山本山→賤ヶ岳→余呉「前編」 Mt. Yamamoto → Mt. Shizugatake → Yogo (Part 1)
日本最大の湖である琵琶湖の北東にある山本山から賤ヶ岳までずっと尾根を走って、賤ヶ岳から余呉駅の近くにある登山口まで下りました。そして山の麓にある余呉川に沿って車まで帰りました。全部で26㎞のライドで、山の中の部分が12㎞のシングルトラックでした。この周辺の歴史スポットがいくつかあって面白いライドでした。押しと担ぎがもちろんありましたが、シングルトラックを走るのがすごく楽しかったし、賤ヶ岳山頂からの展望が素晴らしかったです。
On the northeastern edge of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, I rode all the way along the ridge from Mt. Yamamoto to Mt. Shizugatake and then down to the mountain entrance located near Yogo station. From here, I followed Yogo River at the foot of the mountains back to my car. In all it was a 26 km ride of which 12 km was a single track in the mountains. There are several historical spots in the area, making it an interesting ride. While of course there being a fair bit of pushing and carrying my bike, riding along the single track was a lot of fun and the view from the top of Mt. Shizugatake was fantastic.
On the northeastern edge of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, I rode all the way along the ridge from Mt. Yamamoto to Mt. Shizugatake and then down to the mountain entrance located near Yogo station. From here, I followed Yogo River at the foot of the mountains back to my car. In all it was a 26 km ride of which 12 km was a single track in the mountains. There are several historical spots in the area, making it an interesting ride. While of course there being a fair bit of pushing and carrying my bike, riding along the single track was a lot of fun and the view from the top of Mt. Shizugatake was fantastic.
NOTE: Click any photo to enlarge. 注意:写真を拡大したいときは、クリックしてください。
 入口 |  Entrance |  朝日小学校駐車場 |  Asahi School parking |
私の使った山本山登山口が朝日神社にあります。朝日小学校と朝日神社の駐車場が一緒かわかりませんが、その感じです。写真の中にご覧できるように駐車場が結構広いです。山の麓のあっちこっちに駐車場がありますが、ここは一番安全かも知れません。朝日神社と山本山登山口の間に相撲の土俵がありました。小学生が使っているか「泣き相撲」行事があったかわかりませんが楽しそうです。やってみたい！！！
The track entrance that I used was in Asahi Shrine. I don't know if the car park is shared by Asahi Elementary School and Asahi Shrine, but it seems that way. As you can see in the photo, the car park is quite wide. There are places you can park all around the foot of the mountains, but this place is probably one of the safer ones. There was a sumo wrestling mound between the track entrance and Asahi Shrine. I don't know if the elementary school kids use it or if they had a baby sumo crying event here, but it looks like fun. I want to try!!!
The track entrance that I used was in Asahi Shrine. I don't know if the car park is shared by Asahi Elementary School and Asahi Shrine, but it seems that way. As you can see in the photo, the car park is quite wide. There are places you can park all around the foot of the mountains, but this place is probably one of the safer ones. There was a sumo wrestling mound between the track entrance and Asahi Shrine. I don't know if the elementary school kids use it or if they had a baby sumo crying event here, but it looks like fun. I want to try!!!
 朝日神社 Asahi Shrine |  相撲土俵 Sumo mound |  朝日神社 Asahi Shrine |
 Map of Mt. Yamamoto & vicinity |  Historical information |
 登山口から山本山山頂まできついで、距離が800mです。 |  It's quite steep from the track entrance to the top of Mt. Yamamoto and is about 800m in length. |
History of the area
 お地蔵さん |  |  'Jizo' stone carvings. |
 下のビデオに鐘を鳴らす。You can hear the bells in the video below. |  パッと見たらなんか怖かった。It looked a little scary at first glance |
 獣害防止柵 Fence to keep wild animals out |  If you open it, make sure you close it |
 Careful underfoot. |  These meshed steel stairs are to stop wild boar from coming down into the village |
 栗の毬が多い。タイヤが大丈夫かな。ちょっと不安です。 There are lots of chestnut-burrs on the ground. I hope my tires are ok. I'm a little worried about riding over them. |  登る、昇る、上る Up, up & up |
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Apparently this was the outermost part of Yamamoto Castle which was built here in the late Heian Period (794 - 1185). There continued to be a castle on this spot up to and through the Sengoku (Waring-States) Period (1467 - 1573)
 | 山本山 標高３２４．９ｍ この山の別名は朝日山、田中山、白山といい、またその優美な形が琵琶湖のどこから見てもすぐにわかることから見当山とも言います。この山が陸上を湖上を見渡す重要な位置にあることから、平安時代から戦国時代にかけて山城が気づかれ土塁と堀切の跡に古城の姿をとどめることができます。 Mt. Yamamoto is 324.9 meters high. This mountain is also known as Mt. Asahi, Mt. Tanaka, Mt. Haku. Also, because you can recognize it straight away from anywhere around Lake Biwa due to it's elegant shape, it is also called Mt. Kentou. Because this mountain has an important vantage point looking over both land and lake, it was the location of a mountain castle stretching from the Heian Period to the Sengoku Period and the mound and trench of the old castle still exist. |
山本山山頂からもっといい展望を期待していましたが木であまり見えなかったです。ちょっとがっかりでした。この琵琶湖の眺めはよかったですが。竹生島が見えます。I thought the view from the top of Mt. Yamamoto would have been better, but the view was blocked by trees. I was a little disappointed. However, this view of Lake Biwa was pretty good. You can see Chikubu Island
 |  賤ヶ岳までがこちらへ This way to Mt. Shizugatake |
Paths Near Lake Omi
"This walking path is part of the 140 km long path around the northern part of Lake Biwa that starts at Omimaiko in Shiga Town and finishes at Omihachiman Kokumin Kyuuka Village in Omihachiman City. With Lake Biwa at it's center, it abounds in nature and valuable cultural heritage that people can enjoy through the four seasons. There are several other 'Paths Near Lake Omi' nature walks within Shiga Prefecture."
(Omi was the old name for Shiga Prefecture and I assume Lake Omi is another name for Lake Biwa)
"This walking path is part of the 140 km long path around the northern part of Lake Biwa that starts at Omimaiko in Shiga Town and finishes at Omihachiman Kokumin Kyuuka Village in Omihachiman City. With Lake Biwa at it's center, it abounds in nature and valuable cultural heritage that people can enjoy through the four seasons. There are several other 'Paths Near Lake Omi' nature walks within Shiga Prefecture."
(Omi was the old name for Shiga Prefecture and I assume Lake Omi is another name for Lake Biwa)
 左側に琵琶湖があります Lake Biwa is on the left |  ビューティフル Beautiful |
 階段を振り返る図 Looking back at stairs |  山本山山頂からちょっと降りて、登山道がいい感じです。After coming down a little from Mt. Yamamoto's peak, the path looks promising |
 素晴らしい秋の天気 Perfect autumn weather |  右側に平野があります Plains on the right |
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この辺まで倒木が多かったのでストップ・スタートが多かった。しかしこのあと倒木がほとんどなくって、最高でした。Up to around here, there were quite a few fallen trees across the path causing a stop start affair. However, after his part there were almost no fallen trees across the path, leading to a fantastic ride.
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昔の子供達がすごかったですよね。真冬と夏は特に大変でしたでしょう。 The kids of old were impressive. It must have been especially hard going in the middle of winter and summer.
The above sign says, "From 1894 to 1962 the kids of Katayama walked across this mountain path to go to Kohori Elementary School, which still exists today. In remembrance of our seniors who crossed this mountain to attend school, we want to pass on this story."
 片山から熊野への地図 Map of the mountain path from Katayama to Kumano |  熊野へ To Kumano  片山へ To Katayama |
↑ この辺から登ってきてもいいかも知れません。ここからの道が最高でした。 It might be good to come up from this area as the path from here was really good.
 MTB天国 MTB heaven |  たまに琵琶湖が見えます。Sometimes you can see Lake Biwa |
 山本山と賤ヶ岳の間の尾根の上に古墳が130ぐらいあります。 There are about 130 ancient tombs all along the ridge from Mt. Yamamoto to Mt. Shizugatake |  情報版の後ろに古墳が見えます You can see a tomb mound behind the sign |
 | Red Pine Forest The pine tree is a symbolic tree of Japan. However, as a sacred tree it has been an object of faith since ancient times. In this area, you can mainly see the bark of red pine trees. The sound of the wind blowing through the pine trees is called 'shorai' (soughing / soft rustling) & 'shoin' (music of wind through pine trees) or 'matsu-no-hibiki' (pine echo), & 'matsu-no-koe' (pine voice). What kind or sound is the wind playing for you? |
 この階段から下りてきました。I came down from these steps. |  後で西野水道に立ち寄ります。Later, I drop by Nishino Suido |  西野水道へ To Nishino Suido |
 琵琶湖(木戸港跡）へ To Lake Biwa (Kido Port site) |  Lake Biwa (Kido Port site) |  賤ヶ岳へ To Mt. Shizugatake |
古保利古墳群
Kohori Ancient Tomb Group (Historic site designated by the national government)
There are 132 known tombs spread out all along the ridge-line between Mt. Yamamoto & Shizugatake. The tombs date from the beginning of the Kofun Period (250 - 538) to the end of the Asuka Period (538 - 710).
There are keyhole-shaped tomb mounds, rectangular-shaped tomb mounds and dome-shaped tomb mounds. The largest tomb is a keyhole-shaped tomb 90 meters in length.
This area was a major hub for the transportation of goods between Lake Biwa and The Sea of Japan (Hokuriku area). Many leaders who took part in managing the transportation on the lake also competed with each other in building tombs (for themselves I guess).
There are 132 known tombs spread out all along the ridge-line between Mt. Yamamoto & Shizugatake. The tombs date from the beginning of the Kofun Period (250 - 538) to the end of the Asuka Period (538 - 710).
There are keyhole-shaped tomb mounds, rectangular-shaped tomb mounds and dome-shaped tomb mounds. The largest tomb is a keyhole-shaped tomb 90 meters in length.
This area was a major hub for the transportation of goods between Lake Biwa and The Sea of Japan (Hokuriku area). Many leaders who took part in managing the transportation on the lake also competed with each other in building tombs (for themselves I guess).
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 登山道面に実があって... On the track were some berries ... |  上を見ると松の木に囲まれているこの実が沢山なっている一本の木がありました。 Upon looking up I saw this one fruit laden tree surrounded by pine trees |
 松の林 Pine forest |  Yeehaa!!! 楽しい!!! Fun!!! |
時間があるときビデオを作りますがとりあえずこの感じでした。 I'll make more video when I get time, but in the mean time, this is a taste of what it was like.
 西野集落へ To Nishino Village |  ここでは林道のような道が山を越えます What looks like a forest road crosses over the mountain here. |  阿曽津千軒集落跡へ To the 1000 house Asozu village site |
通った尾根が見えてきました。向こうの山本山からずっと尾根を走りました。The route I took has come into view. I traveled all along that ridge from Mt. Yamamoto.
 いい休憩スポットです A nice resting spot |  季節の変わり目にこのビューを見たいですね。I want to see this view with the changing of the seasons |
 気持ちがいい!!! Feels great!!! |  ここから階段があっちこっちあります。From here there are steps here and there. |
 木の種類が変わってきました。The type of tree has changed |  |
 最高!!! Awesome!!! |  右側にこんな眺めがあります。There is this kind of view on the right. |
 また階段があって... Steps again |  階段のあとの楽しみ!!! Happiness after the steps |
 ビニールヒモが木に巻きつけてある。昆虫害防止のためかな。 Plastic ribbon is wrapped around the trees. I guess it is to stop insect infestation. |  |
 「賤ヶ岳」次の目的地が見えてきました。 |  Mt. Shizugatake, my next destination has come into view. |
 又琵琶湖が見えてきました。Can see Lake Biwa again. |  風が強くてウィンドサーファーがスピードを出しています。The wind has got quite strong and the windsurfer is flying along |
 ここの眺めがいい A good view here |  賤ヶ岳への最後のクライムに入ったかな I guess I have started the last climb to Mt. Shizugatake. |
 押しと担ぎゾーンですがこういう眺めがあれば疲れが感じません。 |  It is a push & carry zone, but with a view like this it's easy to forget about any tiredness |
 何かの機械の音が聞こえます。 |  I can hear some kind of machine |
 1,377mの伊吹山です。滋賀県の一番高い山です。 1377 meter high Mt. Ibuki. It is Shiga Prefectures highest mountain. |  賤ヶ岳のリフトに到着。あの音はこれでした。Arrived at Mt. Shizugatake's lift. So that is what the noise was. |
前編はここまでです。賤ヶ岳まで後300メートルです。後編を待ってください。Part 1 finishes here. There is 300 meters to the peak of Mt. Shizugatake. Please wait for part 2.
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