Route Name:  Gamma runze (岩間ルンゼ) Mountain:  Hinata-yama (日向山) Map sheet:  41 [Yama-to-kougen-chizu (山と高原地図) series] Time:  1 day Grade:  Overall route grade 4- (WI4 IV+ cruxes) The vicinity of Mt Kaikoma is famous for the depth and breadth of the ice-climbing opportunities that abound there. It ranges from epic large-scale alpine routes to more Scottish-style ice and mixed gullies. Once the first big snowfalls of the winter arrive though, the alpine routes lose their edge, as much of the slab ice is buried. Then it can be time to turn the attention to s ..read more

Route Name:  Direct (‘Chokujou’) route (直上ルート) Location:  Matsuki-sawa Gendarme central wall (松木沢ジャンダウム中央壁) Map sheet:  13 [Yama-to-kougen-chizu (山と高原地図) series] Time:  1 day Length:  6 pitches Grade:  5.8 There are relatively few multipitch climbing venues within a few hours of Tokyo where you stand a good chance of having the route all to yourselves; and even fewer where you can climb largely on natural trad protection. The Matsuki-sawa Gendarme ticks both these boxes. Historically there have been a host of routes put up on the walls of this beautiful fortress ..read more

Route Name: East ridge (東尾根) Mountain: Ryuōdake (龍王岳 2872m) Length: Approx. 500m Time: 3 hours to the summit Grade: II-IV / Overall grade 1 alpine route Map sheet: 36 (山と高原地図 map series – 剣/立山) Ryuōdake, or the dragon king mountain, sits above the Murodō plateau opposite and just slightly southwest of the Tateyama massif. It’s a fairly minor peak, but with spectacular panoramic views of Tateyama and the North Alps. Combined with easy access on good hiking trails, this all makes it a popular choice for a day hike out of Murodō. But its rather grandiose name begins to make more sense once you s ..read more

Route Name: Yatsumine main ridge (八ツ峰主稜) Mountain: Tsurugidake (剣岳 2999m) Length: Approx. 1000m Time: 8-10 hours to the summit Grade: III-III+ / Overall Grade 1 alpine route FA: 02 Aug 1923 Kazuo Okabe, Sosaku Saeki If there is a more beautiful ridge in the North Alps of Japan than the Yatsumine on Mt Tsurugi, then I am yet to find it. Classed as one of the three great ridges of Japan (along with the North ridge of Mt Maehotaka and the Kitakama ridge of Mt Yari), it is a highly sought-after prize, and a big day out. Running roughly parallel to the Genjiro ridge  ..read more

Route Name: Chuō-Kante (中央カンテ) Mountain: Tanigawadake (谷川岳) Map sheet:  16 [Yama-to-kougen-chizu (山と高原地図) series] Length: 10 pitches Time: 4-6 hours to the top of the last pitch Grade: V crux pitch / Overall grade 4- alpine route The Chuō-Kante route ascends the prominent rib of rock on the right side of the Eboshi-sawa Oku-heki (烏帽子沢奥壁) wall, between the Henkei Chimney (変形チムニー) and the Ojou-heki (凹状壁) routes. First climbed in the summer of 1958, this 10-pitch odyssey provides steady climbing for the most part up a stunning natural line, and its crux pitch is one of the finest o ..read more

Crag name:  Tsuzura-iwa (つづら岩) Location:  Mazukari ridge (馬頭刈尾根), Okutama Map sheet:  23 [Yama-to-kougen-chizu (山と高原地図) series] Rock type:  Chert Routes:  approx. 15 (from III to VI- and A1) With an approach walk involving 1h40m map time and about 700m of altitude gain, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Tsuzura-iwa was a little bit off the radar for a rock-climbing crag… But if you make the effort to get there, you will not be disappointed! Situated on top of the Mazukari ridge, largely above treeline and west facing, this splendid 2-pitch rock fac ..read more

Route name:  Daidoushin “Unryo route” (大同心雲稜ルート) Mountain:   Yatsugatake (八ヶ岳) Map sheet:   33 [Yama-to-kougen-chizu (山と高原地図) series] Time:  3-5 hours for the route itself Difficulty:  Grade 4+ alpine route / 5.9 or IV/A1 crux Anybody who has spent time at the Akadake-kousen in the Yatsugatake range will have looked up at the Daidoushin pinnacle and its striking West face, perched high up there near the summit of Mt Yoko. Consistently vertical to overhanging in its lower half, and made up of the snappy conglomerate rock typical of this range, this face ..read more

Route Name: Hida ridge (飛騨尾根) Mountain: Gendarme (ジャンダルム 3163m) Map sheet: 37 [Yama-to-kougen-chizu (山と高原地図) series] Time: 2-3 days round-trip Difficulty: Grade 3 alpine route (IV crux pitch) The Gendarme (Jandarumu, ジャンダルム) is the name given to a distinctive and prominent rocky summit on the dramatic ridgeline between Mt Okuhotaka (奥穂高岳) and Mt Nishihotaka (西穂高岳) in the North Alps of Japan. At 3163m it sits just shy of the 3190m altitude of Okuho, but the ridge that connects them is both serious and thrilling at any time of year, making the Gendarme’s summit a highly desired prize amo ..read more

Route Name:  Nan-ryō Flank (南稜フランケ) Mountain:  Tanigawadake (谷川岳) Map sheet:  16 [Yama-to-kougen-chizu (山と高原地図) series] Length:  6 pitches (+ 200m simul-climbing to the summit) Time:  4-6 hours to the top of the last pitch Grade:  V+ crux pitch / Overall grade 4+ alpine route The Nan-ryō Flank route takes a line up the steep face on the side of the Nan-ryō (South arête), at the far edge of the Eboshi-sawa Okuheki (烏帽子沢奥壁) in the stunning Ichinokura-sawa (一ノ倉沢) valley on Mt Tanigawa. It is one of the more serious routes in the area, characterised by consistently ..read more

Route name: Hidari-Kante (左カンテ) Mountain:  Inagodake (稲子岳) Mountain range:  Kita Yatsugatake (北八ヶ岳) Map sheet:  33 [Yama-to-kougen-chizu (山と高原地図) series] Time:  1 day Length:  6 pitches Difficulty:  Grade 2 alpine route / IV+ crux The northern half of the Yatsugatake range (北八ヶ岳) is typically much less dramatic than the southern end. Characterised by broad plateaus and rolling hills, and with far fewer visitors, the mountains north of Iodake (硫黄岳) are more popular for nature walks and winter snowshoe hikes, or for those completing a juusou (縦走, full traver ..read more