ROAD TRIP (5/6): Mount Tarumae

Fifth day and that’s the desaster of the week! When I woke up it was raining as hell. I planned a hike to the top of Mount Kurodake in Daisetsuzan national park for the day. Well, nope! I had to find something else.

If I had followed my original plan, I would have been supposed to go to Wakkanai, the northernmost city in Japan. I cancelled it because it was way too many hours to drive to just take a picture next to a sign saying « northernmost place in Japan ». It would have been nice to tell people I went there but I would have wasted a day and it would have been very expensive in terms of fuel. Anyway it was pouring rain so it would have been a terrible plan B. Goodbye Wakkanai and goodbye Mount Kurodake.
Instead I came back to Sapporo where the weather was just as bad. I took this opportunity to rest and find a couple of alternative visits for the last two days of my trip. I wanted to climb Mount Yotei (Mont fuji’s little brother in Hokkaido). I also had to cancel it because it was going to rain all the weekend.

My conditions to pick a visit for the sixth day of my roadtrip were : a place near Sapporo and quite sunny. I found only one place, ONE. Tomakomai and mount Tarumae around 1 hour 30 from Sapporo.

MOUNT TARUMAE

Mount Tarumae is an active volcano located in Shikotsu-Toya national park. Around a dozen eruptions happened during the 20th century. The last one was in 1982. Tarumae is A rank volcano, most likely to erupt in a near future.

To reach the beginning of the pathway to the top of the mount, I drove along Lake Shikotsu where you can find many onsen and some leisure places. It was very pleasant to take this road and watch the lake and the mountains around in front of my eyes.

Once I arrived at the parking lot where the hiking path starts, a Japanese journalist interviewed me! He wanted to know where I was from, why I came to Mt Tarumae or how long I had been in Japan. It wasn’t the most interesting interview but it was funny. The less funny part was when he wanted to take pictures of me going up the mountain… I wasn’t super comfortable. Anyway, once he left, the hike really began! The path starts with stairs and becomes rocky. There’s also less and less vegetation. It was athletic. Sometimes you could help yourself with a rope.

As I was walking up the mount I was discovering the environment around me and it was simply stunning. Plus, it was super sunny and warm. I could see Lake Shikotsu and the park on one side. On the other side there was Tomakomai city and the Pacific Ocean.

I arrived on the top after more or less 30min and I was kind f slapped by a strong gust of wind! So far the side of the mountain was protecting me. First little surprise: this sudden wind. Second big surprise: Tarumae lava dome. I remain speechless seeing it. It was extraordinary, so impressive.

The dome was created when the volcano erupted in 1909 and was designated as one of Hokkaido natural monuments in 1967. Gas keeps coming out till today. And with the wind it flies right to your face. You need to move away to avoid it. There is pathway goign all around the crater that takes about 2hours. That’s what I did and it was incredible. Walking around this gigantic lava dome with the view upon the park blew my mind away. It was breathtaking. I couldn’t help staring at the dome. By the way, it is forbidden to leave the trail and enter the crater to get closer to the dome. It is too dangerous because of gas emanations.

All around the dome there are many rocks randomly spread. I guess they are what remains from past eruptions. I could imagine a disaster movie, during a volcanic explosion, running away trying to avoid rocks falling from the sky… I watch too much tv.

Inside the crater you can see some equipements used to monitor the volcanic activity.
Even on the top of a volcano, you can find a shrine where past hikers left offerings.

The loop around the crater is tiring because it goes up and down and it’s rocky but it’s deeply satisfying. For the ones who like the sound of cicadas, you’ll be more than happy! They’re very loud.

The way down to the parking lot was the most difficult part for me. Because of the tiredness, the slope and the rocks I slipped and almost fell down a few times.

This visit wasn’t originally planned and yet it was one of the best ones of my road trip such as my day at Lake Kussharo. I was really speechless in front of the beauty and specificity of the volcano.