Today is the day of crossing Sasago Pass. I’m a little nervous to see if I can make it over safely.
Kuronoda-juku
View from near Sasago Station
As soon as I started walking from Sasago Station, the mountain was right in front of me. The weather looks good.
Sasago River
The Sasago River was getting thinner as I approached the upper reaches.
Sasago Pass sign
Finally, I came to a sign for Sasago Pass.
Beginning of the mountain road
About 300 meters after splitting off from Route 20, the mountain road begins.
Waterfall caused by an erosion control weir in Shindenzawa
This is a waterfall caused by an erosion control weir in Shindenzawa. It is artificial, but refreshing.
Hikage Sasago line
At the point where you cross Shindazawa from the left bank to the right bank, you will come to the Hikage Sasago line (Yamanashi Prefectural Road No. 212). This used to be Route 20 until the new Sasago Tunnel was opened in 1958. But the road is so narrow that it is uncomfortable for cars to pass each other.
Mountain trail
The path becomes a mountain path again.
Trees come out vertically on a slope, and then grow upwards against gravity.
The 99th first level point
There were leveling points. The level point is located along the main street.
It is marked as buried in 1925, which means there was no Hikage-Sasago line (Prefectural Road No. 212) at that time.
The elevation is 899.84 meters, which is 16 centimeters higher than the previous elevation of 900 meters, but this is not taken into account. The name of the level point is No. 99, so it is almost 100.
A creek that doesn’t even show up on topographic maps
It is a creek that does not appear on any topographical maps. But there is a solid bridge over it.
Yatate no Sugi (Japanese Cedar) at Sasago Pass
I found a natural monument, the Yatate no Sugi (Cedar of Sasago Pass)! It’s an imposing tree.
The name comes from the fact that people used to shoot arrows into this cedar to pray for good fortune when going into battle.
I took a few pictures, but could not capture the whole tree.
I’m afraid that the tree has become a cave, but I hope that its majestic appearance will continue forever.
You can drive right up to the site, so even if you can’t walk long distances on the mountain roads, you can still come and see it.
The mountain road continues
From here, the mountain path continued. In some places, especially when I came to the riverside, I could hear some kind of alarming sound coming from my feet. I wondered if it was a bird. I can’t see them.
Scattered fluff (white dots at the end of the front)
When I got to the Hikage Sasago line again, I saw a lot of white fluff flying at the end of the road where it curves to the left.
Cotton wool enlargement
Is it a poplar or a Japanese poplar? It looks like snow. I feel a little lucky to have this beautiful scenery all to myself.
Old Sasago Tunnel
The old Sasago Tunnel is so short that you can see the other side.
To go through the pass, you have to go up the road to the right of this tunnel.
I was afraid of bears, so I decided to use the IC recorder I had with me and turn the volume up to maximum.
I don’t want to meet a bear or a wild boar rather than embarrass myself.
Komakai-juku
Directional signboard at Sasago Pass
I reached Sasago Pass! The sign for the pass doubled as a directional sign.
Sasago Pass
This is a photo taken looking back after passing the pass. You can clearly see that it is a saddle.
The road coming down from Sasago Pass to the Hikage-Sasago line.
After coming down here, I came out on the other side of the old Sasago Tunnel.
A tree with its bark peeled off
I crossed the Hikage-Sasago line and entered the mountain path again. Then a tree with its bark peeled off appeared! Is this the work of a bear? Was this the work of a bear or a deer?
Either way, there was no one around, so I didn’t want them to come out.
A mountain path that is pleasant to walk
As long as no animals appeared, the mountain path was pleasant to walk.
Ruins of Peach Tree Tea House
I found the remains of a peach tree teahouse exactly in the middle of Sasago Pass and the foot of the mountain.
It says that there was a teahouse when the Koshu Kaido highway was busy, but was it during the Edo period or the Meiji period? I think that’s important.
Collapsed site of the Hikage Sasago line
A short distance after I reached the Hikage-Sasago line, the road collapsed.
Please don’t do this! If I can’t get through, will I have to go back to Sasago Station? I thought for a moment, but they let pedestrians through. Thank God, thank God.
Wisteria flower
Wisteria flowers were blooming around the place where the houses came into view. There was a pine cone (?) in the foreground.
A beautifully piled stone wall
At the Komakai-juku, there was a place where the stone walls were beautifully piled up. I wondered if a castle had once been built there.
Chuo Expressway
The Chuo Expressway came into view. I think I passed the pass safely.
Sasago Pass entrance from Katsunuma side
This is what the road looked like when I looked back toward Sasago Pass on the verge of Route 20.
I continued east on Route 20 and returned from Kaiyamato Station.
Walking data
Course: JR Chuo Line Sasago Station -> Kuronoda-juku -> Komakai-juku -> JR Chuo Line Kaiyamato Station
Distance: 13.8km
Time: 4h41m
