{"id":75050,"date":"2020-12-18T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-18T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=75050"},"modified":"2020-12-24T14:33:56","modified_gmt":"2020-12-24T05:33:56","slug":"diamond-route-national-parks-hike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/diamond-route-national-parks-hike\/","title":{"rendered":"The Diamond Route: The Amazing National Parks Region Which I\u2019d Never Heard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019ve lived in Japan so long now and travelled so much around the country that I thought I might have heard it all. Life on the road, as an international wildlife expedition guide, no doubt does give me a skewed perspective, and I do miss things. So, when I was asked if I\u2019d like to visit the Diamond Route<\/strong> \u2014 my first thoughts were: \u2018What\u2019s That?\u2019, \u2018Where is it?\u2019 and \u2018Why haven\u2019t I heard of it?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A little research later and I began to understand that I was not being asked to explore the brightly-lit jewellery stores of Tokyo\u2019s Ginza district, but to visit a region of northern Honshu<\/strong> about which I knew very little. The Diamond Route is a new term being applied to the three prefectures of Ibaraki, Tochigi and Fukushima<\/strong> which together are forging a new, joint identity for themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Diamond Route: Hiking Trails, National Parks, and Searching for Japanese Birds <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Golden Route, between Japan\u2019s cultural and commercial capitals of Kyoto and Tokyo, steals the show when it comes to destinations for first-time visitors to Japan, so where should you go on a second or third visit? There are so many options. As a long-term resident of the island, I\u2019d raise my hand for Hokkaido. Then, as a fan of the warm south, its people and its unique wildlife, I\u2019d flag Amami Oshima, the Kerama Islands off Okinawa<\/a>, and the subtropical islands of Ishigaki <\/a>and Iriomote<\/a>. When it comes to mountain hiking I\u2019d head to the alps of the Chubu Sangaku National Park. For mountain biking or e-biking, it’s hard to beat the great Aso Caldera and mountains of Kumamoto<\/a>. For canyoning and kayaking, Yakushima is a great place<\/a>. For backcountry skiing and snowshoeing, it’s hard to beat the mountains of west Hokkaido<\/a>, and for canoeing \u2014 well, the lakes and rivers of the Akan\u2013Mashu National Park in east Hokkaido were I live are a must. But\u2026 I\u2019m an ornithologist<\/strong> \u2014 a bird-studying naturalist with a fascination for rural Japan, its landscapes and local culture \u2014 so where should I go? Well, it turns out that the Diamond Route hits the spot<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mark
There’s plenty of forest in Oze National Park to hike. | Photo by Mark Brazil<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I hail from England, where the only natural spas are the few surviving magnificent Roman-era baths dating back almost 2,000 years, so I am a fan of Japan\u2019s innumerable and easily visited hot spring sites such as at Kinugawa Onsen in Tochigi Prefecture. On a wild dash through three prefectures I was forced to pick my spots \u2014 for hikes, for dips, for dining and the great outdoors. It soon became clear that two of the finest of Japan\u2019s 34 wonderfully diverse national parks are on the Diamond Route<\/strong>, so they immediately became my priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hike in Fukushima in the Forests of Oze National Park<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oze National Park (\u5c3e\u702c\u56fd\u7acb\u516c\u5712) was designated as Japan\u2019s 29th<\/sup> national park in 2007<\/strong> and straddles areas of Fukushima (\u798f\u5cf6), Tochigi (\u6803\u6728), Gunma (\u7fa4\u99ac) and Niigata (\u65b0\u6f5f) prefectures.<\/strong> It includes volcanic peaks and montane marshland, and it is this unique mountainous marshland mixture that makes its scenery so special. I approached the park from the rural village of Hinoemata (\u6a9c\u679d\u5c90\u6751) where I had spent the night in a simple inn serving a meal almost entirely of local ingredients, including a new one for me and my companions, Shimada Masayuki and Matsuura Yuki \u2014 salamander tempura! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"salamander
Deep-fried salamander tempura is a local speciality of Hinoemata village. | Photo by Mark Brazil<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Autumn is a gorgeous time to experience Oze<\/strong>, and I was not disappointed. I had already enjoyed the scenery while stopping at a dramatic, rocky mountain river on the way up to Hinoemata. The rushing river was backed by forests vibrant with autumn colours in the late afternoon light. Sighting a Brown Dipper, a small riverine bird, foraging for insect larvae at the water\u2019s edge was an additional bonus. The next morning dawned cold, rainy and cloudy. But as we drove up to the national park entrance, we passed through golden-leaved deciduous forest<\/strong>s, and through steamy windows, admired the girth and height of the ancient trees<\/strong>. A colourful shuttle bus then ferried us from the park entrance at Mi-ike to the trailhead at Numayama Pass (\u6cbc\u5c71\u5ce0) and with the rain, at last, slacking off, we tightened our boots, strapped on our backpacks and began our hike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n