Hiking in Shizuoka: The haunting Mt Amagi and Hatcho pond

Forgive me for getting a bit emotional with nostalgia as I prepare to recount one of the most exhilarating hiking experiences of my life. While my memories may have blurred with time, the striking images captured by my friends during this journey are bound to leave you spellbound.

Let’s journey back a few years, to the third month of my relocation to Tokyo. It was during this time that I found myself amidst a group of extraordinary individuals who shared two passions: hiking and photography. It was them who started taking me to mountain excursions, initiated me in the hiking manners, and had me buy proper hiking boots. The rest, as they say, is history. Following a series of shorter excursions around Hakone and Saitama, I graduated to the next stage; a weekend hiking trip to Shizuoka prefecture.

The plan was easy. First, we had to take the JR train all the way to Ito, as far as it gets in the Izu peninsula. We would spend the night there at some picturesque ryokan and early next morning we would head to Higashiizu. The plan for the final day was to wing it and head home. I felt completely lost and out of my league, so it’s one of the rare times that I’ve let someone else handle everything (apart from the occasional “Elena, come speak on the phone, they don’t understand English”.)

Shizuoka was historically significant as the home of the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. In recent times, it is known as a global hub for motorcycle and musical instrument manufacturing, with brands like Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki originating and operating in Shizuoka. To the west, it extends into the Japan Alps, while to the east, it narrows along a coast bounded by Mount Fuji, leading to the Izu Peninsula, protruding into the Pacific Ocean. Nestled along the eastern shore of the Izu Peninsula lies the picturesque city of Ito (伊東市). Geographically, Ito boasts a landscape characterized by rolling hills and a coastline that hugs the shores of Sagami Bay. The city is especially famous for the Cherry Trees Street at Izu-kogen. Much of the coastal region falls within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It is renowned for its onsen hot springs, with numerous hotels and resorts, Ito is one of the most frequented national parks in Japan, offering a perfect blend of nature, tranquility, and adventure.

You might have heard of Izu through the nobelist writer Yasunari Kawabata and “The Dancing Girl of Izu” (Izu no Odoriko), which captures the essence of the region through its storytelling. The local Kawazu zakura cherry blossoms, famous for their early bloom and vibrant pink petals, symbolize the transient beauty that Kawabata so elegantly narrates. Approximately 20 million years ago, Izu was situated at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, since it was essentially a cluster of undersea volcanoes near Iwo Jima. Over time, these volcanoes migrated northward and the Izu Peninsula is formed by the collision of the Philippine Sea Plate with the Okhotsk Plate at the Nankai Trough, with Mount Fuji marking the junction where the three tectonic plates converge. This explains the rugged geography and the intense volcanic activity, which produces the most magnificent hot springs. Unfortunately, this also means that the peninsula experiences frequent earthquake swarms and tsunamis, with the most recent devastation taking place in 2021.

The peninsula features the dominant Amagi Mountain Range (天城連山), home to peaks such as Bansaburodake (万三郎岳), Banjirodake (万二郎岳), and Tōgasayama (遠笠山), with the first reaching 1,406 meters. Mt Amagi is of course one of the 100 most beautiful mountains of Japan. A primary reason for this listing is the fact that the mountain is covered with pink and orange azalea shrubs, which form a stark contrast with the lush greenery.

We started the hike from the Amagi Kogen Golf Course bus stop. The plan was to reach a small pond, follow the Miyuki Road (御幸歩道) and end up at the Amagi tunnel (天城トンネル). The day was foggy, it was drizzling a bit and the humidity was piercing through our clothes. That’s what June in Japan usually looks like, so we had to bear with it and start walking. The first peak we meet is the Banjirodake. The -jiro suffix usually connotates the second son of a family, but in this case it means the second highest peak.

After the initial elevation gain to the peak, comes along a horseback ridge (Umanose, 馬ノ背の尾根). This area, near the Ishikusudate (石楠立) checkpoint, is full of azaleas and it is considered the most beautiful view of Mt Amagi when they are in full bloom. There’s also an asebi (馬酔木) tunnel path, made of the Japanese andromeda plant. This plant is toxic to horses and causes them to gallop like drunk when consumed, which is evident on its name’s kanji characters. Soon after, the ascent ends at the Banzaburodake. The suffix -saburo refers to the third son of a family, so I will be left to wonder for an eternity which peak was the “eldest” in this case.

The first part of the path showcased a mix of beech trees and azalea shrubs. A specific beech tree shaped as a snake, the hebibuna (ヘビブナ), forms a special landmark. Due to the morphology of the area, only limited amount of light can penetrate the forest. At times, the fog and the shadow made it feel like it was almost pitch dark. Nevertheless, this weather setup formed an ideal set of conditions to enjoy the komorebi (木漏れ日), namely the light that gets filtered through the tree branches.

After moving on from the Totsuka pass (戸塚峠) the path becomes brighter, with more light coming in. Soon, you will reach the highlight of the route, the Hatcho pond (八丁池). This small lake is located at 1,173 meters above sea level, and while its shape makes it look like a crater lake, it is actually formed due to a fault depression. Its name suggesting a circumference of 870 meters, though it’s actually about 560 meters). The pond is surrounded by the scenic primeval forest, including mountain cherry trees and maples. Given its designation as a special protection area within the national park, certain regulations apply. Camping and bonfires are strictly prohibited in the Special Protection Area, with potential legal consequences for violators.

On the shore of the lake there’s a statue of a water spirit, which is also thought to be the goddess Benzaiten. We spent a delightful time at the lake shore, as my Brazilian friend tried to teach us how to dance samba, despite not knowing how to dance herself. We were laughing so hard, that she lost balance and almost fell in the lake! If you’d rather have a less close-up view of Hatcho pond, there’s an observation platform nearby on the way to Aosuzudai (青スズ台). After the highlight of the trail, we continued on our way to the old Amagi tunnel.

You can follow the main path, but at some point it diverged so we took the right and continued walking parallel to the gorge. On the way, we’ve met various signs of destruction and abandonment, such as a toppled wooden bridge and an old wooden cabin. The cabin used to be a himuro (氷室), an ice cabin of sorts that extends underground, used to store ice throughout the year, commonly used prior to the invention of the refrigerator. There are also benches to rest and a small parking ground, marking the start of the mountain road, the first bastion of civilization in a while.

Actually, there are two Amagi tunnels, the old and the new one. The Old Amagi Tunnel, Japan’s first stone road tunnel entirely constructed of cut stone, holds the distinction of being the country’s longest existing stone road tunnel. Recognized as one of Japan’s 100 best roads, the tunnel was designated as a national registered as a national important cultural property in 2001, named the “Amagi Mountain Tunnel.” The tunnel makes its appearance in Kawabata’s novel, as well as many movies, due to its cool atmosphere. By many, it is being considered haunted, but this makes it an even more delightful sightseeing spot. Finally, we took the bus back to Izu from the nearby Suiseichishita (水生地下（バス）) bus stop.

Unwillingly, we had to take the train to return to Tokyo. However, we did this while passing through Shuzenji (修禅寺), an onsen town, and spending the night there. Shuzenji is actually the home town of one of my professors, so I had wanted to visit there. The Zen master Kobo Daishi founded a temple here and created the most prominent hot spring, the Tokko-no-yu (独鈷の湯). We indulged in a well deserved hot bath at the public bath Hakoyu(筥湯), to relax our tired bodies. When in Izu, make sure to enjoy their local produce, fresh fish and fresh wasabi.

If you want to check out the details of this hike, you can follow the route in Yamap. You can read more hiking posts under the tag hiking. If you liked this article, share it with your friends. You can also follow this blog, follow me on Instagram or Facebook, to never miss a post. Until next time!

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