Mount Yake

What?
Yakedake or Mount Yake (焼岳) is a 2455 meters high volcano in the Hida Mountain Range (飛騨山脈). It is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. The trail from the Matsumoto side can be reached through breathtaking Kamikochi, one of the most beautiful highland valleys in Japan – if not the most beautiful. The volcano is still active, so from time to time access to the top is restricted. Check before going. Sanbondaki (三本滝) is one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls in Norikura Heights (乗鞍高原), another of those beautiful highlands near Matsumoto (松本). More info about Norikura Heights can be found here.
Where?
Yakedake and Sanbondaki are located in Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture (長野県). The Matsumoto approach for Yakedake begins from Kamikochi. From Matsumoto you need to take the Matsumoto Dentetsu Line (松本電鉄) to terminal Shin-Shimashima (新島々駅). From there buses and taxi’s run to Kamikochi. The area is off limits to private vehicles, so a bus or taxi ride are imperative. It is quite complicated to reach, but there is no other way. To reach Norikura Highlands you need to take a different bus at Shin-Shimashima Station. Unlike Kamikochi, Norikura can be reached with your own wheels though.
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Hiking in Japan Adventures of Anette Japan Hoppers Japan Guide Outline (Norikura)

Sometimes people decide to do stupid things. One of these was doing the Yatsubuchi-no-taki hike without proper preparations. I wouldn’t make that same mistake again, however this time I decided to climb a 2455m high volcano after a very hard month of a lot of working and walking.
I realized this the night before we were to start the ascent, and when even the weather forecast wouldn’t give me any good news, I was kind of ready to give up before even starting.

But then you wake up, and there are some seriously hyperkinetic companions with you who show the changed weather report. So all that’s left is to head out. And luckily we did.

Climbing Mount Yake is no easy task. Well, that is if you’re a beginner or intermediate climber. And not of Japanese nationality, because it seems that it’s normal for 70 year old Japanese seniors to climb a mountainside spread with rocks and ladders.
As me and my friends are of intermediate level, I can truthfully say that it is far from impossible to climb this volcano, but you’d best start early and pump yourself up for some serious efforts.

The hike starts at the information center of Kamikochi where you need to register yourself as climbing a mountain. From there it’s an idyllic walk to the trailhead with stunning views of the ever gorgeous Kamikochi. Even passed the trailhead the terrain is fairly easy to cover; the path is clear of any obstacles and only rises slightly. We didn’t have the impression that it took us a long to cover this part of the hike, however on the way back we realized that also this part must have eaten quite some energy. The toughness really starts when you pass the first (small) ladder. The road gets rockier and a little more steep, and at a certain moment you need to climb a connection of rather big ladders which are luckily more sturdy than they seem. Immediately after this part you have to pull yourself up with the help of a rope, and at that point I think we were only halfway. Between the ladder and the mountain hut up ahead however, the path becomes again fairly easy with vegetation on both sides and stunning views of the surrounding below and the summit that lingers above.

After the mountain hut the really hard part begins. Vegetation transforms into a volcanic landscape, meaning an eerie atmosphere, sulfuric gases and an unclear path which makes you feel you are bouldering instead of hiking. The dip between 2 peaks on the mountain also means that wind and clouds can play freely, so it also grows misty and a bit colder.

The start in beautiful Kamikochi.

Stunning views all along.

Mount Yake is an active volcano, don't forget!

Grassy part.

With the top within reach, the path only gets tougher and steeper. We were really pushing our limits, and I was thinking about asking the rescue helicopter for a ride when it flew over. However the reward we got at the top was unforgettable. At first it was shrouded in mist and clouds, making even the very nearby caldera impossible to spot, but as soon as we sat down the air became clear and we enjoyed again some great views on the surroundings and the lake.

The thing about Yakedake is – if the weather is good, that almost at any point of the hike the views are absolutely fantastic. Kamikochi is a wonderful place, maybe the best in Japan. It’s fairly easy to enjoy its views from below, but if you get up one of the mountains and admire the scenery from above, it puts the beauty of the Japanese Alps in a whole new light.

The next day we had a little bit of time to visit the Sanbondaki Falls located in Norikura Highland. Norikura has its fair share of waterfalls, but the Sanbondaki Falls are by far the most impressive; 3 waterfalls thundering down on the left, on the right and in front of you (true, 1 isn’t that impressive, but still). It’s one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls but I had the feeling this deserved maybe more. It might have been the whole area though; I truly love the Shinshu region.