The most stunning hike in Japan? 白馬三山

I take on one of the most stunning, and difficult, hikes in Japan, Hakuba Sanzen. Nestled in the Northern Japanese Alps this hike consists of Shirouma-dake (2,931m), Mt. Shakushi and Mt. Hakubayaritagate, and then a long and very difficult 7 hour hike back down to the start of the trail.

I went during the Obon national holiday, setting off from Kyoto on August 10. This meant the trail was quite busy, which was actually quite helpful.

According to the yamaquest website Shirouma is a level 73 difficulty hike and Fuji is 59
Shirouma: http://www.yamaquest.com/detail/shiromadake-2932/2830.html
Fuji: http://www.yamaquest.com/detail/fujisan-3776/2795.html

For the assent up to Shirouma you also have to traverse the Hakuba Daisekkei glacier, for which crampons are advised

Day 1: Hakuba to Shirouma Summit
I caught a taxi to Sarukuraso Lodge (1250 meters above sea level), the official start of the trail and hiked up, over the Daisekkei glacier to the summit of Shirouma (7hr 30 mins). I stayed at one of the two mountain lodges near the summit, Hakuba Chojo Shukusha Lodge. They provided a comfy futon in a dorm room for 16 people and a very tasty dinner and breakfast for ¥13,000 yen or $88, see link below. They also have a camp site, but rather you than me. It was cold and sounded pretty windy at night, even in the middle of August. There are two lodges near the summit, both can accommodate about 1,000 people each. They are closed from late Autumn to Spring.

Day 2: Summiting Mt. Shakushi and Mt. Hakubayaritagate and returning to the start of the trail
I woke up and had breakfast at 5am. Headed out at 6:30 am and made it back to the start of the trail at 5 pm, stopping off only to have a very average lunch at the Yaritagate Onsen. The last 4 to 5 hours had some of the most difficult trail I have ever hiked, strewn with awkward rocks of all shapes and sizes, loose rocks and rocks made dangerously slippery due to numerous waterfalls. I greatly underestimated how difficult this part would be, and how long it would take, so please be warned! Also a damp and increasingly heavy ruck sack, and hiking shoes which were a bit too small, as it turned out, didn’t help

Day 3: Returning to Kyoto
On shattered legs that didn’t really work anymore. I walked like Forest Gump when he had those metal things on his legs

Hakuba Chojo Shukusha Lodge http://yamagoya.hakubakousha.com/facility/

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Contents of video

00:00 Intro

1:16 Shinkansen from Kyoto

2:09 Arrive in Nagano

3:01 Why I’m here

3:57 Climbing Shirouma Dakke

7:43 Mountain accident stats

7:50 Heading back down

14:26 skip this bit it’s rubbish

20:51 The journey home