Wednesday, 23 May 2018
After a fine breakfast with all Japanese fixings, we set off on a cool, overcast day to hike to the Gongentaki Waterfall. Setting out from the JR train station, the walk was about 4 1/2 miles. After walking through the town along the Kiso River and then across the river, we started up into the forrest path to the falls. The trail was described as "narrow, steep and fairly strenuous", but this seemed like an understatement. At least a half mile straight up! Win wasn't feeling very well (bronchitis), so it was particularly hard for him. But guess what - we made it! Not another soul was there. The falls are delicate, shimmery and silvery on the rocks, musical and magical. Worth suffering for. There was a famous battle in the Heian Period (794-1185) in which the general prayed to the god of the Gongentaki waterfall (documented in Heike Monogatari).
Luckily the trip down around the ridge was a gradual descent, not difficult. A light rain was not really any problem, and we found our way back to Kiso Fukushima where we had a delicious hot lunch in and old restored restaurant. The cook was eager to tell us about his daughters who married Americans and lived in Wisconsin. I had a hold dish of soy milk skin cooked at the table, which is something I have always liked. Win had a good pork cutlet. We had to wait until 3 for our ride back to Komanoyu, where the lovely hot bath was just what we both needed! Shabu-shabu for dinner was excellent! To bed early.
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| Magnificent Jack-in-the-pulpet |
Tons of love.
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| Kiso River |
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| Gongentaki Fall |
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| Ontake Daigongen |
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Typical breakfast
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