Up early, and travelling by train, taxi, ferry & lots of walking we set off on our next adventure. But of course, plans and reality can often differ.

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We had intended taking the cable car to the top of the mountain and walking back down. The only tickets on sale were round trip tickets and an explanation that the footpath was closed. We confidently set off, convinced we’d be able to find our way down. We couldn’t!

So what we saw …

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Mount Fuji in the photo above.

And what we didn’t see …

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We missed out on ‘Hells View’ & the opportunity to stand on a jutting out piece of rock and the largest stone carved Buddha in Japan.

Back at the base of the cable car we decided to set out on a walk based on a schematic map we had picked up. What could possibly go wrong?

It started off very pleasantly along a small road then up through some trees. Onto a soil path badly eroded in places by water and then onto an amazing rock lined path, created for bringing out stone for various Edo palaces. and getting steeper and steeper.

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and then onto flights & flights of various steps, many of which were nearly as high as my knees. So gruelling. And at the top of the penultimate steps, I slipped in an area of greasy mud. Think of a beached whale & that was me! The soles of my shoes are almost flat so I couldn’t find any purchase to get up … thankfully Geoff was there to rescue me.

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But some fabulous views when we eventually reached the top, way above the cable car station.

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