The road led to a symbol of Kofu
Two nights, Yamanashi, and SUNDAY.
Considering how these things overlapped, Yanak and I decided to go hiking on the middle day.
BIKE to CAMP
CAMP to HIKE
I like that!
By chance, I learned that this mountain lodge is also a bus stop that goes to the "Odarumi Pass" trailhead for Mt. Kinpu, one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains.
Well, we’d be foolish not to take advantage of that.
This was also meant to be.
At first, I never imagined that the access to the trailhead would line up so perfectly.
I only discovered the existence of that bus while scouting the course with Mayu-neesan.
"Whoa! Really? Well then, let’s hike Mt. Kinpu!"
It was decided just like that, as if flowing with the current.
This is where life layers upon itself.
It’s all about going with the flow.
That’s how a good momentum is born.
Our goal today, Mt. Kinpu, sits at an elevation of 2,595 meters.
At the summit, the Gojo-iwa rock—a granite formation that looks like giant stacked building blocks—towers over everything, with a 360-degree panoramic view waiting for us.
It is also a central watershed, with the Chikuma River tributary flowing toward the Sea of Japan and the Kamanashi River flowing toward the Pacific.
This time, some of us were hiking for the very first time.
That’s how everything is. You never know until you try.
You can't really grasp the true fun of it just by looking at words or social media.
What’s so fun about mountains?
Go there and you'll see!
I was confident it wouldn't let us down.
It's a symbolic mountain visible even from Kofu.
If you go, it will definitely deliver!!!
Views you only see when you walk
It's just my personal opinion,
but I feel the muscles you use for cycling are different from the ones you use for walking or running.
No matter how much you train by running, it doesn't seem to translate to the act of pedaling.
And the reverse is also true.
Perhaps that’s why
I don't really feel the fatigue from having pedaled through 1,500m of elevation gain yesterday.
Everyone is energetic,
high-spirited.
My man is talking up a storm, too!!
We started at Odarumi Pass at an altitude of 2,447m
and after passing through the forest, which has begun to take on its autumn colors, we reached our first peak: Mt. Asahi.
A sea of clouds spreads out below us.
We crossed a mountain pass by bicycle,
and now we are above the clouds.
And there, rising behind the majestic mountain range floating in the sea of clouds, is Mt. Fuji.
Its presence is unreal!!
This truly is the symbol of Japan!
From there, a pleasant ridge walk continues.
Everywhere you look, there's a spectacular view.
Encouraged by such scenery, we kept up a good pace.
We entered the forest again, taking a traverse route around Mt. Tetsuyama.
Once we got through there, Mt. Kinpu's icon, the "Gojo-iwa," appeared in our field of vision.
The compass, which had been pointing northwest, now shifted to the southwest.
"Whoa..."
A voice involuntarily escaped me.
We cleared the forest.
A mountain trail spread out before us like a garden, leading all the way to the summit.
After scrambling over the rocks
and passing the Mt. Kinpu summit marker,
"Gojo-iwa" suddenly jumped into our eyes. It was a breathtaking sight.
With massive rocks stacked layer upon layer, it has a divine quality, like a castle built to worship the gods.
Anyone who sees this would surely realize that the power of nature far exceeds our imagination.
How... why is this here...?
If it were created by something beyond our imagination...
The mystery of nature even makes one start having such strange delusions.
Gazing at the sculptural beauty born of nature, it’s time for lunch!
Our lunch today was a boxed meal we requested from Kinpu Sanso.
Onigiri (rice balls) and fluffy rolled omelets.
Simple, but nostalgic—a bento packed with kindness.
How delicious it is.
The mountains teach you that simple is best.
There is no information or infrastructure here.
When I come to the mountains, I sometimes fantasize about what it would be like if I lived here.
I imagine my own life here.
By doing so, I can get a little glimpse of what is truly important in an economic society overflowing with material goods and information.
Yeah, a bicycle would definitely be essential.
Above my head, busy with all sorts of fantasies, is the clear, crisp blue sky of autumn.
The weather is perfect again today.
The endless sea of clouds and the majestic mountains.
I could look at this view forever.
Thanks for the amazing weather, Ryotaro-san.
(I say this while thinking at least 7/9ths of it is thanks to me.)
"Alright, let's head back—beer is waiting!"
The magic words.
We made it back to our base camp in the world below
earlier than planned.
Alright, alright, alright.
Tonight, we're having a Kinpu Sanso BBQ.
Plenty of meat
and very filling!
The miso soup with freshly picked mushrooms seeped into our sweaty bodies.
We piled up the rice.
The grapes are amazing!!
Man, everyone looked super satisfied.
It has such a good balance,
this Kinpu Sanso.
I felt once again like it was practically created just for this RIDEALIVE.
Even while getting this close to nature, it provides a sense of relief, knowing someone is waiting for us.
That night, we spent a relaxing time around the campfire.
The flickering flames give us a special kind of time.
Relaxing,
zoning out,
sometimes even triggering exciting fantasies among us guys.
The sense of unity we felt during those moments around the campfire is something I will probably never be able to forget for the rest of my life.
TODAY’S RIDER
TORAYA EQUIPMENT Toshihiro Urakabe
There are many styles of travel, such as walking, biking, by boat or airplane, but for me, the most perfect travel tool has been the bicycle.
It's faster than walking so you can cover more distance, and if you see something interesting, you can stop right away. The feeling of feeling the wind and having the sounds and smells enter you directly is something you can only get on a bike. That's why whenever I travel to an unfamiliar city, I always make sure to ride.
I still remember how my heart leaped when I heard that SUNDAY in Kofu—who have always been so supportive—and Circles in Nagoya were going to hold RIDEALIVE in Yamanashi, just shortly after I had started my activities based in Kofu.
Test-riding the course in the heat of midsummer when it was nearly 40 degrees, pushing our bikes up steep hills together, talking nonsense around the campfire until late at night—looking back, every moment was a good time.
If you look at the map, it's just a tiny area, but these three days of sweating and laughing with my companions were truly a great adventure. Riding in this RIDEALIVE, I feel like my own approach to cycling has changed a little.
As a provider of travel gear in Kofu, and as a total bike-nut, I am proud to have been able to support this exciting trip. To everyone involved and to all the participants, thank you so much.
RIDEALIVE in Yamanashi is the best!! I'll be waiting for you in Kofu next year!
TORAYA EQUIPMENT Tabidogu Toraya
http://toraya.equipment/
TEXT by Konosuke Ishikawa ／ PHOTO by Eri Tanaka