Kariwa three mountains consist of Yone-yama, Kurohime-yama and Hachikoku-yama. They are situated on the middle of Niigata prefecture near Kasiwazaki City.
Yone-yama is highest with the height of 993 meters, Kurohime-yama is the second with the height of 891 meters. Hachikoku-yama is the lowest with the height of 518 meters. Yone-yama and Kurohime-yama are outstanding with symmetrical conical shape, while Hachikoku-yama consists of three lower peaks with irregular shape like the back of ox, so it is less outstanding. The three mountains are independent each other and never climbed one after another, but each one is very familiar for one day's hike.
There are some routes to climb Hachikoku-yama on both Oguni-Town side (south) and Kasiwazaki-City side(north). A trail from the steak house of Oguni Town is most popular. Recently People of Minamizyo village at Kasiwazaki City made new hiking trails, car parks and mountain huts on the top. They have kept them regularly in good condition.
I drove from Kitazyo Station on Sinetu Line to the foot of the mountain for about 5 minutes by car, according to signposts on the corners. I got a car park large enough to keep about 20 cars.
I went up gently a shortcut to the final car park through a cedar forest for ten minutes. About several cars had parked already here.
The trail climbed gently through a natural mixed forest to a large open space called "Kayakari-ba".
Ahead of it, the trail divided into two trails, the left one was stream course and the right one was ridge course. I chose the stream course, because it was cooler than the ridge course and clean water was available on the way up, besides there were a lot of wild flowers by the stream in Spring.
The trail made the way up along the mountain slope and got closer to the stream. I followed up the stream to the lower point of main ridge. On my way up, I saw a lot of flowers blooming on the both sides of trail. It was a very wonderful sight.
When water of the stream became less and at last it was lost, I reached the main ridge with a junction. A left trail led to a peak of 474 meters called "Akao Hachikoku". There was a wooden shelter. A right trail climbed steadily to the peak of 514 meters called Minamizyo-Hachikoku. It had a large open space with two mountain huts and a triangular stone structure. Between cherry trees on the top, a marvelous view of Yone-yama, Kasiwazaki City and the Japan Sea could be seen.
To be surprised, there were a lot of daffodils and tulips on a lawn of the top. These flowers weren't natural things, maybe have been planted by students of the nearby schools.
I took lunch here and I decided to head for the highest peak called "Oguni Hachikoku". First the trail descended about 100 meters to the bottom of the main ridge called "Kunoki Pass". Here there was a trail coming up from Kunoki village on Kasiwazaki side. The straight trail turned up steeply to the next peak with a few fixed ropes.
About a 15 minute climb brought me to the top of Oguni Hachikoku. On the summit, there was an open space with a lawn, an antenna tower and a wooden shelter. Although a panoramic view was some marred by the antenna tower, Kurohime-yama, Yone-yama and the Etchigo Plain could be seen.
After a break for a while, I turned back the same course to the first peak, where this time I chose the ridge course and descended it. There were a few steep sections with fixed ropes. It took only one hour to get down to the park.
(Ryoji Honda)
Another photo
