to get a suspicion of where I am, and checking the map I discover I am right. I made a stupid mistake. Back at the Jizo where I took a rest I took a turning when I should have carried straight on. The road back is so steep that I decide to carry on the way I am going, down to the river where there are a couple of farms. For at least 100 kilometres along the river there is a small narrow road running along the south bank, EXCEPT for a 3 kilometre stretch here. Though Kawahira is only 500 metres away from these farms, the only way to get there is a 5 kilometres road up into the mountains. But, there is a railway line running along, so I decide to walk back upriver along it. Im quite sure its illegal to walk along the tracks, but as there will not be a train for several hours I don't care.
The walk along the tracks is uneventful, save for a glimpse of a monkey crossing the tracks about 100 meteres ahead of me. With mountain and forest on one side, and thgick groves of bamboo between me and the river on the other, its like walking down a tunnel. After about 3K garderns appear and the road begins. Yet another of the "roads to nowhere"....that I have come to love. Walking back into Kawado, about one third of the farms are abandoned. From Kawado I cross the bridge and head home to plan my next walk.