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A couple of years in the past, after I visited Mt. Daisen in Japan’s San’in area for the primary time, my Airbnb host tried to impart sense of the height’s significance as we appeared onto it from far away.
“Native individuals typically name it Hoki-huji,” she defined, “hoki” a variation of hoku (the Japanese phrase for “north”) and “Huji” being an alliterative adaptation of Fuji, which I hope wants no clarification. She requested me if I believed Daisen appeared like Fujisan; I feel I stated sure, however the actuality was that they appeared nothing alike, cultural significance however.
Certainly, issues to do close to Mount Daisen are fairly totally different from what you may end up doing close to Japan’s extra well-known Fuji, with one unsurprising exception.
The place to Keep at Mount Daisen
There are some lodging within the village simply past the climbing path heads for Mount Daisen, though not everybody stays there. From inns like Itadaki Daisen and Lodge Daisen Shirogane, to some dozen native properties on Airbnb, the city is a shadow of what it was in previous many years (when it was apparently a neighborhood ski hub), however there are definitely new indicators of life right here.
If, however, you aren’t set on sleeping in Daisen-cho, you may as a substitute keep in Yonago, the closest massive metropolis to Daisen. As you may think, lodging in Yonago run the whole gamut, with enterprise lodge manufacturers corresponding to Tremendous Lodge and Lodge Route Inn represented particularly nicely. You may take one of many frequent buses from Yonago Station as much as Daisen, whether or not you propose to climb the mountain or occupy your time one other means.
What to Do at (and Close to) Mt Daisen
Climb Mt. Daisen
As is the case with Mt. Fuji, “climbing” Daisen is de facto extra of a hike for my part. A a lot simpler one: It solely takes a few hours to make your means up the whole path, which is neat and well-maintained, and is one thing of a staircase for a lot of the means. Though haze could obscure the view of Yonago you get from the highest, it’s nonetheless a powerful perspective.
Discover Daisen City
Whether or not or not you resolve to remain close to Mt Daisen, I do advocate spending a while in Daisen-cho, the city close to the varied trailheads. Along with Daisen-ji, a fascinating forest temple, you may sit down at certainly one of many eating places to gasoline up earlier than or after your hike. You too can get a way of Daisen’s former glory: There are lots of deserted outlets that have been as soon as bustling with vacationers.
Hike close to the bottom
Whether or not or not you climb Daisen, there are many simpler hikes to take pleasure in nearer to floor stage. Whereas most of those are too low (and too near the mountain) to supply a lot of a view of it, you may take pleasure in beautiful greenery (and in the course of the autumn, pink and orange hues) and plush waterfalls as you’re employed up a sweat. Notice that you will want a automobile to entry most of those.
Don’t overlook Tottori
Mount Daisen is in Tottori prefecture, which is certainly one of Japan’s most underrated locations for overseas guests. Whereas Tottori Metropolis isn’t a lot to write down residence about, it’s right here the place you can find the well-known “Japanese desert,” in addition to the underrated historic city of Kurayoshi and a hike that’s typically reputed to be Japan’s most harmful. Keep a day or two!
(Or Yonago)
Yonago is even much less identified amongst overseas guests to Japan than Tottori, with out an attraction as well-known as Tottori Sand Dunes to anchor it. Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless loads to do right here, whether or not you soak up views of the Sea of Japan from the ruins of medieval Yonago Fort, or make a day journey to Sakaiminato, a port as well-known for seafood as it’s for anime.
Is Mount Daisen Value Visiting?
As I discussed within the intro to this piece, Daisen doesn’t truly look very similar to Mt. Fuji. Which isn’t to say it’s not spectacular or iconic—it clearly is to the individuals who dwell close by—however merely to bolster the truth that it’s in all probability not in your Japan bucket listing. For those who climb it, I doubt declaring so could have the identical weight as in the event you stated you climb Fuji. (The truth is I do know it, as a result of I’ve climbed each and declared as such after every time!)
After all, a visit to Mount Daisen isn’t nearly climbing it—and it definitely isn’t about bragging rights. The encompassing San’in area, as a complete, is about transcending Japan’s vacationer path and discovering the “actual Japan,” no matter you interpret that to imply. I’d say that in the event you plan to come back to this a part of Japan, there’s little or no cause to not come to Daisen, which is on the best way between Tottori and Matsue.
Different FAQ About Visiting Mount Daisen
How do I get to Mount Daisen?
Daisen-cho, the village closest to Mt. Daisen’s climbing trails, is accessible by way of frequent buses from Yonago Station. To get right here, you may both journey a restricted specific practice from Okayama, or fly from Tokyo and take a Limousine Bus from Yonago Airport.
Is Mount Daisen lively?
Not like its extra well-known cousin, Mount Daisen is a dormant volcano. After all, this doesn’t reduce the joys of climbing right here, even when residents in close by cities and cities can sleep a lot simpler than those that make their properties close to Mt. Fuji.
How excessive is Mt. Daisen?
Mt. Daisen is 5,673′ tall, or round 1,800 m in elevation. Against this, Mt. Fuji reaches a peak of 12,388′, or simply over 4,000m. Whereas each of those mountains are the tallest landforms of their respective areas by far, Mt. Fuji is greater than twice as tall as Mt. Daisen.
The Backside Line
Mt. Daisen has little or no in frequent with Mt. Fuji, other than the truth that one of many prime issues to do close to Mount Daisen is climb it. To make sure, I’ve by no means as soon as since chatting with a specific Airbnb host heard the phrase Hoki-huji used to explain the mountain, even when I don’t doubt that such a phrase exists throughout the vernacular of the San’in area. Whether or not or not you scale Daisen—spoiler alert: It’s means simpler than climbing Fuji—I do hope you’ll make the journey right here in the event you occur to seek out your self within the northwestern reaches of Japan’s Honshu island. I additionally hope you’ll rent me to plan your journey, if doing so by yourself appears too daunting.
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