Myogi-san: 妙義山

The Japanese people have a fettish with numbers I think. They absolutely love to rank things. Well, I don't know if this is totally true, it just seems like it. For example, whenever you go someplace the little pamphlet says something like "Third best onsen in Japan!" or "5th most popular temple" or "12th best bottle of sake" or "Only village in all of Japan with a sky bridge." Every area, village, town, or city has something ranked. Oftentimes it leaves me thinking "there can't be that many so-and-so's in Japan, can there?" This feeling leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It is like being valedictorian of your one-room country school. How much competition is there? I guess they have to be known for something, and they need it to be ranked.

Anyway, the only reason I bring this up is because I heard from a friend of mine that they listed the top 100 mountians to climb in all of Japan in some book or something. This is all fine and dandy except for the fact that Mount Myogi was NOT one of them. Wikipedia describes Mount Myogi in the following way, "well known for its rocks weathered into fantastic forms, this famous peak is ranked among Japan's three most noted places of rugged beauty." Ha...I know for a fact that it is indeed ruggedly beautiful. I just didn't know that someone ranks rugged beauty--no wonder there is a 0% unemployment rate in Japan.

Anyway, without further adieu, I give you Myogi-san.


This is Myogi-san from the parking lot. As always, pictures don't do it justice (except pictures in art galleries).


I took a picture of the map so in case I got lost I could just look at the 2.5 inch version on my digital camera. Genius, I know. One other thing worth noting is that the trails are ranked (there's that word again) according to difficulty. The yellow is easy, orange is medium, and red is supreme master climber only (sherpa a must). I think red also signifies the amount of blood you would lose if you were to veer off the path.



We had the great idea of climbing this death-defying mountain while it was drizzling and foggy. I felt like I was in Karate Kid looking for that elusive and expensive bonsai tree hanging on for dear life on the side of the mountain. Above, you can see some of the guys in my party who were working there way down. The path was overgrown and small. At some parts, if you took a step off the path on either side you would fall so far and for so long that you would need to scream twice! Ha. I always think that is so strange to think about. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! (Run out of breath, inhale) AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!