Bunagatake

+1250 m / -1250 m / 16 km

The sun is still behind the hills as I arrive at Hira Station to climb Mount Bunagatake. It has been on my list for a while, and the weather forecast finally convinced me, even though it snowed last night. I got snow crampons yesterday, hoping not to need more (gaiters or snowshoes).

I first walk on a road that crosses rice fields and come across a group of people gathered around a fairly large bonfire. I will later learn that it’s adondoyaki: wooden decorations used to celebrate the New Year are stacked and burned, for the purpose of purification.

I walk a few minutes with a hiker (Hideki) who is going to the same place as me. We follow a road that leads to a parking lot: the trail really begins here. The branches are frozen, and snow is everywhere, even under the trees.

The ascent follows a stream, becomes steeper, and I eventually put on crampons. After the pass, the path continues on a small plateau, under a charming cedar forest. Then it goes up again. The vegetation changes, and the view opens up. We see Lake Biwa below, the surrounding mountains, and then Mount Bunagatake very close.

I quickly reach the summit: it’s windy, crowded, with a monument, and a panorama worthy of the effort. Hideki arrives as well and we take a few pictures together.

I start the descent. I run into Hideki taking a tangerine break, and I take the opportunity to have a drink with him. Another hiker passing by (Yoko) also stops. They exchange a few words and invite me to follow them on a shortcut. This part of the trail is only passable in winter when the snow allows us to ignore what lies beneath. I appreciate my luck in being guided to new places.

We then pass through an old ski slope that opens onto a large clearing. We sit by a frozen pond for lunch as a group of three. The sun is shining, and we are not the only ones in this very pleasant spot.

I let Hideki and Yoko go ahead and enjoy the place a little longer, then I set off again. I have to climb a bit, admire the lake from several viewpoints, then it’s an uninterrupted descent to the bottom. The temperature rises, and the trail soon becomes only melted snow, mud, and dead leaves. I take off my crampons that have served me well. The path dries up a bit, and I finish without any problems.

Hira stationOnce past the parking lot, I notice that the thin layer of snow from the morning has completely disappeared: I don’t recognize anything, except for the rice fields and the station.