Hiking Day: Mount Yakedake
I got up at 6:30am to make sure there was time for breakfast before the 7km cycle to Shim-Shimoshima station where the bus would start from. As usual I was slow, but, having been extra cautious, arrived in time.
Mount Yakedake is an active volcano...
Bus ride
Quite a full bus! I see why reservations are needed.
I had hoped there would be power/USB sockets for charging on the bus, but unfortunately not.
26 May 2026 - 09:34
A lot of people got out of the bus at Taiko-Iso pond
Imperial Hotel
26 May 2026 - 09:59
View from the bottom
Hiking form filled in, bear bell jangling...
26 May 2026 - 10:29
26 May 2026 - 10:54
Time to get the highly stylish, but nice and grippy gloves out!
26 May 2026 - 11:03
26 May 2026 - 11:12
26 May 2026 - 11:21
26 May 2026 - 11:33
26 May 2026 - 11:54
26 May 2026 - 12:00
Now I'm hearing the cukoos everywhere!
26 May 2026 - 12:06
Wow!
Lunch among these steam vents was slightly spoiled by lots of persistent flies 🫤
26 May 2026 - 12:39
Cloud clearing a little? Maybe I'll be lucky...
26 May 2026 - 12:52
Starting to see some interesting rock
26 May 2026 - 13:02
Starting to smell those eggs pretty strongly now (sulphur I guess)
26 May 2026 - 13:18
26 May 2026 - 13:30
At Mount Yakedake North Peak
At Mount Yakedake North Peak
26 May 2026 - 13:59
26 May 2026 - 14:22
26 May 2026 - 14:29
26 May 2026 - 14:48
Hurry up!
Hmmm, reaching the bus stop in time for the bus I'm booked on is suddenly looking a bit more of a challenge - my 9km route just became 12km as the path I'd intended to take down was not there 😯
Car!
Looks like a terrible accident, if quite a while ago. The road is over 50m above!
26 May 2026 - 15:49
26 May 2026 - 15:54
26 May 2026 - 16:41
Nice river!
Well, there wasn't a great need to hurry - I've 45 minutes to wait for the bus now. Shame I can't take the earlier one (maybe I can ask, but there's no signal here to rebook online).
I asked...they said I had to wait.
26 May 2026 - 16:37
This is the bottom of the path I'd originally intended to take down - there is a bit of a trail here at least.
Bus ride
Happily, this bus has power sockets and I'm able to charge a little 🙂
26 May 2026 - 20:40
Stopped in at a supermarket on the way back to the campsite, picking up essentially the same evening meal as yesterday (kim-chi sprouting beans with konjak and tofu), and had to rush to the onsen to get a shower (and quick dip in the hot bath) before it closed - will have to eat afterwards!