digitaljo wrote:Bueller_007さん、ありがとうございます。羨ましいてすよ。(arigatou gozaimasu. urayamashii desu yo.)
Wow your pictures are really nice. Like what Frankensteinerさん said you must be spending a fortune traveling to Japan, unless you lived there.
Yeah, I lived there. But that doesn't save you much money when you're travelling. (Can't take your accomodation on the road with you...) MAN, did I spend a fortune travelling there.
But I'll give you the best piece of budget travel advice you're ever going to get:
All throughout Japan (and especially in Hokkaido) there are dirt-cheap lodgings called "Rider Houses". They're designed for Japanese motorcyclists who need to pull in for the night. Sometimes they're like guesthouses, and sometimes they're just futons in some woman's garage. They only cost $5-$25 dollars a night, and ALL of the guests are Japanese but you. I stayed in one in Hokkaido that was $7/night and included free dinner & breakfast. They're not listed in Lonely Planet or anything. You need a special Japanese motorcycling guidebook called "Touring Mapple". And you need enough Japanese reading/speaking ability to find the place and get in. This can save you a ton of money. And you might be able to catch an onward ride on the back of someone's motorbike.
In terms of the busses going to the trailhead, I'm guessing they are at the nearest train station, right? Is there a certain stop or is it usually the end of the line?
If ask, "I'd like to go to xxx." "xxxに行きたいんですが。" What would I put in the xxx? Do I put the name of the mountain or are there specific points I should ask for. (I think my first question overlaps with this.) Could you mention the nearest train station or bus station of the places you listed?
I can't really remember... Definitely pick up a copy of that Lonely Planet if you're interested. It's only like $20. Their maps are quite crappy though, so you'll need to supplement them with the "yama to kogen" maps.
The paths themselves are well-beaten in Japan, and they're usually marked with a (red) "○" on rocks throughout the trail or with a small ribbon wrapped around tree trunks. There are lots of (Japanese) signs on the trails directing you where to go. FOLLOW THESE. Never take the path that you think MIGHT be the trail. If you get to a crossroad, stop and look for the trail markers. Don't wander until you find them. It's easy to accidentally end up on some deer trail, and there are some seriously vertical cliffs in Japan.
Around what month(s) do you think is the best time to hike? I heard for Fuji-san it's early July to late August.
Don't do Fuji. It's a beautiful mountain from far away, but it's really quite dirty & ugly up close. The scenery isn't that great and you're doing it at night, so you can't see anything anyway. (This reminds me of a great Japanese phrase: 夜目遠目傘のうち: "A woman who is beautiful at night, from far away, or when her face is hidden by an umbrella.") A lot of (old/overweight) people get altitude sickness and drop out. The only reason to climb Fuji is to say "I climbed Fuji". Climb an interesting mountain instead.
July & August get some typhoons, but overall, they are the best times to hike in many parts of Japan (especially Hokkaido). The "best" time is whenever the local flowers are in bloom, which varies on the region. But there'll be so many retirees on the trail at that time though that you'll be lucky to see the flowers.
The pictures are really nice. 羨ましいなあ。Sorry for the late reply. 