Ishizaka-goe Course
●Difficulty: Intermediate
●Walking Period: May to the first snowfall
●Total Length: Approximately 12 km (Kyodo-kan → Kudarise → Ikebara → Ishizaka → Kuruma → Shimotera)
●Time Required: About 4 hours 30 minutes from south to north / About 4 hours 10 minutes from north to south
Highlights
●Offer up a prayer at the Mushio Settlement’s Amida-dō Buddhist Hall
●Walk past the well-kept rice and vegetable fields of the Ikebara Settlement
●Check out the panoramic view from the Matsugamine Radio Tower
●Relax with the moss-covered stone statues of the Johoji Temple
The Ishizaka-Goe Course takes you further into the heart of Otari Village, and gives you even more firsthand opportunities to observe Japan’s satoyama culture, where people live in harmony with nature in agricultural settlements that straddle the narrow borderland between forested foothills and the foreboding alpine terrain beyond. Views across the river of the towering Mt. Amakazari, one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains, are an extra bonus. This trail feels more like an exploration of tradition rather than a journey through time, but there is much to discover and appreciate. Go a step further and explore the grounds of local temples and shrines, mingle with locals tending their fields, and keep an eye out for kamoshika and other wildlife!
Elevation Profile
Access
By Car
Parking is available at the southern end of the course using the parking lot for the Otari-mura Yakuba (Otari Village Hall), while the JR Kita-Otari Station parking lot can be used at the northern end.
By Train
It takes about 10 minutes on foot to reach the starting or ending points of the walk from either Minami-Otari Station or Kita-Otari Station.
Historical Landmarks & Points of Interest
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Mushio Amida-do
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Akiba-sha
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Ikebara Suwa-jinja
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Koda Aya Bungaku-hi
This monument was erected in honor of those who perished in the massive landslide of Mt. Hieda in 1911, and is named for the author who brought the story of this tragic event to the masses.
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Morioka-sha
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Saiho-do
