Eng 
日本語 
Do you all like mountain climbing? Have you ever been hiking in Japan?
Every spring and fall, we at Coto Japanese Academy arrange day-trip hiking tours to various mountains in the Kanto region.
Ms. Mitsuoka, one of our teachers, served as our guide this time. Mountain climbing is a big hobby of hers, and she previously had experience as a tour conductor for a travel company. We chose Mt. Sekirozan in Kanagawa Prefecture as the destination for this fall’s tour, one of the 100 famous mountains in the Kanto region.
Just a little over an hour from Shinjuku Station by the Kaiji limited express train, Mt. Sekirozan is in a very convenient place. While it is easy to get to Mt. Sekirozan from Tokyo, because it is still not well known there are few mountain climbers. It is a spot that is off the beaten path during the busy season for autumn leaves. With an elevation of 694 meters, and Lake Sagami nearby, one can also enjoy activities other than mountain climbing.
There was a total of 30 participants for the hiking tour this time, including students, Coto Japanese Academy teachers, and other Japanese friends who like hiking. On the day of the hiking tour the fall leaves were just beginning to change color, and we were blessed with the perfect weather for hiking.
At 8:00 a.m. we gathered at Shinjuku Station and took the limited express train to Sagamiko Station. After transferring to a bus, we started hiking just past 9:00 a.m.
We hiked amid the beautiful scenery of the autumn mountain, enjoying the large rock formations and the strange looking rocks along the path. As we walked along the path, we had a lot of fun as we enjoyed talking to other students who usually study in different classes.
While it might have been a difficult mountain path for those who were not used to climbing, everyone safely reached the summit! From the summit, It was exhilarating to overlook the surrounding mountains and the beautiful scenery that spread before our eyes.
After the hike, we went to the long-awaited hot springs to bring relief to our tired bodies.
At a day-trip hot spring bathing facility that was built on a hill and surrounded by the forest of Lake Sagami, we were able to look at the Mt. Sekirozan we had just climbed while sitting in a liberating open-air bath that was encircled by trees.
Thanks to great planning, and the great members who joined the hiking tour, we were able to enjoy a wonderful autumn day.
A sincere thanks to our guide Ms. Mitsuoka, and to all those people who participated.
At Coto Japanese Academy we hold a variety of events every month.
On December 13th, we are planning a year-end party as the culmination of the year. We hope that everyone can join us at this party.
秋のハイキングツアー石老山 in 神奈川
皆さん、山に登るのは好きですか？日本でハイキングをしたことがありますか。
Cotoでは毎年春と秋に関東近郊の様々な山への日帰りハイキングツアーを行っています。
今回もガイドを務めてくださったのは、旅行会社での添乗員経験を持ち、山登りが大の趣味の三岡先生。今年の秋のツアーの行き先に選んだのは関東百名山のひとつ、神奈川県にある石老山です。
石老山は新宿から特急かいじで１時間ちょっとで行ける非常に便利な所にあります。石老山は東京から行きやすい場所にありながらまだあまり知られていないため、登山者も少なく、紅葉の季節や混雑する時期にも穴場のスポットです。標高は694M、すぐそばには相模湖もあり、山のぼり以外のアクティビティも楽しめます。
今回のハイキングツアーには学生の皆さん、Cotoの先生たち、他日本人のハイキング好きの友人たち、計約３０人が参加しました。当日はちょうど紅葉が始まったところ、天気にもめぐまれ絶好のハイキング日和となりました。
朝8時に新宿駅に集合、特急で相模湖駅へ向かい、バスに乗り換えた後、9時過ぎにハイキングをスタートしました。
秋の山の美しい風景の中、道中にある巨大な奇岩、怪岩などを見ながらのハイキング。普段は違うクラスで勉強するメンバーとの会話を楽しみながら歩くのはとても楽しかったですね。
慣れてない人にはちょっとハードな山道ではありましたが、皆さん無事に登頂！
山頂からは眼下には周囲の山々や美しい景色が見渡すことができ、気分は爽快でした。
ハイキング後は疲れた体をいやすため、お待ちかねの温泉へ。
ここは相模湖の森に囲まれた高台に建つ日帰り温浴施設で、木々に囲まれた開放的な露天風呂からは、登ったばかりの石老山を眺めることができました。
素晴らしいプランニングと素晴らしいメンバーのおかげで最高に秋の一日を過ごすことができました。
参加者の皆様、ガイドを務めてくださった三岡先生、本当にありがとうございました。
Cotoでは毎月いろいろなイベントを開催しております。
12/13は一年の総決算、忘年会パーティも予定していますので、
皆様ぜひこちらにもご参加ください。
