141104 Mount Nantai (Treking around Lake Chuzenji) 男体山(2,486m) – Trekking around Lake Chuzenji (中禅寺湖畔トレッキング)

Mountain: Mount Nantai (男体山 2,486m) : Trekking around Lake Chuzenji (中禅寺湖)

Date: Tuesday November 4, 2014 Fine

Access (Transportation): JR Ofuna – Shimbashi – (Subway) – Asaku

sa – (Tobu Nikko Line) – Tobu Nikko – (Bus) – Futarasan Jinja Chugu.

Trekking Course: Futarasan Jinja Chugu – Maruyama – Boat House – Shobugahama – Ruyuzu Waterfall - Senjugahama – Chugu Bus-stop – Hotel

Hotel: Little Forest Inn Nikko

Partner: None

I asked my wife to wake me up at 4 am. Sine I had to take 5:09 train, I had no time to have breakfast at home.

I took Tokaido Line train leaving Ofuna at 5:09 am. I changed trains to Ginza Line Subway at Shimbashi and went to Akakusa. Then I took Tobu Train leaving at Asakusa at 8:25.

[The sunrise in Tokyo, 東京にて日の出、도쿄의 일출]

When I married my wife 45 years ago, we took this Tobu Train from Asakusa to Nikko. Oh, it was 45 years ago!　Now our first son, having his won family of six and our second son is going to get married in February 2016.

[Mt. Nantai from the train, 東武電車から見た男体山、도부 전철에서 본 난타이산]

It was a fine day. I saw a beautiful sun-rise at around Tokyo Skyline Station. I had my breakfast of “onigiri” on the train.

There are 3 bus-stops in front of Tobu Nikko Station. #1 goes to Chuzenjiko Onsen, #2 goes Futarasan Jinja, the World Heritage, then #3 goes to Yumoto Hot-spring.

[Tobu Nikko Station, 東武日光駅、도부 닛코 역]

[Autumn color in front of the station, 東武日光駅前の紅葉、도부 닛코 역 앞의 단풍]

According to the guide-book, the entrance of the trail to Mount Nantai is at Futarasan Jinja, so I took #2 bus. Oh, it was only 15 minute ride and the bus took me to the Main Shrine of Futarasan Jinja, and the entrance of the trail was at Chugu Shrine of Futarasan Jinja!

[Main Shrine of Futarasan Jinja,二荒山神社本宮、후타라산 신사 본궁]

[Main Shrine of Futarasan Jinja,二荒山神社本宮、후타라산 신사 본궁]

Therefore, I had to take #1 bus at the main road to Lake Chuzenji. When I was waiting for the #1 bus at the bus stop (Nishi-sando), a nice-looking stone building attracted my attention.

[True Light Church, 真光教会、일본 성공회 "진광 교회"]

When I approached to the building, there was an explanation board and I found that it was “ True Light Church” an Anglican Church in Nikko.

[True Light Church, 真光教会、일본 성공회 "진광 교회"]

It was designed and built in 1915, by James McDonald Gardiner (1857 – 1925). James McDonald Gardiner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_McDonald_Gardiner

He loved Japan and Nikko very much. He met his wife first at Nikko and the couple were buried under the floor of this church.

Anyhow, I waited for the bus more than 30 minutes and when I arrived Chugu Shrine of Futarasan Jinja by Lake Chuzenji, it was already 11 am.

[At the foot of Mount Nantai, 男体山の麓にて、난타이산 기슭에서]

The autumn color at the foot of Mount Nantai was its best. But Oh, No! What I saw at the entrance o the trail was the sign which said “The trail is closed after October 25” The trail is closed until May next year!

[At the foot of Mount Nantai, 男体山の麓にて、난타이산 기슭에서]

When I looked at the guide-book carefully, it was written as warning at the end of the explanation.

[The sign says "The trail is closed",「登山路は閉鎖中」"등산로는 폐쇄 중"]

I gave up to climb Mount Nantai that day, and changed my plan to walk around Lake Chuzenji. After eating my lunch at Chugu Shrine of Futarasan Jinja, I began walking around Lake Chuzenji.

[On the trail along the lake, 中禅寺湖畔の散策路にて、주젠지 호숫가 산책로에서]

First, I headed for Shobugahama via Maruyama and Boat House. It was just flat trail along the lake.

[On the trail along the lake, 中禅寺湖畔の散策路にて、주젠지 호숫가 산책로에서]

[On the trail along the lake, 中禅寺湖畔の散策路にて、주젠지 호숫가 산책로에서]

[On the trail along the lake, 中禅寺湖畔の散策路にて、주젠지 호숫가 산책로에서]

[On the trail along the lake, 中禅寺湖畔の散策路にて、주젠지 호숫가 산책로에서]

The Boat House was open for public as a kind of museum. I saw several big stuffed fish on display there.

[Boat House Museum, ボートハウス博物館、보트 하우스 박물관]

[At "Boat House Museum", ボートハウス博物館にて、보트 하우스 박물관에서]

[At "Boat House Museum", ボートハウス博物館にて、보트 하우스 박물관에서]

[At "Boat House Museum", ボートハウス博物館にて、보트 하우스 박물관에서]

When I arrived at Byobugahama, I saw a sign to Ryuzu (Dragon Head) Waterfall. It brought me the memory of school excursion when I was 15 years old. Oh, it was more than half-a-century ago.

[Shobugahama, 菖蒲ケ浜、"쇼부가하마"]

[A sign of "Ryuzu Waterfall", 「竜頭の滝」の標識、"용두 폭포"의 표지]

"Ryuzu Waterfall"、竜頭の滝、"용두 폭포"]

"Ryuzu Waterfall"、竜頭の滝、"용두 폭포"]

After seeing the waterfall, I walked on the paved road, but it seemed to lead to Yumoto direction, so I walked down to the lake from the road.

I came to the abandoned resort hotel, then I found the trail around the lake. There was a beautiful maple tree with autumn color by the hut near the beach.

[Near Shobugahama, 菖蒲が浜付近にて、쇼부가하마 부근에서]

When I was walking across the field, I saw a group of wild monkeys. Then the trail went into the mountainous area.

[A wild monky, 野猿、야생 원숭이]

If I slipped on the trail, then I would drop into the lake, so I had to walk carefully.

[Steep trails by the lake, 湖畔の険しい登山路、호숫가의 가파른 등산로]

[A view of the lake, 登山路から見た中禅寺湖、등산로에서 본 주젠지 호수]

[A view of the lake, 登山路から見た中禅寺湖、등산로에서 본 주젠지 호수]

[A Map of Lake Chuzenji, 中禅寺湖畔の地図、주젠지 호숫가의　지도]

[Guide-post at Senjugahama, 千手ケ浜の里程標、센쥬가하마의 이정표]

[Mount Nantai from Senjugahama, 千手ヶ浜から見た男体山、센쥬가하마에서 본 난타이산]

When I reached at Sentegahama, there was a nice bridge named “Otojiro Bridge (乙二郎橋). It was just the other side of Chugu Shrince across the lake and it was 3 pm. It means I took 4 hours from Chugu to Sentegahama.

[Otojiro Bridge, 乙二郎橋、"오토지로" 다리]

When I got across the bridge and went on for a while, then there was a place where there used to be “Senju Kannon Do (千手観音堂)”.

[Mount Nantai and Chuzenjiko, 中禅寺湖と男体山、주젠지호와 난타이산]

The name of the beach, “Senjugahama” came from this “Senju Kannon,” a form of deity named Kannon[Guanyin] with one thousand hands.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin

I found a notice for hikers there. It says “It requires 8 hours to trek around Lake Chuzenji therefore be careful to make a plan and prepare flush-light for hike after sunset.”

[Warning Notice, 湖畔一周トレッキング注意事項、 호숫가 일주 트레킹　주의 사항]

Yes, it took 4 hours for the half round of the lake. And it would certainly become after sun-set if I continued the hiking.　Then I came to the point where there was a guide-post which showed the trail to "Kurobidake (黒桧岳)." Oh, no. I would lose my way in the mountain, I thought.

[The guide-post for Kurobidake, 黒桧岳の標識、쿠로비다케의 이정표]

I prayed for my God, to give me a fine sense of judging so that I could take a proper action. I weighed the choices; Plan A to continue my trekking forward, Plan B to return to the Senjugahama, then Shobugahama. Plan B seemed reasonable, because I knew the trail, and it would be less dangerous to climb "Kurobisan."

I gave up the idea of walking around the lake and returned to Senjugahama. Then I noticed the guide-post which says "200 meters to Senjugahama Bus Stop!" Wow, I could take a bus from Senjugahama! What a relief!

["200 m from the bus stop", 「バス停まで200m」、"버스 정류장까지 200m"]

I hurried to the bus-stop and found it soon. I checked the bus-table. It was 15:40 and the last bus was 15:50. There were several hikers and the bus came at 15:45.

[A bus bound for Akanuma, 赤沼行きバス、아카누마행 버스]

I paind 300 yen and took the bus to Akanuma. Then I changed the bus which went to Chugu Shrine of Futara Jinja. It was about the time of sun-set.

[The moon in the evening sky, 夕暮れ時の月、황혼의 달]

[Mount Nantai in the evening, 夕日に映える男体山、석양에 빛나는 난타이산]

I found the inn I reserved via internet. It is named “Pension Little Forest In Nikko.” It was a small inn, and I was the only guest for the night.

[Sun-set at Lake Chuzenji, 中禅寺湖の日没、 주젠지 호의 일몰]

[Little Forest In Nikko, リトルフォーレストイン日光,리틀 포레스트 인 닛코]

I could see Lake Chuzenji from my room, and it cost 5400 yen for a night. I could use WiFi at the room, so I am satisfied with my room.

[Sun-set at Lake Chuzenji, 中禅寺湖の日没、 주젠지 호의 일몰]

I ate “onigiri” which I bought at a convenient store, and a cup ramen. There was a microwave facilitated in the room. They offer free drip-coffee which I liked it, too.

I slept early for the next day schedule.

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分類：登山、日本、関東、登山、日本百名山

登山地：男体山（なんたいさん2,486m）[今回は麓のトレッキング]

登山日：2014円11月4日(火)晴れ

交通アクセス：大船～新橋～浅草～東武日光駅～二荒山神社中宮(バス)

トレッキングコース：二荒山神社中宮〜丸山〜ボートハウス〜菖蒲が浜～竜頭の滝～千手ケ浜(せんじゅがはま)～二荒山神社中宮バス停～宿所

トレッキング時間：約5時間30分

宿泊：リトルフォーレストイン日光

同行者：なし。

朝、妻に4時に起こしてもらった。朝食を食べる時間の余裕はなく、支度をしてすぐに出かけた。

大船を5:09の東海道で新橋乗り換え、銀座線で浅草から6:20発のスカイライン線の快速に乗車、東武日光駅には8:25に到着した。

思えば45年前の1970年6月28日、共に22歳だった妻と私は、藤沢の公民館で簡単な結婚式を挙げた後、ハイキングのいでたちで日光・尾瀬への新婚旅行に出かけるため東武浅草駅から日光へ向かったのだった。

この日は快晴の旅行日和で、東京スカイライン駅付近で日の出を迎えた。この車内で朝食をとった。

[The sunrise in Tokyo, 東京にて日の出、도쿄의 일출]

東武日光駅前のバス停には3つの乗り場があり、1番目は中禅寺湖温泉行、2番目は世界遺産、二荒山神社行き、3番は湯元行きだった。

[Mount Nantai from the train, 東武電車から見た男体山、도부 전철에서 본 난타이산]

[Autumn color in front of the station, 東武日光駅前の紅葉、도부 닛코 역 앞의 단풍]

登山ガイドブックによると男体山登山口は二荒山神社からというので、2番に乗ったら、なんと、二荒山神社本社で、男体山登山口は中宮だった。

[Main Shrine of Futarasan Jinja,二荒山神社本宮、후타라산 신사 본궁]

止むを得ず私は国道120号線沿いの西参道バス停まで歩いて、次のバスを待った。

バスを待つ時間、道路の反対側に石造りの建物が見えた。近寄って見ると「日光真光教会礼拝堂」とあり、1915年の竣工とあった。

[True Light Church, 真光教会、일본 성공회 "진광 교회"]

設計者は聖公会の宣教師であり教育者でもあったジェームズ・マクドナルド・ガーディナー(James McDonald Gardiner、1857年5月22日 - 1925年11月25日)であった。

[The explanation of True Light Church, 真光教会の由来、"진광 교회"의 유래]

彼はアメリカ合衆国ミズーリ州東部の都市、セントルイスで生まれ、1880年6月、チャニング・ウィリアムズの要請により聖公会伝道局により日本へ派遣され、立教大学校（St. Paul's College）を建設し、完成後校長に就任するなど、教育者・建築家としても活躍したが、特に建築家として耐震性に優れた素晴らしい建物は100年を経た現在も残っている。

日本と日光を愛し、聖路加病院にて68歳で召天されたが、その遺骨は妻の遺骨とともにこの礼拝堂に埋葬されているという。

さて、バスを待つこと約30分、二荒山神社中宮に着いたのは11時近くになってしまった。

二荒山神社中宮は中禅寺湖畔で紅葉が見ごろだったが、いざ登山口を探すとなんと登山期間は10月25日までで、来年5月まで入山できないという掲示があった。

[The sign says "The trail is closed",「登山路は閉鎖中」"등산로는 폐쇄 중"]

[At the foot of Mount Nantai, 男体山の麓にて、난타이산 기슭에서]

[At the foot of Mount Nantai, 男体山の麓にて、난타이산 기슭에서]

せっかく事前に購入した地図の付録の案内をよく読んでおくべきだった。

二荒山中宮神社前の鳥居の近くで早めの昼食としてカップラーメンを食べたのち、中禅寺湖畔の一周トレッキングに挑戦することにした。

[On the trail along the lake, 中禅寺湖畔の散策路にて、주젠지 호숫가 산책로에서]

まずは二荒山神社中宮前の湖畔から丸山、ボートハウスを経て菖蒲が浜まで平坦な湖畔の道を歩いた。

[On the trail along the lake, 中禅寺湖畔の散策路にて、주젠지 호숫가 산책로에서]

[On the trail along the lake, 中禅寺湖畔の散策路にて、주젠지 호숫가 산책로에서]

ボートハウスは資料館になっていて入場無料なので入ってみた。巨大な魚が釣れることに驚いた。

[At "Boat House Museum", ボートハウス博物館にて、보트 하우스 박물관에서]

[At "Boat House Museum", ボートハウス博物館にて、보트 하우스 박물관에서]

[At "Boat House Museum", ボートハウス博物館にて、보트 하우스 박물관에서]

菖蒲が浜からは竜頭の滝を見学してからさらに先に進んだ。竜頭の滝は中学校の修学旅行以来だから52年ぶりか。

[Shobugahama, 菖蒲ケ浜、"쇼부가하마"]

[A sign of "Ryuzu Waterfall", 「竜頭の滝」の標識、"용두 폭포"의 표지]

"Ryuzu Waterfall"、竜頭の滝、"용두 폭포"]

"At Ryuzu Waterfall"、竜頭の滝にて、"용두 폭포"에서]

竜頭の滝の先をバス通りに沿って歩くと湯元のほうへ行ってしまうので、途中から湖のほうへ降りた。すると私有地に入り込み、時間を費やしてしまったが、本来の周遊歩道は山のほうへ続いていた。

[Near Shobugahama, 菖蒲が浜付近にて、쇼부가하마 부근에서]

[Near Shobugahama, 菖蒲が浜付近にて、쇼부가하마 부근에서]

草むらの先に動く物が見えたが、野猿のグループだった。このあたりから千手が浜までのトレイルは完全な山道で、一歩踏み外すと中禅寺湖へ落ちてしまう。

[A wild monky, 野猿、야생 원숭이]

[Sign of warning, 足元注意の標識、발밑주의 표지판]

[A view of the lake, 登山路から見た中禅寺湖、등산로에서 본 주젠지 호수]

[A mountainous trail, 湖畔の山道、호숫가 산길]

[A view of the lake, 登山路から見た中禅寺湖、등산로에서 본 주젠지 호수]

[Mount Nantai from Senjugahama, 千手ヶ浜から見た男体山、센쥬가하마에서 본 난타이산]

[At Senjugahama Beach, 千手ヶ浜湖畔にて、센쥬가하마 호숫가에서]

千手ケ浜の先には乙二郎橋というつり橋があり、そのあたりは中禅寺温泉にちょうど反対側になる。時刻は3時だったから、約4時間かかったことになる。

[Otojiro Bridge, 乙二郎橋、"오토지로" 다리]

さらに先に進むと千手堂跡があり、この手前にハイカーに対する注意書きがあり、中禅寺湖一周には8時間を要するので、時間に余裕をもって計画せよとある。

[Stone Memorial of "Senjudo",「千手ヶ浜」由来、"센쥬가하마"유래]

半周で4時間かかったわけだから、あと半周に4時間かかるのは当然だ。すると途中で日没になり、ヘッドライトを持参しなかったから、やばいと思った。

[Warning Notice, 湖畔一周トレッキング注意事項、 호숫가 일주 트레킹　주의 사항]

にわかに走り出して先に進むと黒檜岳登山口という標識が出てきた。これでは山道にはいってしまうと思い、進むか引き返すかの判断のしどころだと考えた。

[Mount Nikkō-Shirane, 日光白根山、닛코 시라네산]

引き返せば日没までに菖蒲が浜まで戻れると判断し、千手が浜まで急いで引き返した。すると往路では気づかなかった標識に200m先にバス停があるとあった。

[Senjugahama Bus Stop, 千手ヶ浜バス停、센쥬가하마 버스 정류장]

やれやれバスに乗れれば遭難することはないと思い、バス停へ急ぐと、ハイカーが５、6人、バスを待っていた。バスは竜頭の滝付近の赤沼バス停行きで最終が15:50だった。

15分ほど待つと立派なバスが来た。赤沼車庫までは15分ほどで、ありがたかった。途中、林の中に尻の白い鹿が数頭立ち止まったり、走ったりしていた。

料金は区間一定で300円だった。赤沼車庫から2，3分戻った国道沿いに赤沼茶屋バス停があり、東武日光行きのバスがすぐに来た。

[Mt. Nantai from Akanuma, 赤沼車庫より見た男体山、아카누마 주차장에서 본 난타이산]

この日は良く晴れていて空には月がよく見えた。

[The moon in the evening sky, 夕暮れ時の月、황혼의 달]

往路で下車した二荒神社中宮前で下車するとちょうどこのころが日没時刻だった。ネットで予約したペンション、リトルフォーレストイン日光はすぐに見つかった。

[Sun-set at Lake Chuzenji, 中禅寺湖の日没、 주젠지 호의 일몰]

部屋は202号室でゲストは私だけらしい。部屋はこじんまりとしてたしかに窓から中禅寺湖が見える。テレビもWi-Fiも利用可能で1泊5400円はまあまあだろう。

[Little Forest In Nikko, リトルフォーレストイン日光,리틀 포레스트 인 닛코]

ドリップコーヒーが飲み放題で、湯も沸かせるし電子レンジも利用できた。コンビニのおにぎりは電子レンジであたためるとうまい。カップラーメンもばっちりだ。

[Sun-set at Lake Chuzenji, 中禅寺湖の日没、 주젠지 호의 일몰]