Hikes around Sakurae

Tanijyugo to Kawamoto
August 8 , 2004

It promises to be another hot day, so I set out just before sunrise. My plan is to hike up the Gonokawa (Gono River) at least as far as Kawamoto, 18kms upstream. The Gonokawa is the longest river in western Japan and the 12th longest in Japan, yet is only 194 km in length. Sakurae sits astride the river, and from the center is about 18km upstream from the sea. The main road, route 261 runs along the northern bank, but the southern bank has a small one lane road that is rarely travelled, as well as the single track rail line that carries 6 trains each way every day. 1k from home I cross over the river on the Kawado Bridge. Its just a steel girder bridge, about 100 metres across, but its pastel pink, blue, and green color scheme make it distinctive. Heading along the levee, at the edge of the village I pass a large cemetery, and even though it is not yet 6a.m. people are out cleaning the graves and grounds. This is O-Bon, the festival of the dead, when the ancestors return for a visit, so everything is made spic and span for them. This little road hugs the steep mountainside, and as the sun begins to burn off the mist from the mountains on the other bank, I am grateful for the shade on this side.
The river is wide, alternating between deeper sections with a mirrored surface, and noisier sections, much shallower, splashing over rocks. About 2k along, and the flood plain of the river widens to about 500 metres, and the flat land is filled with fields. This is the hamlet of Tazu, where the second of Sakuraes Gonokawa bridges crosses. Standing by a vending machine drinking iced coffe I am engaged in conversation by an elderly gentleman. Compared to my experiences in Japanese cities, the folk round here are really friendly, and though my Japanese is poor, I understand enough to converse about where Im from, where Im going, and the universally understandable topic, the weather. The valley narrows again, and as the road is about to cross the railway tracks I sit down in the shade for some breakfast and a smoke. Suddenly bells start ringing and lights flashing as the second train of the daypasses by on its way to Kawamoto. Most of the passengers appear to be high school girls. Its a saturday, and its the summer vacation, but still kids go to school for club activities. The Japanese State embraces its children tightly.
A little further and I reach Kawagoe, a bigger village with the third and final bridge across the river. From here a road goes up the mountain to Hiwa, and there is also a decent waterfall, though the path is overgrown and the falls itself barely visible in the trees. There are a couple of temples and a shrine here, and like all the other villages around here, plenty of empty houses. Over the past 50 years the Japanese countryside has been radically depopulated, many places having a quarter of the population they used to. Its a real shame as the house are traditional, built of wooden post and beams, with bamboo lath walls covered in an ochre clay. Most of the younger Japanese prefer to live in tacky little modern houses in overcrowded cities, leaving the countryside and farms to the older generation.
After Kawagoe a sign says the road is closed ahead, but Im sure I can get by on foot. Rounding a corner where the railline emerges from one of the numerous tunnels, the roar of a waterfall tempts me up onto the tracks. Hidden in the darkness of the trees is a near vertical 20 meter waterfall. The darkness dappled with sunlight and the spray of the water is refreshing just to see and hear without having to feel the cold water. Right here diggers and jackhammers are at work on one side of the road. I guess Kawagoe is going to be getting mains water. My own village only got mains water 6 years ago, after a prolonged drought had dried up the mountain streams that still supply the water for most small hamlets.
A little further on and a loud bird call cause me to stop and look. The road is passing over a little gully, and parrelell to the road and slightly above it a small steel girdered bridge carries the train line. A big monkey underneath the girders swings up onto the bridge. Moments later his face appears over the bridge looking down at me. Our faces are only a few metres apart, and after about ten seconds I slowly reach for my camera and at that moment his curiosity gives way to fear and he springs off the bridge into the trees and away. That the monkeys should fear us humans is understandable enough, but nonetheless sad. I crossthe boundary dividing Sakurae and Kawamoto Town, and pass through the village of Shikaga. A couple of kilometres up the valley is Kannon Waterfall, the biggest in Sakurae.
Another couple of kilometeres, in and out of the sun depending on the curves in the road and river I approach Imbara. Here the mainroad, 261, crosses over to this side of the river and heads up in to the mountains then down to Hiroshima. Consequently its a busy village with several gas stations and even a big home and garden store. Just before coming into the village I notice 3 small red Torii leading up some overgrown steps. Torii are the entances to shrines, so I start up the steps to investigate. The steps zig-zag up the side of the hill, passing through more torii and I reach the first shrine building. The grass is tall, so I guess no-one comes here often. Behind the first shrine is a long line of red torii which lead like a tunnel to the next altar. Standing in front are 2 statues of foxes. This is an Inari Shrine. Foxes are the guardians of the God of Rice Harvests. Nowadays he is treated more as a God of Success in Business. All of the Torii have been donated by businessmen hoping for the God to smile favorably on their business. I take the steps down the other side of the hill and buy a 2 liter bottle of cold sports drink. From here the road on the other side of the river is built up for the 4 kilometres into Kawamoto itself, but the road on my side is still unbuiltup and still mostly shady.
Kawamoto itself is a fairly typical small country town,... one main shopping street and lots of government offices. On the opposite side of the river. one third of the way up the mountain, is a temple. Its around noon, and the next train heading back downriver is not for another 2 hours, so rather than stay in town I continue on upriver out of town. The next village I come to is Kirohara. By the side of the road is the remains of what was once a huge gnarly tree with a small shrine beside it. Big trees, rocks, springs etc are all considered Kami (gods), and this one must have been something while it was alive. The station at Kirohara is just a small shelter, but like many bus shelters and train stations is supplied with cushions. I could probably make it to tyhe next station in time for the train, but the road is in the full sun, so I wait in the cool for the air-conditioned train to take me home.