Oshino river, flowing through Oshino village, is a spring creek approximately 2 kilometres in length. The water comes from springs around Mt Fuji and is considered a natural monument of Japan. Oshino is touted as the Mecca for Japanese fly-fishers and only 2 hours from central Tokyo. As the river is a spring creek the water is perfectly suited to salmonoids with Yamane, Iwana and rainbow trout but also a number of different fish species (Koi and char). One problem with the large number of fisher people and gin clear water is that the fish are very spooky and fly’s need to be very small and “match the hatch”. The highlight of the day was breaking the Yamane and Iwana duck and landing several of these beautiful fish (along with a nice rainbow).
On the day I visited, during the week, there were still a number of people and by mid afternoon it got a little busy to find a spot where you could fish uninterrupted (or not disturb others).
Yamame
Iwana
Iwana
Rainbow
Rainbow
A beautiful spring day for a wonder through Tokyo watching people fish in the old moat near Akasaka and the azaleas in Shinjuku gyoen.
Feeling the need to escape the built up area Located about 50 kilometres from the centre of Tokyo is Mt. Takao. Depending on the train you take from Shinjuku station the journey is one and a half hours (local train) or 45 minutes (semi-express). I had heard that it got busy at Mt. Takao, with over 2.5 million visitors each year that’s an understatement, I thought it would be a good idea to get an early start.
There are eight designated trails on Mt. Takao with the paved trail one being the most popular and the other 7 trails varying in difficulty and length. There is also a cable car and chair lift that takes people to two thirds of the way up the mountain. I decided on the 3.4 km trial 6, winding up a river valley, past a temple and a steep climb to the summit of Mt. Takao.
Even arriving at the station at the bottom of Mt. Takao at 8 am there were lots of people beginning to gather. I quickly headed up the path to the bottom of the cable car and started up the trail.
As soon as I left the formed path and entered the cedar dominated forest with the sound of water running down the valley my decision to come to Mt. Takao was rewarded as I was taken to a place a million miles from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. It was good to be in the bush again, part of the way up the trail you come across a hospital nestled into the side of the hill, what a great place to recuperate. You are reminded though of those less fortunate with a shrine to babies that never were.
Stopping to admire the trees and the river valley I was reminded of the crowds with groups of people heading up the trail past me even at 8 in the morning. There is a little temple nestled at the base of a water fall with cedar trees all around and Yamane spawning in the river it was a great place to be.
Shortly after leaving the temple you come across this maze of cedar roots exposed by the many many feet of people seeking escape in the forest.
Arriving at the summit of Mt. Takao (designated as one of the "100 Fuji Viewing Spots in Kanto." These areas have been selected because they offer a particularly fine view of Mt. Fuji) I heard a rustling in the bushes beside me and saw the biggest earth worm I’ve ever seen moving down the slope. Once I’d drawn myself away from the worm I was rewarded with a view to the south of Mt Fuji and the Tanzawa mountains. A video is available on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZYXL9D7lHk).
I decided to descend down trail one as it contains most of the tourist sites on the mountain. The first site is the monkey park, an open viewing area, where approximately 50 macaque monkeys in a mountain top area are on display for those willing to pay to see them.
Back to the trail and the crowds have increased around mid morning with shoulder to shoulder nature lovers heading to the summit of Mt. Takao.
The Yakuoin Temple, believed to have been built around 750, is dedicated to the Medicine Bhudda, Yakushi Nyorai. The temple has been subject to many tempests during its time on the mountain including fires and typhoon but over 2,500 documents containing information about the beliefs prevalent during the Warring States and Edo periods are still preserved within the temple walls.
Continuing through the rest of the temple complex there are some amazing sights and the usual temple related stalls and more and more people.
After dodging the crowds on the descent of the mountain I arrived back at the cable car station and the queue to use the cable car stretched back through the forecourt but at least they were being entertained by a magician. A video is available on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZYXL9D7lHk).
