Mount Yari

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Mount Yari
Mount Yari in the centre of the image (picture taken in August 1980).
Elevation	3,180 m
Location	Chūbu region, Honshū, Japan
Range	Hida Mountains
Coordinates	36°20′19.6 N°137′39
Translation	槍ヶ岳 (Japanese)
Pronunciation	[Yariga-take]

Mount Yari (槍ヶ岳, Yariga-take^?) is one of Japan's 100 famous mountains. The 3180m high peak lies in the southern part of the Hida Mountains or Northern Alps of Japan, on the border of Ōmachi and Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture and Takayama in Gifu. The holy priest Banryu (1786 - 1840) founded a temple there.

The name derives from its shape, which resembles a spear (Japanese: yari) thrust into the sky. Because of its shape, it is also called the Matterhorn of Japan. Ridges and valleys reach out from this pyramid-shaped mountain in all directions. The ridges are (east, west, south, north): Higashikama (東鎌), Nishikama (西鎌), Yarihotaka (槍穂高) and Kitakama (北鎌)， while the four valleys are called: Yarizawa (槍沢, in the southeast), Hidazawa or Yaridaira (飛騨沢 or 槍平, in the southwest), Senjōzawa (千丈沢, in the northwest) and Tenjōzawa (天丈沢, in the northeast).

During the hiking season, Mount Yari is popular with mountain climbers. One of the most popular ridges is Kitakama. It became famous through its association with mountaineer Katō Buntarō (加藤 文太郎, katō buntarō^?), who was a model for the novel Kokō no hito (孤高の人) by Jiro Nitta. The disaster of Matsunami Akira (松濤明, matsunami akira^?) told in Fūset su no bibagu (風雪のビバーグ, Snowstorm bivouac) also contributed to its fame.

With countless hikers visiting the area every year, the approach routes have become ruined. Despite the existence of variation routes, climbers stand in line for the famous routes during the summer. In the autumn of 2005, a new mountain trail was constructed going up from Hidarimatadani (左俣谷) to Okumaru-yama (奥丸山). This made it possible to reach Yariga-take walking from Shinhodaka onsen upstream along Hidarimatadani following the mountain ridge of Okumaru-yama.

Two triangulation points were established at the summit. A milepost stone is fixed to the ground. As a reference point for the Geographical Survey Institute of Japan, it is of little importance and even on topographic maps, the summit of Yariga-take appears merely as an elevation point.

[edit] Surroundings

There are several mountain huts in the vicinity of the mountain such as: Yariga-take Sansō (槍ヶ岳山荘), Sesshō Hut (殺生ヒュッテ), Hut Ōyari (ヒュッテ大槍), Yarisawa Lodge (槍沢ロッジ), Yaridairagoya (槍平小屋) and Wasabidairagoya (わさび平小屋). Being situated in the Japanese Alps, several prominent mountains can be reached from Mount Yari, among them: Sugoroku-dake (双六岳), Nishi-dake (西岳), Ōgui-dake (大喰岳), Naka-dake (中岳), Minami-dake (南岳), Okumaru-yama (奥丸山).

[edit] Main ascend routes

Higashikama ridge（Omoteginza (表銀座) route）

Nakabusa Onsen (中房温泉) ― Tsubakuro-dake (燕岳) ― Otensho-dake (大天井岳) ― Higashikama ridge ― Yariga-take

Nishikama ridge （Uraginza (裏銀座) route）

Takase dam (高瀬ダム) ― Eboshi-dake (烏帽子岳) ― Noguchigorō-dake ― Washiba-dake (鷲羽岳) ― Sugoroku-dake (双六岳) ― もみさわだけ Momizawa-dake (樅沢岳) ― Nishikama ridge ― Yariga-take

Yarisawa (槍沢) route

Kamikōchi (上高地) ― Myōjinike (明神池) ― Tokusawa (徳沢) ― Yokoo (横尾) ― Yarisawa lodge ― Yariga-take

Yaridaira route

Shinhodaka Onsen ― Migimatadani (右俣谷) ― Yaridaira ― Yariga-take

Wasabidaira (わさび平) route

Shinhodaka Onsen ― Hidarimatadani (左俣谷) ― Wasabidaira ― Okumaru-yama ― Nakazaki ridge (中崎尾根) ― Yariga-take

Kitakama ridge （variation route）

Takase dam ― Yumataonsenseiransō (湯俣温泉晴嵐荘) ― (千天出合) ― Kitakama ridge ― Yariga-take

Yarihotaka traverse (槍穂高縦走) route

Kamikōchi ― Maehotaka-dake (前穂高岳) ― Okuhotaka-dake (奥穂高岳) ― Hotakadake mountain cottage (穂高岳山荘) ― Karasawa-dake (涸沢岳) ― Kitahotaka-dake (北穂高岳) ― Daikiretto (大キレット) ― Minami-dake (南岳) ― Ōgui-dake (大喰岳) ― Yariga-take

[edit] External link

• Topographic map (1:25,000)