[Kanto Touring Spot] [Saitama Prefecture] Bike trip to Mt. Ryokami! A solo Harley trip through the mountains of rocks and flowers that Chichibu, Saitama is proud of
Hello, this is _hiroyuki.ta. This time, I took my beloved Harley-Davidson FLSB Sport Glide to Mt. Ryogami, one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains, located in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture. Mt. Ryokami is a mountain with a unique charm of steep rock walls, spring flowers and autumn leaves, and there are various climbing courses such as Hatcho-one, which has a series of chains, and Shirai-sashi Shindo, which passes through private land. This time, we chose a route for beginners that goes back and forth from Hyuga Otani to Kiyotaki course. In this article, I would like to introduce what kind of mountain Mt. Ryogami is, what route I took to get there, what kind of highlights there were, and where the bike parking lot is.
Ryokamiyama is a mountain located in the western part of Saitama Prefecture, with an altitude of 1,723m. It has been selected as one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains. Geologically, it is made up of sedimentary rocks made of chert (the same component as quartz) and slate, forming deep valleys. Chert is made from fossilized plankton (radiolaria) that sank to the ocean floor hundreds of millions of years ago, and is harder than iron. As a result, it is resistant to weathering and is characterized by sawtooth ridges and steep rock walls.
Ryogamiyama has also been a mountain of faith since ancient times. There are theories that it is called Ryojin because it enshrines the gods Izanagi and Izanami, and that it was named Mt.Yokamiyama because Takeru Takeru of Japan passed through it while looking at it for eight days. Many stone Buddhist statues and stone monuments remain along the mountain trail, and stone statues of wolves are placed at shrines in the mountains and at the foot of the mountain. You can see the influence of Mitsumine Shrine, where wolves are the messengers of the gods.
Ryogamiyama has both wildness and beauty at the same time. In spring, flowers such as red palm and azalea are in full bloom, and in autumn, you can see the scenery colored by autumn leaves. The view is spectacular, and on clear days you can see Mt. Fuji, Mt. Yatsugatake, and the Northern Alps.
This time we started from central Tokyo. From the Shuto Expressway’s Inner Loop Line, transfer to the Shuto Expressway No. 5 Ikebukuro Line and enter the Kanetsu Expressway. Exit the Kanetsu Expressway at the Hanazono Interchange and proceed along National Route 140 (Saikai Kaido) towards Chichibu. On the way, you will enter the West Kanto Connecting Road (toll), but this is to bypass National Route 140. After passing through the Nishi-Kanto Connecting Road, you will return to National Route 140. After driving on National Route 140 for a while, you will merge with National Route 299. Turn left here and follow National Route 299 towards Ueno/Ogano. Turn right at the intersection in front of Kurokaito Bypass and enter Prefectural Route 37. If you follow Prefectural Route 37 for about 2 km, you will see a signpost for Mt. Ryogami. Turn right here and enter Prefectural Route 279 Ryogami-Ogano Line. This road is a narrow road in the mountains, so you need to be careful about passing oncoming vehicles. If you follow Prefectural Route 279 Ryogami Ogano Line for about 10 km, you will arrive at the village of Hyuga Otani. This is the main trailhead for Mt. Ryogami.
There are two mountain trails from Hyuga Otani, the Kiyotaki course and the Nanatakizawa course, but this time we chose the Kiyotaki course, which is suitable for beginners. This course has an altitude difference of approximately 1,000m, a distance of approximately 5km, and a travel time of approximately 3 hours. There are some chained areas and rocky areas, but there are no particularly difficult areas.
After walking for a while from the trailhead, you will find Ryojin Shrine Satomiya. A stone statue of a wolf will welcome you here. At the back of the shrine is a spring called Kobo no Ido. Apparently you can drink this water, but please do so at your own risk.
After passing the shrine, the trail becomes steeper. There is a fork in the road called Kaisho, but if you turn left here you will be on the Nanatakizawa course. This time we will go to the right and follow the Kiyotaki course. The Kiyotaki course has the steepest climb up to the Kiyotaki hut. Kiyotaki Hut used to be a manned hut, but now it is unmanned and partially open to the public as a shelter. There is also a water source, but water quality is not guaranteed.
From Kiyotaki Hut onwards, it’s a relatively gentle climb. There is an observation point called Fujimizaka along the way. From here, you can see Mt. Fuji and Mt. Kobu Shingatake. After passing Fujimizaka, you will see a chain and rocky area. In particular, the chain area just below the summit may give you a sense of altitude, but if you climb carefully you won’t have any problems.
When you reach the top of the mountain, you will see a sign with the name Kengamine. From here you can enjoy a 360 degree panorama. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji, Mt. Yatsugatake, and the Northern Alps. You can also see the Chichibu Basin and Mt. Buko. In spring, flowers such as red palm and azalea are in full bloom, and in autumn, you can see the scenery colored by autumn leaves.
There are several motorcycle parking lots in Hyuga Otani. Among them, we recommend the “Mt. Ryogami trailhead parking lot,” which is located right near the trailhead. This is a free parking lot exclusively for motorcycles, with space for about 20 cars. However, it can get crowded on weekends and holidays, so we recommend going early. There are also toilets and vending machines in the parking lot, but there are no restaurants or convenience stores. Prepare everything you need before climbing.
summary
This time, I went on a tour to Mt. Ryogami. Ryogamiyama is an attractive mountain that combines the beauty of rocks and flowers with the wildness. I chose the Kiyotaki course, which is suitable for beginners, but it also included chained areas and rocky areas, making it a challenging route to climb. The view from the top of the mountain was amazing, and you could see Mt. Fuji, Mt. Yatsugatake, and the Northern Alps. Motorcycle parking is also available for free, so it is also recommended for touring. However, you must prepare water and food in advance.
The above is the content of Ryogamiyama touring report. I hope this article is helpful to you. Next time I would like to tour another mountain. See you soon.
[Kanto Touring Spot] [Saitama Prefecture] Bike trip to Mt. Ryokami! A solo Harley trip through the mountains of rocks and flowers that Chichibu, Saitama is proud of
