{"id":62592,"date":"2026-05-09T09:50:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T09:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/62592\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T09:50:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T09:50:09","slug":"japan-southern-alps-traverse-day-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/62592\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan Southern Alps Traverse Day 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Can you tell I was always late for the school bus?<\/p>\n

To start the Southern Alps Traverse nobo, you need to catch a bus from Shizuoka to the Shirakabaso hot springs. There\u2019s one bus connection a day, and I\u2019ve missed it.<\/p>\n

Or actually, I was lazy. After arriving from Narita airport at 9 pm the night before, I still had to resupply, ship off my suitcase, wash my hair, and just didn\u2019t feel like rushing this trip.<\/p>\n

Get the bus, but rush or dillydally and hitchhike? There\u2019s only one answer.<\/p>\n

Sneaking on my thru hike<\/p>\n

After a local bus, a road walk, and hitchhiking, it was almost 5 pm when I finally passed the gate to the biosphere reserve. The golden light of sunset has already shifted into shades of grey (pun?). A few construction workers were finishing up their day, and I tried to weasel past unnoticed. It was a little late to head into the mountains, and I knew I\u2019d be night hiking. Nothing I personally worry about, but usually other people do.<\/p>\n

\u201cSumimasen\u201d, I hear behind me, and the realisation hits me instantly: my plan didn\u2019t work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A short man jogs up the gravel road.<\/p>\n

\u201cKonichiwa\u201d, I greet him with a wide, confident smile. I\u2019m not doing anything wrong, not to my knowledge.<\/p>\n

He is short but trim, early 40s if I had to guess. He asks me in Japanese if I speak Japanese, which I don\u2019t, but that\u2019s one of the few Japanese sentences I understand.<\/p>\n

\u201cSumimasen\u201d, I am sorry.<\/p>\n

He asks which mountain I\u2019m heading to.<\/p>\n

I show him the closest and first peak of the route on my map: Mount Chausu. I didn\u2019t mention the Southern Alps Traverse.<\/p>\n

The man nods and then makes a sleeping gesture with his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cCamp\u201d, I say and point to a different point on the map, where a small wooden shelter is supposed to be (I have no idea whether it\u2019s open, but I got my trusty tarp.)<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Search and Rescue<\/p>\n

By now, two younger men are coming down the road to join him. Although they don\u2019t seem to speak much English either.<\/p>\n

They point at my backpack.<\/p>\n

\u201cSleeping bag, tent, stove, head torch\u201d, I try my best to explain my gear using hand gestures and briefly consider pulling it all out to show them.<\/p>\n

\u201c3 hours\u201d, he explains, pointing at my map, 3 hours to reach the shelter.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaijoubu\u201d, no problem, I respond, still smiling. The three men look at me in amusement.<\/p>\n

\u201cMountain search and rescue\u201d, he points at his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cSugoi \u201d, I smile wider. Now I understand why he\u2019s here, questioning me.<\/p>\n

Feral and reckless<\/p>\n

\u201cDrive here?\u201d, he pretends to grip a steering wheel.<\/p>\n

\u201cHitchhike\u201d, I say, holding out my thumb. The man groans playfully. At this point, it must have dawned on him that I was feral and reckless.<\/p>\n

A glance at my phone reveals that I have enough service for Google Translate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand your concern. I am very experienced in hiking and will be careful. I am open to other camp spots\u201d, he reads the translation, nods, and looks at me. Examining. Reading. I smile, relaxed and confident. I don\u2019t have any concerns about night hiking by myself. By heading into the mountains, I leave everything scary behind. There\u2019s danger, there always is, but I don\u2019t fear that.<\/p>\n

Patiently, I wait for his decision. I can tell by the look on his face that he\u2019s torn. Of course, it would be great to get a head start tonight, but I\u2019m not gonna push my agenda. Whatever he says, I will respect. And I could tell he was just worried, not trying to execute his authority.<\/p>\n

But there was something else in his face, besides his genuine concern for my safety: he mirrored my smile. And the two younger men on his left and right equally didn\u2019t seem angry or upset. There was a hint of curiosity in their eyes. And that was my chance.<\/p>\n

Good luck or be safe or both?<\/p>\n

And after a few more seconds of hesitation, he releases me with a \u201cDaijoubu\u201d, his hands folding into prayer and a head nod, the men next to him do the same, they say something in Japanese, which ever means good luck or be safe. And I thank them, bow and turn back to my thru hike.<\/p>\n

Shortly after, I cross the Hatanagi suspension bridge, and as soon as the path weaves into the woods, I understand his concern. The trail is steep and narrow, partially washed out. Ropes and chains provide some support, but it\u2019s definitely not easy during daylight and even less in the dark.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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