140215 Mt. Gaya (伽耶山/가야산 677m) in Yesan (礼山/예산), ChungNam Province (忠南/충남)

Date: Feb. 15 (Sat) fine,

Mountain: Gayasan (伽耶山/가야산 677m) in Yesan (礼山/예산), ChungNam Province (忠南/충남)

Course: Sanggari Parking Lot – Statue of Sanggari Maitreya Buddha – Okyangbong (Ceremony) – Seongmunbong – The junction of three trails – Giljisa Temple – Tomb of Yi Gu – Parking Lot (about 10 km, 5 hours)

The destination was Mt. Gaya in Yesan, ChungNam province. It is relatively close to Daejeon, therefore the departure timeat Expo South Gate was 7 am.

[The map of Gayasan in Yesan, 礼山・伽倻山の地図、예산 · 가야산 지도]

Participants were 42 including 4 none-Koreans (Bernardo from Mexcico, Michael and Mario from Germany and George from Japan.)

I saw Michael and Mario at Sutonggol on January 31, the Lunar New Year hike with Taejonhikers for the first time.

I invited them to AhToSan hike, and Michael expressed his intention to join this hike on Friday.

It was already full, but because of several cancels, they got the last seats.

When I arrived at the bus stop at Expo South Gate at 6:30, it was still dark. I saw two big guys walking toward the inliner skatelink, I shouted “Michael and Mario?” They were.

[Bernardo, Michael and Mario, ベルナルド、ミカエル、マリオ、베르나르도 미카엘 마리오]

Soon Bernardo joined, and we took the rear seats of the AhToSan bus.

AhToSan had a breakfast break at a service area on the way. I had my breakfast at home, but I joined their table. Bernardo had a good appitite and he orderd ramen and had AhToSan provided a pack of bean rice. The Germans ordered cream coffee for the bean rice.

[Michael and Mario at a service area, サービスエリアで朝食、휴게소 에서 아침식사]

One of Germans said he had allergy with bread, so he liked Korean style breakfast very much.

There were several new commers, and Jeongjeong, the president of AhToSan introduced them as well as 4 foreigners on the bus.

[The new president, Jeongjeong, チョンジョン新会長、정정 신임 회장님]

We arrived at Sanggari Parking Lot at 9:20. Since they were having a ceremony on the summit, they needed to carry a lot of food and drinks (makgeolli). Michael offered this bag to carry “Ttok” or Korean style rice-cake for ceremony.

[Bernardo at the parking lot, 駐車場にてベルナルド、주차장에서 베르나르도]

After taking group pictures at the parking lot, we began hiking toward the mountain.

[A group picture at the parking lot, 駐車場にて集合写真、주차장에서 단체사진]

When we passed a cowshed, there was a fork point of Gaya Temple and Okyangbong. We turned right to Okyangbong.

[We began hiking, 登山開始、등산 시작]

Then there was a big stone monument, and two big wooden statutes on the right side.

[Ruchi at the monument, 石標の横で、ルチ、석표 옆에서 루시]

[The guide post to Maitreya Buddha,弥勒菩薩への案内、미륵보살상 이정표]

There was a chained female dog and several puppys. They were very friendly.

[Bernardo and puppies, ベルナルドと子犬たち、베르나르도와 강아지들]

From the road, we could see Mt. Gaya with antenna facilities on the summit, clearly.

[Gayabong and a cowshed, 伽倻峰と牛舎、가야봉과 외양간]

Then we came to the board which said “Sanggari Maitreya Statute Park.”

The stone statute of Maitreya was a bit apart from the trail. I was interested in the historical statute, so I went close to the statute and took a picture.

[The statute of Miatreya, 上伽里弥勒仏、상가리 미륵불]

[The explanation of Sanggari Mireukbul(Miatreya), 上伽里弥勒仏の由来、상가리 미륵불의 유래]

But while I was away from the trail, all AhToSan hikers went ahead leaving me alone.

Soon there was a fork point of the trails. Both trails lead to Okyangbong, so I took out of the map and turned left which the hiking planner explained on the bus.

[The trail leading to the ridge, 稜線へ行く登山路、능선으로　가는 등산로]

Later, I found out that every hiker turned to right, which trail was a little easier than left. And I was the only hiker who took the right course.

I had a bad feeling as I did before when I took the wrong way. Anyway, Jeongjeong, the leader of AhToSan called me while I was walking toward the ridge.

She asked me the place I was, and I answered that I was on my way to Okyangbong. Then she said we would meet at the summit of Okyangbong,

[I came close to the summit, 頂上に近づいた、정상에 접근]

I walked alone for about one hour and half, and when I came close to the summit of Okyangbong, I heard the voice of Ruchi and other AhToSan members.

[Solhyanggi and Ruchi, ソルヒャンギとルチ、송향기와 루치]

Good grief! I could join them all right! It was the summit of Okyangbong where they were to have “Shisanjae” ceremony.

I passed over the summit and went to the other side of the mountain. There, Jeongjeong, and Michael and Mario were arriving at the summit.

[Jeongjeong has arrived at the summit, チョンジョンが頂上に到着、정정이 정상에 도착]

The fast hikers were already on the summit and preparing for the ceremony. Michael took out the “ttok” from his bag.

They placed the food and makgolli in front of the national flag and AhToSan flag.

Pianoman, a staff member of AhToSan played the role of MC. Then Jeongjeong started the ceremony.

[Pianoman played the role of MC, ピアノマンが司会、피아노맨이 사회자]

[At the ceremony, 始山祭にて、시산제에서]

She kneeled down in front of the alter and bowed down and stood up and keeled down and bowed, twice.

[Jeongjeong at the ceremony, 始山祭にてチョンジョンアトサン会長、시산제에서 정정　아토산 회장님]

Then drank makgeolli and put money under the food.

["Shisanje Ceremony, 始山祭にて、시산제에서]

After Jeongjeong, three former presidents of AhToSan performed the ceremonial bows, then staff members of AhToSan followed suit.

To my surprise, Michael and Mario joined this ceremony. They kneeled down and bowed and drank makgeolli and put money under the food.

[Mario & Michael at Shisanje, 始山祭にてマリオとミカエル、시산제에서 마리오와 미카엘]

[Michael, putting his money, 始山祭にてミカエル、시산제에서 미카엘]

I remembered that Cris from USA did this before, and all AhToSan people liked him very much.

Bernardo and I were refrained from the ceremony, since we believe that the creator of the world is the only God in the world.

Anyway, the ceremony ended when Jeongjeong burned the paper on which prayers were written.

[Jeongjeong burning the prayer paper, チョンジョンが祈祷文を燃やしている、정정이 기도문을 불 태우고있다.]

Then we had lunch. The food they brought to the mountain were: boiled pork, several different kind of cooked vegitable and “ttok” rice cake with red beans.

[Lunch on the summit, 玉陽峰にて昼食、시산제 후 옥양봉에서 점심]

Some members cooked ramen, and we shared these food among members.

[Lunch on the summit, 玉陽峰にて昼食、시산제 후 옥양봉에서 점심]

After the lunch, I took several pictures with the guidepost of Okyangbong. Then we started the ridge hike which I enjoyed very much.

[At the guidepost of Okyangbong, 玉陽峰の里程標にて、옥양봉 이정표에서]

Some part of the ridge trails were facilitated with wooden plates, others were bare rocks.

[On the ridge with Western friends, 稜線にて西洋人の友人たちと、능선에서 서양인의 친구들과]

[Bernardo on the ridge trail, 稜線の木製登山路にて、능선의 나무 등산로에서]

It was a fine day, and we had nice views of the mountains.

[A guidepost on the ridge, 稜線の道標、능선의 이정표]

There were nice looking pine trees, and good points for taking pictures.

[The main group on the ridge, 稜線にて中間グループ、능선에서 중간 그룹]

I walked with Bernard, first, but he was too fast for me. He joined the top group, and I walked with the main group of about twenty people including Michael and Mario.

On the way, Mario joined the other hiking club lunch or drinking place. He was popular wherever he went.

The distance between Okyangbong and Seongmunbong was about 1.4 km. When we passed a 3 meter-high piles of stones, we were close to the 2nd summit; Mt. Seongmunbong.

[A cairn near Seogmunbong, 石門峰近くのケアン、석문봉 부근의 돌탑]

There was a Korean national flag and a stone monument on the summit of Seongmunbong, therefore many hikers wanted to take pictures with these memorials.

[AhToSan members at Seongmunbong, 石門峰にて、석문봉에서]

We had to wait for a while until the other hikers finished their turn to take a lot of pictures.

[Near the summit of Seongmunbong, 石門峰の近くの岩場、석문봉 가까이에 바위에서]

After the summit of Seongmunbong, we continued the ridge hike toward Gayabong, the final summit of the day.

[]Short break on the ridge, 稜線にて小休止、능선에서 짧은 휴식]

When we came close to Gayabong, we separated ourselves for two groups; one for Gayabong, and the other for going down without going to Gayabong.

[A group picture near Seonmunbong, 石門峰近くの稜線にて、석문봉 부근의 능선에서]

[On the ridge near Gayabong, 伽倻峰に近くの稜線にて、가야봉 부근의 능선에서]

Michael and I took joined the latter group, while Mario joined the tougher group.

[Snow covered down-trail, 下山路、하산길]

From this point to the middle of the mountain, the trail was steep and slippery because of snow.

Some members used crampons. I did not used crampons, but I used sticks in stead. Michael also used a stick which he borrowed from another member of AhToSan.

We had a short break at about the middle point. There were about a dozen of members with me.

[A short break on the down-trail, 下山路にて小休止、하산길에서 짧은 휴식]

Michael took out a bottle of coke and some candies from his bag. I was impressed that he prepared well.

[A stream near the exit, 麓近くの谷川、산기슭의 계곡]

He and I walked together until the end of the hike. When we came out from the forest, we saw rice field with a lot of frogs, thousands of frogs calling each other.

[Paddy field at the foot of the mountain, 麓の水田、산기슭의 논]

[Frogs in paddy field, 田の中のカエル、논에서 개구리들]

Wow, it’s spring already, I thought. I could see many of them jumping around and swimming!

After the rice field, there was a strange-looking temple called “Giljisa.” It did not look ordinary temple.

[Giljisa Temple, ギルジ寺、길지사]

Then the trail joined to the other trail from Gayabong. I saw Gongjapak who planned this hike coming from the bank of the reservoir.

[Gongja came down from Gayabong, 『孔子』が伽倻峰から下りてきた。'공자'가 가야봉에서 내려왔다.]

I explained the first part of the trail to Okyanbong when we came to the map. He said I took the right way and they took the way he originally did not plan.

After the map, I saw a little hill on the left side and several AhToSan hikers. So Michael and I climbed up to the hill.

It was the tomb of a price called Namyeonggun (YiGu), the father of Daewongun, who influenced the policy of Lee-dynasty at the end of 19th century.

[AhTo members at the tomb of Namyeongun, 南延君の墓にてアトサン会員たち、남연군의 묘에서 아토산 회원들]

[The tomb of Prince Namyeongun, 南延君の墓、남연군의 묘]

They say that there used to be a temple named Gayasa at the place. But according to “Feng shui” Philosophy, the place is the best place to make a tomb. So Daewongun burned the temple and made his farther’s tomb there.

Fen shui:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feng_shui

After the tomb, there was a well facilitated wooden trail, then came to the paved road. Several local women were selling local products to the hikers.

[The women selling local products, おばさん達が土地の産物を売っている。아줌마들이 지역 산물을 판매하고있다.]

[Well facilitated wooden trail,良く整備された木道、 잘 정비 된 목도]

[With Michael by the statute, 木像の横でミカエルと、장승 옆에서 미카엘과 함께]

We came back to the parking lot at 3:30 pm. Some fast hikers were already having wrap-up party with makgeolli and shoju.

[Arriving at the parking lot, 駐車場に3時半に到着、주차장에 3:30에 도착]

The main dish was Kimchi jjigae. It’s a bit spicy and hot, but Bernardo likes it very much.

[Fast hikers at the table, 先頭グループ、뒤풀이에서 선두들]

Jeongjeong shouted “A Toyoilun Sanekaja” or “Let’s go mountains on Saturday!” and all others agreed saying “Aja, Aja, Aja!”

[Jeongjeong, the president, チョンジョン・アトサン会長、아토산 회장인　정정님]

[At the wrap-up party, 打ち上げコンパにて、뒤풀이에서]