Mt. Togakushi 戸隠山

Challenging hike with spectacular views

Above Nagano City, Mt. Togakushi is a challenging but amazing hike. The start from Okusha Shrine in Togakushi Village is impressive with a long colonnade of ancient trees. At the back of the shrine is a hiking map with cautions about the route difficulty and weather conditions. Before you commit to this hike, make sure you have safety gear, proper footwear for hiking and climbing, and adequate supplies of water. The return trip takes a day. Be forwarned - Arino-watari, the knife edge, is a sloped ridge mere centimeters wide with steep drops. The views are breathtaking but can be scary for inexperienced mountaineers. The rewards are the caves and grottoes that Shugensha ascetics practice at and the wide view of the highlands.