 Mountains,Valleys and Waterfalls |
Map of Hiroshima (Nihongo) |
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February is the best time to go on a snow
hike. Let’s take a Kabe Line tour to Kake
Town which is located 30 kilometers northwest
of Hiroshima City, and go up the 559-meter
high Dodo mountain. It will be beautiful
to see trees with ice-covered foliage or
“silver thaw” at this time.
From old times Kake was a key point of both land and water transportation due to its geographical features. The Ohta River, coming from the Western Chugoku Mountains, makes a sharp turn from southwest to southeast at this mountainous town with sharp and complicated topography, and the Takiyama and the Yoro Rivers meet at the town from northwest and northeast, respectively. These three rivers form a cross mark, and three main roads, Route 191, Route 186 and Route 433, which are running along these rivers, are also shaped like an X mark which is read “kake” in Japanese. Hence, the name of the town. JR West Japan is considering closing the money-losing Kabe Line. They said the “transport density”(average passenger number per-kilometer per-day) of 800 persons or more is essential. According to their recent survey, the figure was 452 persons during a 6-month period from April to September, 2001, although the number peaked to 759 persons during November, 2000 to February, 2001. Kake Town, along with other neighboring towns and villages, has organized a “Save the Kabe Line” meeting. They are making desperate efforts to ask local residents and people from urban areas to ride the 46-kilometer long railway between Kabe and Sandankyo. They are holding various unique events including festivals, kagura performances and sightseeing tours, and are publicizing scenic and hiking spots, skiing and onsen resorts and even terraced rice paddies. The Kabe Line is on the verge of closure. Let’s save the railway. Why don’t you take a 100-minute train ride to Kake and go snow hiking? Mt. Dodo will be easily recognized when you get out of JR Kake Station and turn to the direction you came from. The mountain will be about 1.5 hours from the station. Below the summit, there is a gigantic oak tree about 1000 years old which measures 22 meters in height and 7 meters in circumference. There are also the ruins of silver mines that flourished hundreds of years ago halfway up the mountain. Both are worth visiting. Waterproof hiking boots or rubber boots with spats are necessary. ◆Getting there ◆Suggested schedule HiroshimaSta.(9:46)====KakeSta.(10:24)----Taniyashiki(11:15)----Mt.Dodo(12:20-13:20)---Taniyashiki(14:30)----Jozenji Temple (14:45-15:30)----Kake sta.(15:46)====Hiroshima sta(17:35) |
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| ◆Note To be safe, especially in winter, keep in mind not go into the mountains alone, and be sure to go with a well-experienced hiker. |
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