Hike in Gifu...

Some observations…

The more Ulu (meaning deserted or less populated), the better it is to hike. Why? Cause they will provide more sign boards, in fact at every junction to make sure you will not get lost. Totally different from the second hike I went where they are no signboards at all just because it was a road hike rather than a forest hike. This is good because map-reading is never my favourite thing in the world to do... Sorry my geography teachers...

Signs telling you to go straight…



or down…

Japanese hiking routes are not just well planned for. There are also many well-maintained toilets along the way. Imagine, I actually went into a toilet, in the middle of the forest which the lights are automatically on when I stepped into the toilet. Unbelievable. Also they have many tables and benches along the way at strategic places for people to sit down to enjoy their lunches and breaks. Very thoughtful indeed.

Nice little benches for breaks and meals..

There are really lots of small little statues littered all around the forest. I see them so often with every few steps I take. Some of them are even so hard to notice. Anyway I couldn’t really tell what kind of gods they are because well I can’t all the Japanese information even when I could read the names, I don’t know the history too. but yeah, very interesting.

Summer is really nearing! I was surrounded by so many flies when I was hiking today that I could not stop fanning them away. I told myself I shall not start killing them because well, I am in their territory and we are supposed to be friends with Mother Nature. But… couldn’t take it anymore, after hiking for 4 hours, I killed one fly with a clap of my hands.

Japanese kids are so cute!! Ok nothing to do with hiking though but I saw a really cute kid today.

The cute kid I met! He’s so adorable!

Ok anyway… I went on a hiking trip in Gifu Prefecture yesterday. The exact place was about 1.5 hours away from my house. Not a bad trip. It was a combination of the forest, roads, fields, streams, rivers, tea plantations… if not for the stupid flies that kept me “accompanied” all the way; I would say the hike was perfect. But well, no complains, it was a great walk nevertheless…

The Ryu River…



The magnificient forest less traveled…



One of the 7 beautiful Ryu Water falls…