ハイキング

Using the super cheap JR ticket I went down to Kaimon in Ibuski, Kagoshima. The Shinkansen down to Kagoshima Chuo is easy but the local train to Kaimon take two hours so I studied some Japanese, listened to music and still had a hour left!

Once at Kaimon I went to the camp site at Kaimonsanrokufureai Park they have a great free site area with very well maintained pitches and facilities however it cost 1800yen so a little pricy compared to the mountain sites I am used to. The check in was 1pm and I had to take a number and wait to register. You need to fill out a simple form with your name, phone number and address. After setting up my tent and stowing the bulky items I set off for Kaimondake. 

There is only one main route up Kaimon and it is not too difficult. It starts with a forest walk with the biggest challenge being the volcanic gravel which can be slippy. Just over halfway up it changes to large rocks and boulders, this is the remains of a pyroclastic flow that occurred in the last eruption which took place in the year 885. This area is ok but closer to the took the rocks are usually wet and very slippery. There are also a few ladders to climb and some easy roped sections. The top has great views, however today it was totally obscured but cloud cover. I have added some photos from my climb last year to give you a better idea of what it all looks like. A man at the camp site told me it would take 5 hours to hike and Yamap says just over four hours, it took me 2 hours and 45mins up and down. 

Kaimondake is very much an active volcano. The Japanese Meteorological Agency describe it as having the “potential for increased activity”. Generally a volcano  needs to have had no activity for  minimum of 10,000 years and have no access to the magma chamber to be considered extinct. Geological time is so vast it is impossible for us to imagine. 

After the hike I went back to camp, I tested out the new sleeping (But it was actually too hot!) and the tent performed well. There were many families but lucky it wasn’t too busy or loud. Ibusuki is very dark at night so I could see many stars. The morning I got up early and packed away and headed down for the 7am train. 
 

DOMO

red heart

開聞岳（かいもんだけ）は、鹿児島県の薩摩半島の南端に位置する標高924mの火山。1964年（昭和39年）3月16日に、霧島屋久国立公園に指定された。日本百名山、新日本百名山及び九州百名山に選定されている。山麓の北東半分は陸地に、南西半分は海に面しており、見事な円錐形の山容から別名「薩摩富士」とも呼ばれる。所在地は鹿児島県指宿市。

開聞岳

鹿児島

Kaimondake solo hike and camp 開聞岳

jaykyushuhiking

Due to the Corona virus the kids summer break has been cut short. But I still wanted take them put for an active trip. We went to Umi city to the Umicho Showanomori camp ground. The camp site is huge with lots of wonderful places to pitch a tent and have privacy as well. 

After pitching the tent we set off for hiking up to Sangunsan. However along the way the kids got so hot, tired and frustrated by moaquitos and horse flies that they pleaded with me to just go to Tokinyama and hike down along that route. Despite the annoyances it was still a long and varied hike. The water fall was a great sight and we found lots of wildlife such as crabs, lizards, snakes and beetles. 

For the evening we cooked up some hotdogs and had dry curry with corn. The night was so hot and humid though so we sat in the tent and watched Ghostbusters (The movie was made in 1984 the same year I was born! I'm old!) The night was a slog due to the heat and we all had so many insect bites it was hard to sleep. Well, Leina slept like a baby all night and didn't wake even once! 

In the morning had breakfast and headed I took the kids to the river to play! The water was so cool and Kimochi!! Then back down to the bus to head home. 



宝満山（ほうまんざん）（標高829.6m）は福岡県筑紫野市と太宰府市にまたがる山であり、別名を御笠山（みかさやま）、竈門山（かまどやま）とも言う。

Snowpeakを含む活動日記一覧

Kaimondake solo hike and camp 開聞岳

Umi forest camping and hiking Tokinyama, so hot and so many bugs!

Snowpeakを含む活動日記一覧

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Umi forest camping and hiking Tokinyama, so hot and so many bugs!

Kaimondake solo hike and camp 開聞岳