Outdoor Japan Traveler - Issue 52 - Summer 2014 by Outdoor Japan

ISSUE 52 | SUMMER 2014 | FREE

Festival Daze Beyond the Edge with Peter Hillary

インタビュー : ピーター・ヒラリー

Rock Stars in Okayama 岡山ロックスター

Micronesia Island Hopping

ミクロネシアアイランドホッピング

Honshu MTB Parks & Niseko Trails

TOKYO SURFING

本州MTBパーク & ニセコトレイル

ADVENTURE

■

PEOPLE

■

C U LT U R E

■

TRAVEL

SUMMER 2014

I N S I D E I S S U E 5 2 ■ S U M M E R 2 014

26 F E AT U R E :

Festival Daze

ロック・フェスティバルを巡った怒濤の 40日

F E AT U R E S

Honshu MTB Parks & Niseko Trails

INSIDE

Q&A with Peter Hillary インタビュー：ピーター・ヒラリー

本州MTBパーク & ニセコトレイル

Talking Fly with Eiji Hamachi

Micronesia Island Hopping

濵地栄二さんとのフライフィッシング対談

ミクロネシアアイランドホッピング

40 48

Festival Daze

New Routes in Okayama

ロック・フェスティバルを巡った怒濤の40日

岡山での新しいルートと、いにしえの歴史との出会い

T R AV E L E R

From the Editor

08 10

Surf Guide: Tokyo

編集後記

F-Stop Beer Buzz

ビアー・バズ

ローカル醸造

ガイドライン

The Local Brew Guidelines Market Watch Cycling Japan

サイクリング・ジャパン

オン・ザ・ラン

On the Run Travel & Adventure Directory

トラベル & アドベンチャーディレクトリー

SUMMER 2014

■ FROM THE EDITOR Gardner Robinson, Editor-in-Chief gardner@outdoorjapan.com

Although we don’t normally do theme issues, our Summer Issue has a heavy mountain focus. We sit down with Peter Hillary, son of Sir Edmund, and talk adventure, high altitude conflict and tragedy and the release of a new film he was heavily involved with about his father and partner Tenzing Norgay. We run for the hills looking for high mountain trails close to Tokyo, go south in search of new routes with two of Japan’s top climbers, take a ride on a magical summer music tour with a red pizza truck and a motley crew of ski bums, and we uncover a new outdoor base in western Tokyo. But summer must include some sand and sea, and so we go island-hopping in Micronesia from the atolls

私

はオレゴン育ちだが、目をあければ山がそこにあ

本誌は毎号テーマを決めることはあまりないが、今号

る毎日だった。マウント・フッドは、関東平野を

は山を特集してみた。エドムンド卿の子息ピーター・ヒ

マーシャル諸島の環礁からトラック諸島の有名な沈船まで、ミクロネシア諸島も紹介しているのでご一読を。

とはいえ、夏といえば、やはりビーチと海。というわけで、

みおろす富士山のようにウィラメットバレーの上にそびえ

ラリーは、高度との戦いと悲劇について、そして彼自身

たっていた。私は、日本へ来て最初の数か月を、歴史

がたずさわった、ピーターの父とそのパートナー、テンジ

ここ日本でトロピカルな目的地といえば沖縄だが、東

あるうつくしい街並みの古都京都の西部ですごしたのだ

ン・ノーゲイにかんする新しい映画のリリースについても

京から数時間の場所にある島々も忘れてはならない。

が、ほどなく長野への巡礼の旅へと出発、その後、長

語ってくれた。

シュノーケリングやダイビング、ビーチでリラックスはもち

そのほか、東京近郊で標高の高いマウンテン・トレイ

野の日本アルプスのふもとで4年間をすごした。

ろんサーフィンも楽しめる島がある。

歩道で目玉焼きでもできそうなほど暑くなる日本の夏。

ルについてのレポートや、日本を代表するふたりの登山

ぜひ東京サーフィンガイドのご確認を。そして、そのほ

しかし、すぐそこに涼しい山々があるというのは最高だ。

家とともに、南へと新しいルートを探す旅、赤いピザ・ト

かの日本のサーフスポットについてはウェブサイトを見てほしい。

東京からも大阪からも避暑に最適な日本アルプスがある

ラックとスキーバムが行く夏のフェスティバル巡り、そし

し、岐阜から北海道にかけては本格的な峰々がいたると

て東京西部にできた新しいアウトドア基地についても要

ころに点在している。

チェックだ。

Published Seasonally Publisher Outdoor Japan Media Editor-in-Chief Gardner Robinson Editor Bill Ross Art Director Yuki Masuko

Contributing Editors Wayne Graczyk Shigeo Morishita Contributors Joan Bailey, Lee Dobson, Eddie Gianelloni, Bryan Harrell, Neil Hartmann, Abdel Ibrahim, Pauline Kitamura, Takashi Niwa, Tomoko Okazaki, Tim Rock, Robert Self, Justin Stein, Craig Yamashita

Translators Kumiko Kurosaki, Yoshine Lee, Eri Nishikami, Takeshi Sato, Lana Sofer Sales & Marketing media@outdoorjapan.com

©2014 OUTDOOR JAPAN INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. VIEWS EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF OUTDOOR JAPAN INC. PRINTED IN JAPAN.

AIRLINE PARTNERS

Traveler magazine is available at selected lounges, reservations counters and in-flight libraries with the following airline partners.

トラベラーマガジンは、空港ラウンジや予約カウンターや、右記航空会社インフライト・ライブラリーにてお読みいただけます。

T R AV E L E R

季節が変われば新たなアドベンチャーがはじまる。日本の夏は彩り豊かなお祭りと花火大会が目白押しだ。

OUTDOOR JAPAN TRAVELER

in the Marshall Islands to Truk’s famous wrecks. Here in Japan, Okinawa and the southern islands are Japan’s preferred tropical escapes, yet Tokyo has its own beautiful islands just a few hours away where you can enjoy snorkeling, diving, relaxing on the beach and some great surfing. Check out our guide to surfing in Tokyo and go online to see our full Japan surf guide on other areas to catch some waves. On the craft beer scene we visit Hakkaisan Beer in Niigata and look at some fine Oregon beers making their way to Japan. Every season is a new adventure in Japan, and summer is full of colorful festivals, fireworks and fun. Get out there!

rowing up in Oregon, I remember the mountains were never out of sight. Mt. Hood stands tall above the Willamette Valley in the same way Mt. Fuji watches over the Kanto Plain. My first few months in Japan were spent out west in Kyoto, soaking up the history and artistic beauty of the old capital, but it wasn’t long before I made my pilgrimage to Nagano where I’d spend the next four years living in the foothills of the Japan Alps. In summer when metro sidewalks are egg-sizzling hot, we are fortunate to have mountains nearby to provide a cool embrace. Tokyo and Osaka each have refreshing alpine escapes nearby, and from Gifu to Hokkaido the country is dotted with some serious peaks.

Outdoor Japan Media

6-6-55 Higashi Kaigan Minami Chigasaki-shi, Kanagawa 253-0054 〒253-0054 神奈川県茅ヶ崎市東海岸南 6-6-55 Tel: (0467) 81-3212 Fax: (0467) 81-3213 EDITORIAL: editor@outdoorjapan.com ADVERTISING: ads@outdoorjapan.com SUBSCRIPTIONS: subscribe@outdoorjapan.com

www.facebook/japantraveler www.twitter.com/outdoorjapan www.youtube.com/outdoorjapan

Cover Photo Aaron Jamieson

SUMMER 2014

Tokyo

By Kuni Takanami

People are often surprised to hear you can surf in Tokyo. There are actually two groups of islands that technically fall under the jurisdiction of Tokyo. The Izu Islands (Izu Shoto) are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula. Although traditionally referred to as the "Izu Seven" (Izu Shichito), there are actually more than a dozen islands and islets. The Ogasawara Islands (also known as the Bonin Islands) are a stunning archipelago of more than 30 islands similarly administered by Tokyo, although it takes more than 25 hours to get there in good weather (approx. 1,000 kilometers) from Tokyo Bay. The Izu Islands, however, are a great weekend (or longer) surf trip destination for those seeking crystal clear waters, warmer water temperatures and spectacular scenery without actually leaving Tokyo. The Islands have a friendly local vibe, fresh local food and, of course, a variety of surf from easy beach breaks to top-class reefs.

TOKYO

NIIJIMA

Izu Oshima

iijima is the most popular Tokyo island for surfing and is home to local and international surf contests. There is a variety of consistently good waves with breaks that can handle everything from easterly, northeasterly, southeasterly, westerly and southwesterly swells. The eastern coast is a long white sand beach break that gets some powerful tubes. To the north is an experts-only point due to the strong currents. The western coast has some popular spots but does not get as much swell. Be sure not to miss the island’s natural outdoor hot spring. 1

Niijima

2 3

Kozushima

4 5

Miyakejima

6 7 8 9 10

T R AV E L E R

Hachijojima

Point Name Awaiura Habushiso Habushiura Heli-shita Secret Missile-shita Mama-shita-ura Kurone B-tei Wadahama

Offshore Winds Level A W B NW B W B W I A W A W I A E / NE B E B E B E

Wave Consistency 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Bottom

Peak Season ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR

10 Wadahama 9 8 Kurone

Awaiura

Habushiura

4 7

Mama-shita

5 6

Wetsuit

Facilities JAN & FEB:

MAR – MAY & DEC:

JUN – NOV:

JAPAN SURF GUIDE IZU OSHIMA

zu Oshima, known simply as “Oshima,” is the closest of the Izu Islands and has clear waters and a stunning landscape which includes a giant volcano in the center of the island. Good waves make Oshima a great surf trip destination for the hardcore surfer. Most reef breaks perform all year round, handling swells from the northeast, south, southwest and west.

7 6

Motomachi 5 4

Fudeshima 1

3 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Point Name Fudeshima Sanohama Junkame Keta Reef Motomachi-mae Naganehama Izumihama

Offshore Winds Level A W B N B N A NE A E A N / NE A E

Wave Consistency 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Bottom

Peak Season ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR SEP – NOV ALL YEAR

Wetsuit

Facilities JAN & FEB:

MAR – MAY & NOV:

COMING SOON!

JUN – OCT:

KOZUSHIMA

ozushima, known for its stunning scenery and white sand beaches, is a local island, and respect must be given in and out of the water. The breaks are quite consistent and work best on northerly, easterly, southeasterly and westerly swells. If for some reason the surf falls flat, there is plenty to keep the keen outdoor lover busy with four hiking trails, onsen and good campsites.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Point Name Kaesuhama Hashiri Takouwan Maihama Tsumari Maihama Mouri Maihama Nagasawa Nagahama

Offshore Winds Level B SW I A NW A W B E B E A E A E / SE

Wave Consistency 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Bottom

Peak Season JULY – NOV JULY – NOV JULY – NOV DEC – JUNE DEC – JUNE DEC – JUNE JULY – NOV

Kaesuhama 7

Nagahama

Maihama

Takouwan

Wetsuit

Facilities JAN & FEB: MAR – MAY, OCT – DEC: JUN – SEP:

MIYAKEJIMA

amous for dolphins, a (very) active volcano, diving and rare nature and wildlife, Miyakejima also turns on reasonable waves. Although not nearly as consistent as most of the other islands, there are a good number of challenging reef breaks for the advanced surfer that handle swells from almost any direction. The high cliffs of neighboring Mikurajima are home to wild dolphins and thus attract dolphin-swimming tours. Visitors often stay on Miyakejima where the dramatic landscape is a harsh reminder of the power of nature. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Point Name Sunset Gyokou School Miera Iruka / Dolphin Turtle

Offshore Winds Level I A E I A N / NW A N / NW A W / NW I A W / NW I A W / NW

Wave Consistency 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Bottom

Peak Season MAY – NOV MAY – NOV MAY – NOV MAY – NOV MAY – NOV MAY – NOV

The beer that rewards 1

Igaya

your best performances. Tsubota 6 4 2 3

Brewed for all surfers

Wetsuit

Facilities

and beer lovers.

NOV – APR: MAY – OCT:

HACHIJOJIMA

achijojima is the most southern of the Izu Islands and is known for spring temperatures year-round. A volcanic landscape, onsen and year-round consistent surf await the expeditionary surfer. Its open ocean location means it gets swells from every direction, but the main breaks particularly feed off northerly or southerly swells. It breaks all year but is best in winter. The water is usually warmer than the Kanto area due to the Black Current. Don’t expect sandy beaches; there are many rocks that will be difficult for beginners, but great for intermediate and advanced surfers. Tourist surfers are welcome but, as anywhere, respect the locals, and you will catch more waves. Make sure to drop into the Aussie-run Anchor Pub to get the lowdown. Point Name 1 2 3

Kaizer's Santos Tacos

Offshore Winds Level A NW A NW A NW

Wave Consistency 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Bottom

Peak Season ALL YEAR NOV – FEB JUN – NOV

Facilities

Sueyoshi 1 3

Wetsuit

CONTACT

DEC – MAR: APR – NOV:

Check out Outdoor Japan’s complete guide to surfing in Japan at www.outdoorjapan.com/surf

info@antenna-america.com IMPORTED BY NAGANO TRADING CO.

SUMMER 2014

F - STOP

Top: In 2012, during the typhoon season in Omaezaki, I knew the surf would be huge. To my surprise, nobody was in the water. With nobody to shoot, I decided to go body boarding by myself. After two good barrels, I grabbed my camera and tried to capture the beauty of the waves on that day. Above: Omaezaki, Shizuoka, has one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve seen. This photo was shot after a classic surfing day. When I saw the guys leaving the water, crossing the sun line, the composition and atmosphere reminded me of “The Endless Summer” movie poster.

T R AV E L E R

Pedro Gomes is an Omaezaki-based Brazilian surf photographer who has lived in Japan for 13 years. He regularly travels the globe chasing waves and the world's top surfers from Bali to Hawaii to Brazil and back to Japan. His work is currently featured in the Japan edition of The Surfer's Journal (Vol. 4.2). To see more of his work visit www.pedrogomes.com

ザ・サーファーズ・ジャーナルを定期購読しよう！

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創刊号 1.1

1年6冊分

2年12冊分

￥9 , 0 0 0

￥1 6 , 8 0 0

※ 税抜き価格

（通常￥1 1 , 4 0 0 ） 1 冊：1 , 5 0 0 円

（通常￥2 2 , 8 0 0 ） 1 冊：1 , 4 0 0 円

残部僅少

第2号 1.2

○ 変革の申し子トニー・アルバ ○ マーティン・ポッターの半生とその時代 ○ スティーブ・リスのフィッシュ物語他

○“天才”ジム・フィリップスの素顔 ○ ジュリアン・ウィルソンとその家族 ○ 60年代サーフ・ファンのアナログ・ストーリー他

第3号 1.3

第4号 1.4

第5号 1.5

第6号 1.6

○ 名匠：タイラー・ハジキアン ○ 南アフリカのゴッドファーザー ○ ニュージャージー・サーフの手引き他

○ ピーター・トロイの失われた旅行記 ○ 思考を変えろ ̶リー・クロウの半生 ○ ポール・ウィツィグの 3作品他

○ ビッグウェイブの新しい時代 ○ エクアドルのバルサ天国 ○ ケアウラナ・ファミリー物語他

○ ボブ・シモンズの足跡をたどる ○ ジョー・クイッグ、大いに語る ○ タイラー・ウォーレンの明快な夢他

第7号 2.1

第8号 2.2

第9号 2.3

第10号 2.4

○ サンディエゴのシェイパーたち ○ ラスタビッチと6人の仲間 ○ マイク・ドイル、バハで送る原始的な生活他

○ 歴史的なチョープー・セッション ○ アラブの春、モロッコの秋 ○ 王様ディック・デイルの半生他

○ ロス・クラーク・ジョーンズ ○ アラスカの海 ○ マイケル・ピーターソン探求他

○ エディ・アイカウの伝記映画 ○ モーメンタム世代再考 ○ 70年代、南太平洋における旅の記憶他

第11号 2.5

第12号 2.6

第13号 3.1

第14号 3.2

○ イエメンのサーフ・アドベンチャー ○ バーニー・ベイカーの裏庭で ○ マーク・リチャーズのインタビュー他

○ トム・ブレイクの生涯 ○ ケリーのマーシャル諸島アタック ○ 元祖パンク・サーファー、シドの半生他

○ トニー・エルザリントンの半生 ○ コール・クリステンセンの日々 ○ タック・カワハラとマリブ・サーフボード他

○ ガーの本 ○ スピードの黄金比 ○ わが師、ラスティ・ミラー他

第15号 3.3

第16号 3.4

第17号 3.5

第18号 3.6

○ モザンビークの極上サンドバー ○ マルチアーティスト、西岡昌典の半生 ○ オーシャン・ビーチの完璧な4日間他

○ トム・カレンの北アフリカ旅行記 ○ カクタスと呼ばれた不毛の砂漠の開拓史 ○ 1976年のノースショア日記他

○ 最新のベストショット・セッション ○ 海、波を描くラン・オルトナーの世界観 ○ サーフィン界の少数民族、足ヒレ族物語他

○ ジョン・ローズ、水と波の物語 ○ オーストラリアにおけるデュークの歴史秘話 ○ 南ポリネシアの波を俯瞰する、ベン・ソワード作品集他

第19号 4.1

第20号 4.2

第21号 4.3

○ タイ・スティック ○ クラーク・フォーム誕生秘話 ○ あえて傍流をいく6人のクラフトマンの肖像他

○ 日本版ポートフォリオ、ペドロ・ゴメス ○ フちょうせきはァンディ湾の伝説のボア（潮汐波）を乗る ○ マイアミー“サウスビーチ・パンプ”に愛を込めて他

○ 鎌倉の隠れ里、小坪ストーリー ○ オッキー、コング、カレン、インド洋に浮かぶ ○ 永遠のサーフアニメ、 “マーフィー” 他

第23号 4.5 （2014年12月10日発売予定）

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第24号 4.6 （2015年2月10日発売予定）

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最新

号

第25号 5.1 （2015年4月10日発売予定）

on!

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in Com

（2014年10月10日発売予定）

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第22号 4.4

第26号 5.2 （2015年6 月10日発売予定）

各巻 ¥1,900（税抜き）お申し込み（定期購読・バックナンバー）：w w w. sur fer s jour na l . jp

BEER BUZZ By Justin Stein

Oregon Beers Blazing a Trail to Japan

FIND YOUR PERFECT GETAWAY!

Specializing in Resort Properties in Niseko Hanazono and Hakuba's Wadano Area

We provide real estate expertise and bilingual assistance for finding your ideal resort property. Phone: 03-3556-8887 info@yamate-homes.co.jp www.yamate-homes.co.jp

T R AV E L E R

f pressed to choose one U.S. state to represent the American craft beer revolution, Oregon would be the obvious choice. With about 1% of the U.S. population, but 6% of the breweries, Oregon makes more craft beer per capita than anywhere. Portland has more breweries than any other city on the planet, and craft beer currently enjoys 40 % market share as opposed to 7% nationwide and less than 1% in Japan. Why did this Pacific Northwest state become the model for the ever-growing American craft beer industry? First, like sake, beer is mostly water, and brewers want tasty, soft water (i.e., low mineral content) as a stage on which to perform their magic. Next, the flavors of American west coast beers tend to be driven by hops. Oregon is second only to its northern neighbor, Washington, in terms of U.S. hop production. Portland is within a three-hour drive of about one-quarter of the world’s hop production and Oregon State University’s hop research program has developed many new varieties, including the ubiquitous Cascade hops. Finally, Oregon has supportive consumers; nearly half of draft beer consumed is produced in state. T h a n k s t o t he f or w a r d thinking Phred Kaufman of Ezo Beer in Hok kaido, Oregon’s Rogue Ales was the first American craft beer to be imported in Japan. Since 1993, Phred has been importing beer brewed and bottled by Rogue, including a line of tasty ales brewed specifically for Ezo and designed by Rogue’s longtime brewmaster John Maier. Recently, Phred has also been bringing in a number of excellent smallto-mid-sized Oregon breweries, some difficult to find even in the U.S. Located in Ashland, Caldera Brewing Company has been making beer since 1997 and were the first west coast craft brewer to can their beer (in 2005). Modern cans impart no metallic taste if the beer is poured into a glass, while keeping it fresh longer than bottles. Caldera’s tasty lineup of canned beers includes their excellent IPA, which adds a bit of tropical fruit flavor with the addition of Citra hops to the mix. They also produce a line of 22- oz . bot t les, i nclud i ng the complex Mogli, an imperial porter brewed with liquid chocolate and aged on bourbon-

soaked oak spirals, and the Hop Hash IPA, made using pure hop lupulin scraped from hop pelletizing lines. Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) brews with sustainability in mind. Their brewery and two Portland brewpubs include numerous energy conserving features, while reducing waste. They source locally produced, third party-certified organic ingredients and purchase offsets for both their carbon and water footprints. Founder and brewmaster Christian Ettinger’s decision to distribute to Japan was influenced by “backhaul” ships often returning to Asia nearly empty from the U.S. making their carbon footprint across the Pacific comparable to trucking beer to Southern California. HUB’s beers are rich and flavorful, whether it ’s the Organic Sur vival 7-Grain Stout, brewed w ith organic coffee from Por tland’s famous Stumptown Coffee, or the Organic Rise Up Red, generously hopped with Centennial and Cascade, and awarded gold at the Great American Beer Fest. Wor t hy Brew i ng Company is a relative newcomer, one of 18 breweries to open in Bend (pop. 79,000) in the last three years. They’ve been making a splash in Oregon’s somewhat crowded beer scene. Indeed, a beer writer for The Oregonian described their IPA as “Best. IPA. Ever.” Part of Worthy IPA’s great flavor comes from their partnership with Indie Hops in the Willamette Valley, although they also have a hop yard and hop research greenhouse right at the brewery. Worthy is sending its canned lineup to Japan, including a stout called Lights Out, brewed with vanilla beans. Worthy’s CEO Chris Hodge says Ezo is a great partner, ordering in small quantities and pre-selling orders to keep the beer as fresh as possible. It’s a good time to be a craft beer drinker in Japan. In addition to terrific domestic microbreweries, we are one of the only places in the world to get these amazing Oregon brews. SUMMER BEER CALENDAR July 2-6, Belgian Beer Weekend Yokohama July 10-13, Belgian Beer Weekend Sendai July 11-21, Toyosu Oktoberfest, Tokyo July 19-21, BeerFes Osaka Aug. 1-2, Nippon Craft Beer Festival, Tokyo Aug. 2-3, BeerFes Nagoya Sept. 4-15, Belgian Beer Weekend Tokyo Sept. 13-15, BeerFes Yokohama

By Bryan Harrell

Hakkaisan Beer Niigata Prefecture 八海山ビール新潟県

AMERICAN CRAFT BEER bottle shop & tasting room

FRESH FROM THE BREWERY huge variety of bottles 8 rotating taps brewery merchandise & american food Dine in Take out Cold SHIPPING

WE DELIVER ALL OVER JAPAN Order online at: WWW.antenna-america.com

s microbrewing in Japan enters its third decade next year, it is surprising that so many brewers of excellent sake are not entering the market with good beer. Hakkaisan, a producer of premium sake, is a notable exception, having produced its first beer in late 1998. The sake brewed by Hakkaisan is known for its clean balance and solid quality, typical traits of Niigata Prefecture, one of the most famous and well-liked prefectures for Japan’s native drink. These same characteristics are also shared by the beer crafted at Hakkaisan. While microbrews in Japan often feature strong flavors, striking hopping levels and high alcohol, Hakkaisan beers are impressive in their smooth drinkability and understated nature, making them great session beers. All are a modest 5% alcohol, with their Izumi Pilsner and Weizen the

most popular, followed by a tangy Alt. They also brew a dark Porter which is only available from October to March. This one is smooth with a rich, malty taste, and certainly worth watching for. Note the Alt, Weizen and Porter are available in 330-ml. and 500-ml. bottles. Hakkaisan’s Izumi Village in Niigata’s Uonuma City is perhaps the best place to enjoy their beer. Note their Pilsener is only available here and on draft. The village complex has a casual Italian restaurant, Gozzo, with a wood-fired pizza oven, along with a small bakery with a large assortment of breads, a large terrace and the brewery itself. Brewery tours are not available to the public. Visit the Hakkaisan website to find out where to drink their fine beer throughout Japan.

日

アルトもおすすめだ。

本で地ビールが広まって来年で30 年を迎えるが、ん人気は泉ピルスナーとヴァイツェン、ピリリと辛口の酒の醸造家たちがビール醸造でマーケットに参

入しないのは不思議な現象である。最高級の酒で知ら

ダークビールポーターは10月から3月にかけて販売さ

れる八海山はその例外で、1998 年に最初のビールを

れる。スムースでリッチなモルトの風味が特徴だ。アル

造った。

ト、ヴァイツェン、泉ピルスナーは330mlと500mlボトル

八海山が醸造する酒は、日本有数の地酒県である

で販売されている。

新潟県の特徴でもある、バランスのよさと完璧なクオリ

このビールを楽しみたいなら、新潟県魚沼市にある八

ティで親しまれる。そしてそれは、もちろん八海山が醸

海山の泉ヴィレッジへ行ってみよう。ピルスナーが生で

造するビールにも引き継がれている。

飲めるのはここだけ。館内にはGOZZOというカジュアルイ

日本の地ビールは、はっきりした風味とホップ、そして

タリアン・レストランがあり、石釜で焼くピザは絶品だ。さ

アルコール度数の高さを特徴とするものが多いが、八

まざまな種類のパンを販売するベーカリー、テラスと醸

海山はスムースでひかえめな飲み口が印象的で、何杯

造所もここにある。醸造所は一般公開されていない。

でも飲めてしまう。アルコール度数はすべて5% 、いちば

Hakkaisan Brewery 八海山 Phone: (025) 775-3836 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) Web: www.hakkaisan.co.jp

日本での取扱店は八海山ウェブサイトを。

Hakkaisan Izumi Village 八海山泉ヴィレッジ

564-1 Izumi, Minami Uonuma-shi, Niigata-ken 949-7114 〒949-7114 新潟県南魚沼市泉564-1 Phone: (025) 775-3939; Fax: (025) 775-3739 Open: 10:30 am – 10:00 pm daily (April to November) December to March: Closed Thursdays. 4月∼ 11月無休／ 12月∼ 3月木曜定休 Web: www.izumivillage.jp While the website is only in Japanese, it contains detailed information on all facilities.

EVERYDAY OPEN yokohama, Japan 045-315-5228

5 MIN FROM JR KANNAI 関内 ST. facebook.com/antennaamerica twitter.com/antennaamerica

SUMMER 2014

GUIDE LINES

OKUTAMA CANYONS Standing on the top of Mt. Hinode just before sunrise, you can clearly make out the flickering lights of Tokyo Tower and Sky Tree. Below you, the clear waters of the Tama River, playground for many of Japan’s top kayakers, flows down into the Kanto Plain. You can follow the river on a bicycle all the way to where it empties into the Pacific near Haneda Airport. Those in the know eschew popular – and crowded – Mt. Takao for the more airy trails of Okutama in western Tokyo. From rock climbing and bouldering to hiking and hot springs, Okutama has it all. Canyons, the outdoor company from Minakami, which has pioneered canyoning in Japan, has had an eye on Okutama for some time. “I first went to check out the area about 13 years ago, and it always was stuck in the back of my mind,” says Canyons founder and CEO Mike Harris. Canyons has opened a beautiful new riverside base. Sitting on the open-air deck after an exciting day exploring local canyons, you’ll find it hard to believe you are still actually in Tokyo. The rafting on the Tama River is fairly mellow, but as Mike says, there are some great canyoning courses hidden in the mountains. Check out their

By Joan Bailey

MARKET WATCH

Oiso Market

lthough just three years old, the Oiso Market is as vibrant and bustling as its more established counterparts elsewhere in the country. Local growers, producers and fishermen are joined by a diverse array of artisans, musicians and performing artists to create a venue full of fun, tasty food and entertainment. Held on the third Sunday of each month at the Oiso port, the Oiso Market is a community and gastronomical event extraordinaire. “We started with just 16 vendors and very few guests,” said Takuya Shioya, a member of Seisho Asobukai, a local non-profit focused on farming and community that helped found the market. Today, Shioya is one of more than 150 vendors.

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new adventure courses, which include full-day options. “Okutama has more activities popping up every year and, with it being so close to downtown Tokyo, it is the perfect introduction to adventure tourism for people living there,” he adds. Frugal travelers will love that fact it costs less than ¥1,000 from central Tokyo. The best way to Okutama is the direct Holiday Express train that departs Shinjuku at 7:44 a.m. each Saturday and gets you to Okutama Station in 90 minutes. Other trains require a transfer, usually in Ome, and take a bit longer. For details visit http://canyons.jp/en/ areas/okutama/canyons-okutama

EARTH CELEBRATION ‘14 Each year in August a sleepy island, once a prison for political dissidents, off the coast of Niigata awakens to the sounds of drums. Sado Island is the home of Kodo, the internationally acclaimed percussion group, and the Earth Celebration is its festival of sounds and spirits, when they invite guests from home and abroad to collaborate in an unbelievably beautiful setting. This year’s celebration takes place Aug. 22-24. For details visit www.kodo.or.jp

Intended to showcase the wonders of the Shonan region of Kanagawa Prefecture, the market does that and more. Tables groan with different items as the seasons pass, each month offering something new. Spring means seedlings, the last of the winter greens and the first of the sansai (mountain vegetables) for the year. Fresh heirloom and modern varieties of vegetables and citrus abound in summer, and locally grown rice is autumn's centerpiece. Lee Utsumi ventures over from Chigasaki year-round with her handmade breads as does Kazuhiro Ukegawa of La Terra, a small company that transforms local produce into gem-colored jams and tangy pickles. Craft beer aficionados will find Atsugi's Sankt Gallen Brewery on hand with their oh-sosippable craft brews, while Shoya’s table offers samples of the group’s most delicious umeshu (plum wine). Nearly 15 food trucks offer a diverse menu of scrumptious treats which include deep fried curry, anko (sweet bean paste), pizza-stuffed dorayaki (usually anko sandwiched between two pancakes), Indian curry, Yaad Foods’ spicy jerk chicken and Mexican.

SHONAN CHIGASAKI PRO Stand-up Paddleboarding (SUP) is coming to Japan in a big way. The Waterman League has announced the launch of the Shonan Chigasaki Pro, taking place in the beautiful coastal town of Chigasaki in Kanagawa. With SUP thriving in Japan, the organizers are expecting a big turnout for their first foray into Asia and have hopes of creating a World Series in Japan. The event will take place Aug. 15-17. For details visit www.watermanleague.com.

SUMIDA RIVER FIREWORKS Dating back to the Edo Period, this is Tokyo’s largest (in number) hanabi with more than 20,000 fireworks. Nearly 100,000 people come to enjoy the grand display along the Sumida River near Asakusa Station. Date: July 26

TOKYO BAY FIREWORKS The Tokyo Bay Fireworks feature about 12,000 fireworks launched from barges in the bay. Harumi Park, a 15-minute walk from Toyosu Station, is a great place to watch, as is the Odaiba area. Note the Rainbow Bridge is closed to pedestrians during the festivities. Date: Aug. 10

The ramen truck serves up steamy noodles in shoyu, miso or shio broth or the zippy summer bowl of cold hiyashichuka. Musical performances in the grassy area entertain crowds settled while smaller stages scattered among the vendors feature individual singers, musicians and artists. (Keep an eye out for the juggler’s flaming torches.) In July, August and September, Oiso Market becomes a festive evening affair that takes advantage of cooler temperatures and ocean breezes. A much smaller version appears Saturdays in the port building from 10 a.m. until noon. OISO MARKET Third Sunday of each month from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. OISO SUMMER NIGHT MARKET Third Sunday of each month from 5 to 9 p.m. OISO WEEKLY MARKET Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon at Oiso Port Building

SUMMER ADVENTURES

OKUTAMA KAYAKING While kayaking through the beautiful upper reaches of the Tama River and drifting near a picturesque riverside sake brewery, you won’t believe you are still in Tokyo. Location: Okutama, Tokyo Dates: July 26 & Aug. 9

SUMMER SPLASH ADVENTURE WEEKEND IN MINAKAMI Minakami is the Mecca of adventure in Honshu. The traditional hot spring town north of Tokyo offers some of the best white water rafting and canyoning around, and the Summer Splash weekend is the biggest weekend of the season. Web: www.outdoorjapan.com/summersplash Location: Minakami, Gunma Date: Sept. 6

ASHIKAGA FIREWORKS SUMMER FESTA

KOZUSHIMA ISLAND GETAWAY

OZE EARLY AUTUMN HIKE

This fireworks festival runs non-stop for an hour and a half with more than 20,000 fireworks exploding in the sky. There are literally hundreds of food and drink stalls set up outside as thousands of spectators revel in the spectacular summer season. Location: Ashikaga, Tochigi Date: Aug. 2

Escape to a beautiful sub-tropical island in Tokyo? That’s right; Kozu Island is part of Tokyo’s Izu Islands and makes for an amazing getaway. Enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, surfing, platform diving, hiking, BBQ or just relaxing on the beach in the sun. Location: Kozushima, Tokyo Date: Sept. 12-15

The autumn colors come earlier in Oze National Park. A stunning array of oranges, reds and yellows complement the scene with dozens of small lakes to explore. Location: Oze, Gunma Date: Sept. 27

To find out more about group tours to these summer adventures and other great destinations, visit the Tokyo Snow & Outdoor Club. Web: www.tokyosnowclub.com

in Minakami

Adventure Weekend & Mountain Music Festival Sept. 6, 2014 at Canyons Alpine Lodge www.outdoorjapan.com/summersplash

SUMMER 2014

g n i l c y C Summer

Overall it is a fun little park and getting better by the day, as they now have a dedicated trail builder doing wonderful things to the mountain. Rental bikes are available here; I was not too impressed with the quality but they were good enough for an enjoyable day. Web: http://summer.fujiten.net/pc/

Wing Hills MTB Park Wing Hills is the closest option for Nagoyabased riders, and the trail builders have been busy adding berms and small jumps since I last visited there. A gondola serves two technical trails about three kilometers long, and for beginners they have a shuttle service that accesses a super fun, easy two-kilometer trail. Rental bikes are available, although I wasn’t too impressed with their maintenance the last time I visited, but I’ve been told it has been remedied now. Web: http://winghills.net/green/

Honshu MTB Parks O

ver the last three decades mountain biking has slowly been developing in Japan. I’ve witnessed this first-hand for the past 20 years on racing and guiding tours. Yet for a country full of mountains and ski resorts, it is surprising to find so few bike parks here. Recently a few ski areas around Honshu have started developing MTB trails, doing more than putting down a few flags on their ski runs.

rollers on which to play and always puts a smile on my face. I see people on all sorts of bikes here; my personal preference is my full-on DH rig, as it feels much smoother and safer over the braking bumps and ruts that form on the trails. Good rental bikes and protective gear is available, and they have package deals for a full day of adventure. Web: www.fujimipanorama.com/mtb/

Photo by Daiki Takahashi

By Paul Chetwynd

Fukui Izumi MTB Park The most popular for Kansai-based riders and, if I lived a bit closer, I might spend more time playing on the Mad Max trails here. Developed by two hardcore riders, Fukui Izumi has forced other parks to pick up their game. The trails are on the ski resort, but shuttle service is available instead of lifts. The ski area is a bit hard to get to, but once you are there it is well worth the effort. It is BYOB here (bring your own bike), and make sure you have food and drinks for the day and a shelter to hide from the sun on hot days.

Fujimi Panorama MTB Park

Fujiten MTB Park

Nozawa Onsen MTB

Panorama has long been considered the best park here in Japan, and personally I think it still is, although living 20 minutes away might make me a bit biased. A couple hours from Tokyo by car or train makes it possible for a day’s trip. A gondola accesses three trails with more than 700 meters of vertical downhill on which to play, by far the longest trails in Japan. A Course is the shortest at 4.2 kilometers and, if you like speed, this trail is for you. B Course is the most technical with 4.8 kilometers of roots, drops and rocks through which to work on your descent. C Course is seven kilometers long and is the easiest way down. It has lots of berms and small

Fujiten is the closest park to Tokyo and is located on the base of Mt, Fuji. As of now they have six trails open. A single lift provides access to the mountain bike trails. A run down takes about four or five minutes depending upon your ability. None of the courses are super technical; the corners are nicely “bermed” and there are some jumps on which to play along the way. I rode my All Mountain bike with 150 mm. of suspension travel and found it just right for these trails. Compared to other parks I have ridden, I found the volcanic soil drains very well and even on a rainy day the ground was not that muddy. In fully dry conditions the courses are fast and traction good.

Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort is new to the MTB scene, but there are some keen locals getting things started. The Nagasaka Gondola is open from July 12 to Aug. 31 accessing single-track trails and a beginner course that follows the ski slope. There is a Strider event for kids on Aug. 3 and a Run & Bike race Aug. 9-10. Downhill, all-mountain bikes and kid's bikes can be rented at the base of Nagasaka Gondola through the local ski and bike shop Compass House. Nozawa Hospitality runs road tours and has a fleet of high-end road bikes available for hire. Web: www.nozawaski.com/summer2014/gondola/ index.php

Paul Chetwynd is originally from North Vancouver, British Columbia. He raced professionally in Japan for more than 10 years in both cross-country and downhill disciplines as well as elite road races. He now runs Freeride Adventures, a bike tour company in Nagano offering one-day or multi-day tours, and tries to include a triathlon or MTB race at least once a year to keep the flame burning. Web: www.freerideadventuresjpn.com

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banked turns and great scenery. A selection of the latest premium mountain bikes is also available to rent. The park is open until Oct. 19. Web: www.facebook.com/RusutsuBikePark

Kamui Ski Links MTB Park Kamui Ski Links is opening a new MTB Park for 2014 including three short tracks and lots of variety with one intermediate bike park-style trail, one intermediate single trail through the woods and one for the beginners. Developments are planed to open a longer trail from the top of the gondola for 2015. No rental bikes are available, but you can pre-book a bike through Rhythm Cycles. Opens July 5. Web: www.kamui-skilinks.com

Photo by Glenn Claydon Photography

NISEKO CYCLING CALENDAR

Niseko Cycling Scene By Andy Cummings

hen people talk about Niseko the focus is always on the world-class skiing. But if you’ve enjoyed Niseko in winter, you’ll love it in summer. The air is clean, the food fresh and the streets and mountains perfect for cycling. There is something for everyone, from smooth, open roads and scenic cycling paths to rolling crosscountry trails and exhilarating downhill tracks. There are many road cycling events as well as a growing MTB scene. Ground zero for cycling in Niseko is Rhythm Cycles. Now in its third year, the company began as a collaboration between Rhythm Snowsports and Groove Cycles. The shop has been instrumental in promoting MTB riding in the area, with staff putting in countless hours building and maintaining trails and galvanizing support from local businesses supporting cycling in Niseko. Rhythm Cycles offers rentals, sales tours and workshops. Stop by the shop for the latest info on what’s happening or their website to check out the full cycling calendar. Web: www.nisekocycles.com

Grand Hirafu MTB Park This largest mountain bike park in Hokkaido offers a lift-accessed three-kilometer downhill track, which drops about 500 meters in altitude. The trail has been given a major overhaul this year, making it longer, more enjoyable and easier to ride. The dual slalom course is located at the base of the mountain and doesn't require a lift ticket. It’s a great place to hone your skills or simply prove who is fastest. The skills park is next to the dual slalom track and gives riders the chance to try various terrain they might find on a downhill course in a safe environment. There are jumps, rollers, bridges and training lines. The pump track, located across the road from the skills park, is where you can learn how to use your body weight to your advantage as you pump around the circuit, and it’s a great

JULY 13: NISEKO NATURE RIDE, NISEKO CLASSIC AND SUN SPORTS Niseko Nature Ride is a road race with multiple length races; Niseko Classic is a road race with 70-km. and 140-km. races; Sun Sports is a family event hosted by Cezar from Niseko Pizza featuring cycling activities, bouncy castle golf, music and delicious food. JULY 19: GRAND HIRAFU MTB PARK OPENING DAY The MTB Park is in its third year of operation and will see new trails and skills areas for 2014. AUG. 2-3: HANAZONO HILL CLIMB One of the biggest cycling events of the summer, the “Race to the Top” differs from other road races in that it is focused on climbing rather than endurance.

workout. You’ll also find an excellent crosscountry track that leads to Niseko Village and back. Lift tickets for the park are available through Rhythm Cycles for ¥1,000 a run, ¥2,500 for three hours and ¥3,500 for six hours. A season pass is also available for ¥20,000. Web: http://nisekocycles.com/grand-hirafumountain-bike-park/

Niseko Village Pure Park Access to Niseko Village is possible via the cross county trail at the base of the Hirafu MTB Park as well as by car. Among other activities, they have a great cross-country trail and a skills area. This is an awesome place to experience MTB for the first time. Rental bikes are available. Web: www.niseko-village.com/ja/summer/index. html

AUG. 24: IRON MAN JAPAN Japan’s Iron Man is based at nearby Lake Toya. Spectators can watch the world’s top triathletes battle on the gruelling Iron Man course as they roll through Niseko. Local Iron Man competitor Jess Ripper runs Niseko Multisport (www. nisekomultisport.com), which provides training and camps for triathletes in Niseko. AUG. 31-SEPT. 6 & SEPT. 7-13: TOUR DU NORD Experience riding the best roads in Asia followed by a soothing onsen and fresh Hokkaido seafood. Tours average 80-100 kms. a day. SEPT. 13-15: TOUR DE HOKKAIDO Part of the UCI Asia Tour, this event is a great way to see some awesome road racing form either in the saddle or as a spectator in Niseko.

Hanazono MTB Park Hanazono has a large cross-country loop within the resort as well as a small skills area. Rental bikes are available. Web: www.hanazononiseko.com/ja/summer/ index.html

Rusutsu Resort MTB Park Established in 2013, Rusutsu Mountain Bike Park has a growing network of trails suitable for all levels of riders. Follow a winding trail through the forest, it is filled with flowing

CYCLING JAPAN READER PHOTO Congrats to Reader Anthony Betancourt who sent in a cycling photo from Iwakuni, Yamaguchi. Anthony will receive a copy of the 2014 Cycling Japan Calendar.

SUMMER 2014

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Cycling Japan:

A JOURNEY TO EXPERIENCE THE LOCAL LIFE サイクリング̶それは

By Takashi Niwa Translated by Sakae Sugahara

土地の暮らしを感じる旅

Yatsugatake

ROUTE

YAMANASHI PREFECTURE

NAGANO PREFECTURE

AKIHA KAIDO

GIFU PREFECTURE Mt. Fuji

From the Roof of Japan to the Pacific Ocean 秋葉街道：日本有数の山岳ライド ∼太平洋へ（長野県∼静岡県）

AICHI PREFECTURE

SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE Shizuoka

Okazaki

Toyohashi

Hamamatsu

The route stretches 270 kilometers from Chino to Hamamatsu. The scenery along the way varies from the distant high mountains through idyllic mountain villages and riverside roads and finally to the Pacific Ocean. 茅野から浜松までの270㎞。この間には山岳展望、のどかな山里、川沿いの道、そして大海原と変化に富んだ展開が待っている

The route is open from late April to November. The mountain passes are closed for winter. In the summer, you can enjoy pedaling amidst rugged alpine peaks, some over 3,000 meters, with bare rock hillsides. In May through June snow lingers on the mountaintops, and in late October the view of the first snowfall is spectacular. サイクリングの時期は、4月下旬から11月の降雪で閉鎖されるまで。3,000m級の山々は、夏であれば荒々しい山肌を見せるだろう。残雪期の5∼ 6月頃、新雪を被る10月下旬など、季節によって表情は多彩だ

he Akiha Kaido runs from Chino City in southern Nagano down to Shizuoka Prefecture. The medieval pilgrimage route goes over six mountain passes, offering panoramic views of Yatsugatake and the mountains of the Central and Southern Alps. The biggest climb is from Oshika Village to Jizo Pass and up to Shirabiso Pass, with an elevation gain of almost 1,200 meters. It can get quite chilly at dawn and dusk during this あき

秋

は

stretch, even in summer. Once in Shizuoka Prefecture, the easiest path is cycling down along the Tenryu River; however the route over Yamazumi Pass and down along the Keta River is highly recommended. The river’s pristine water, as well as fresh green leaves in spring or summer and the autumn colors, is breathtaking. You’ll pass the head shrine of the Akiha Shinto sect, where many come to worship the deity.

葉街道は長野県茅野市から南下し、静岡県へと

静岡県に入ると、天竜川沿いをひたすら下るのがもっ

抜けるルート。八ヶ岳、中央アルプス、南アルプ

とも簡単だが、山住峠を越えて、気田川沿いの道を走っ

スという3,000m級の山々を展望しながら、おもに6つの峠

てみよう。この川の美しさ、緑や紅葉の美しさは絶品だ。

を越える。

この川沿いには秋葉神社の本殿があり、防災の神とし

もっとも標高差のある大鹿村から地蔵峠を経てさらに

て多くの参拝客が訪れる。東京の「秋葉原」も、この神

登り、しらびそ峠までは、標高差は1,200m近くになる。峠

社に由来する。

付近は、朝夕であれば夏でも寒いくらいだ。

Takashi Niwa actively organizes guided tours around the world, from the back alleys of Tokyo to remote villages in Tibet. He has authored many books including “Otona no Tame no Jitensha Nyūmon” (Nihon Keizai Shinbun Shuppansha). His company, Niwa Cycling Tours (www.ncycling.com) has released its 2014 calendar full of images of his tours in Japan and around the world. It is available for purchase (¥1,050 / includes shipping in Japan). You can order at: http://ncycling01.sblo.jp/article/78003609.html 丹羽隆志（にわたかし）：にわサイクリングツアーズ（www.ncycling.com）を主宰し、東京の路地裏からチベットまで、地球上のどこかをガイド。『大人のための自転車入門』(日本経済新聞出版社刊)など著書多数。

WAY! GIVEA

Three copies of the 2014 calendar are available to readers who send in photos of cycling in Japan. Send photos to editor@outdoorjapan.com

SUMMER 2014

ON THE RUN By Robert Self

Big Summer Runs Near Tokyo

okyo’s local mountains are lovely in spring, but summer is the time to go alpine. Yamanashi Prefecture is the place for day runs with big views, cloud-piercing peaks and a dose of adventure in all of its connotations. Here are four courses in and around Yamanashi and southern Nagano that can, theoretically, be done in a day-trip from Tokyo. Two of the courses, Daibosatsu and Kentokuzan, are intermediate courses, good for getting some running experience in a challenging low-alpine environment. They are lovely destinations in their own right. Yatsugatake and the Houzan Ridge are true alpine runs. A word on safety. “Can be done in a day” does not mean “should be done in a day.” Don’t lock

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into the principle of knocking off Yatsugatake or Houzan in one day. Weather can deteriorate in a hurry at this altitude, and course errors and fatigue can turn your focus on a day run into a potentially risky endeavor. Be prepared to adapt as conditions dictate; stay at one of the high huts or to abort your run entirely if necessary, and bring taxi money just in case. The Daibosatsu Ridge（大菩薩峠）: Very few hikers actually experience much of Daibosatsu, since they lock into the simple loop hike starting from the lower bus stop at Daibosatsu Touzan Guchi（大菩薩登山口）. There are buses from Enzan Station （塩山駅）on the Chuo Line. More frequently these day hikers take a small

alpine shuttle bus from the bus stop to the 1,580-meter Kaminikawa Pass （上日川峠）from where the beautiful summit ridge is just a one-hour hike away. For more hardy trail runners, the popular summit ridge is where the fun begins. After visiting the not-terribly-interesting summit itself, head directly south toward Ishimaru Pass, Kuroyama and, finally, Yunozawa Pass. Enjoy several hours of dramatic views, open grassland and likely not a soul in sight. Fuji looms just in front through large parts of the run which alternates between grassland and forest. Hikers seem to magically disappear from Ishimaru Pass. There are numerous descent courses toward the bus line to the west from Yunozawa and beyond.

Address Nozawa

（乾徳山） Kentokusan deserves Kentokusan more attention. It delivers a high degree of alpine thrill with little investment of time and money. From Enzan Station, take a bus or taxi to Kentokuzan Touzan Guchi （乾徳山登山口）. From there, the figure-eight shaped course goes steeply upward. Alpine flowers make this an interesting place to be in July and August. Near the 2,000-meter summit there is a thrilling series of nearly vertical chains for clambering up the final highly exposed peak. Super fit runners can knock this off in four or five hours, but do take time to enjoy the summit which stretches into the low-alpine Aether. Yatsugatake （八ヶ岳） : Most of this run is actually in Nagano Prefecture. From Chino Station （茅野駅） in southern Nagano, take the earliest bus possible to Minotoguchi. By far the best running course is the ascent up the Kitazawa（ route, which climbs and traverses the major 北沢） peaks of Iodake, Yokodake and Akadake, and is just possible in a day. All of the summit ridge is in the alpine zone at 2,700 to 2,900 meters, and things can get wild in a hurry. The author has experienced up-close lightning hitting the summit peak, hail storms the size of golf balls, flooding that made the mountain flow like melted chocolate, and bright sunshine… all in a two-hour stretch. At this elevation some runners will begin to feel the lack of oxygen. One friend with whom I ran the course two years ago claims to have no particular memory of the course due to oxygen deprivation. Akadake Hut is near the summit for food and safety, and I recommend using it as a matter of course, if not just to get one’s bearings.

The best descent route is the Minami Sawa（南沢）course after Akadake peak, but honestly it is

not the world’s best descent run. Do not plan on much speed here due to shattered rock, gullies and roots. Most runners will not make the final bus back to Chino, so bring taxi money or plan on spending the night at Minoto. Housanzan（鳳凰三山）: Perhaps no other route near Tokyo is as beloved among advanced runners as the Housanzan Ridge with its amazing rock formations that remind Japanese of statues of Yakushi, Kannon and Jizo. It is tremendously runnable along its ridge, with crushed coral rock that would remind you of a tropical beach if it were not in an alpine zone at near 3,000 meters of elevation. Most runners completing this course will start at Yashajin Pass (bus from Kofu Station) and finish at Aoki Kousen, far to the west, requiring six to seven hours of running and climbing. The chances of making it there and back from Tokyo in a day using public transportation is near nil, so plan to sleep at either end if you would like to do this as a day run. In the summertime you are sure to pass and be passed by some of Japan’s top runners. But why rush on such a marvelous alpine course? The views to Kita-dake, Japan’s second highest peak, and Mt. Kaikoma’s white pyramid are breathtaking. Your shutter finger may become as tired as your legs before the long descent through Dondoko-sawa which has some of Japan’s largest waterfalls and is a destination in its own right. Be safe, touch the sky, and be back with some incredible alpine memories.

Robert Self came to Japan from northern California's redwood country. He has been running in Japan's mountains for 20 years and has coached runners from beginners to international champions. He is the director of Hanno Trail School which specializes in running tours and trail running lessons. Web: www.tokyotrailrunning.com / Facebook: www.facebook.com/tokyotrailrunning

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SUMMER 2014

TRAIL M A E R T S : D N BRA BEHIND THE

TALKING FLY h t i W Eiji Hamachi By Abdel Ibrahim

濵地栄二さんとのフライフィッシング対談

T R AV E L E R

t’s uncommon that I meet someone who, from a young age, had a clear idea of what he or she loves to do and turned that passion into a successful business. Eiji Hamachi, founder and president of CAPS, is one of these rare souls. I could tell right off he was first and foremost an avid fisherman, explorer and all-around lover of the outdoors. Hamachi started his business back in the ’80s as a fishing equipment importer and later developer. The company has since grown, expanding into a multi-faceted outdoor goods business. These days a large portion of his business is through his brand Stream Trail and the design, manufacturing and distribution of high-quality waterproof bags and accessories. His designs emphasize simplicity, utility and solid construction, above all else. Before heading over to his Tokyo showroom in Jiyugaoka, I had seen a few of them on the shoulders of light tackle sport anglers poking around the canals and seashore areas in Kanto, but also on hikers, campers and even cyclists. The simplicity of the designs gives them a lot of versatility for use across all outdoors pursuits. Today, in addition to Stream Trail, CAPS brands include Vision Fly Fishing, Izumi Lures and Angler’s House, which offer a variety of tackle and accessories. They also began publishing their own web magazine, Stamps, which highlights the activities and adventures of enthusiasts and their brand ambassadors. Our conversation meandered through all kinds of fishingrelated subjects. I was impressed by his knowledge of a wide variety of fishing genres—and not just fly-fishing, his main pursuit. We could have talked into the wee hours of the morning about the places he’s wet a line. According to Hamachi, fly-fishing in Japan hasn’t taken off to the extent it has in the west, but there is an avid group of enthusiasts who push and define the boundaries of the sport in Japan and overseas. Although limited in scope, one of the interesting outcomes of Japan’s fly fishing movement has been a proliferation of some of the highest quality flytying materials as well as line and tippet material. Hamachi says a good portion of these products is exported overseas to the best fly-tiers in the world. It makes

若

いころからの自分の趣味や情熱をビジネスに転換して成功させた人に会うことは稀だ。しかし、CAPS社の創設者兼代表取締役の濵地栄二さんは、それを実現させた希

有な方である。濵地さんに会ってまず感じることは、情熱的な釣人・冒険家であるとともに、彼のアウトドアに向けてのこよなき愛だ。濵地さんは、1980年代から釣具の輸入ビジネスをはじめ、のちに自ら開発するようにもなる。会社はそれ以降も発展をつづけ、幅広い分野のアウトドア・グッズを扱うようになり、最近では自己ブランドのStream Trailを通して、高品質な防水バッグやアクセサリーのデザイン、製造、販売を主力ビジネスとしている。彼の製品の特徴は、なによりもシンプルで、かつ機能性と耐久性を重視したデザインを追求していることだ。

Stream Trailの製品を自由が丘の東京ショールームで拝見する以前にも、私は、関東界隈の運河や海岸でスポーツフィッシングを楽しむ釣り人をはじめ、登山者、キャンパーまたはサイクリストの間でも使用されているのをよく見かけてきた。おそらくそのシンプルなデザインが、さまざまなアウトドア・シーンに汎用可能なのであろう。今日、CAPS 社は、Stream Trail 以外にも、Vision Fly

Fishing、Izumi Lures、Angler’ s Houseなどのブランドを展開し、多様な釣具やアクセサリーを提供している。またStampsというウェブマガジンの配信を開始し、愛好家やブランドアンバサダーの活動や体験などを紹介している。私たちは、さまざまな釣り談義に花を咲かせることになったが、驚いたのは、趣味のフライフィッシングのみならず、釣り全般にわたり、彼が幅広い知識を持ち合わせていることだ。彼の釣体験の話となれば、平気で夜明けまで語り合えたであろう。濵地さんによれば、日本でのフライフィッシングは西欧に比べると浸透していないものの、一部の熱心な愛好家は、日本または海外で、フライフィッシングの可能性を広げる活躍をしている。日本のフライフィッシング・ムーブ

SUMMER 2014

メントで興味深いのは、最高品質なフライタイイング・ツー

sense, considering how popular Japanese lure fishing tackle has become in the last decade or so. There are numerous hatchery trout streams all over the country that are perfect for beginners, and for saltwater enthusiasts there's always world class sea bass and rockfish angling in Tokyo Bay, perfect for fly casting. Up north in Tohoku and Hokkaido, there are many rivers with native fish for the taking during the warmer months. The last frontier for Japanese fly-fishing seems to be blue water fly casting for pelagics such as tuna and dorado. This is by no means impossible, but fewer skippers are currently knowledgeable of, or up for, the special challenges that come when guiding fly anglers in open water. We made tentative plans to fish in Sagami Bay later this summer when the dorado bite is in full swing. Despite an uncertain business climate, Hamachi’s ventures seem to be humming steadily along. The company recently opened a spacious shop in Bangkok, Thailand, and is preparing to open or explore the possibilities of opening several other shops in the Southeast Asia region. In addition to fishermen, the company also sponsors artists and outdoor enthusiasts of activities such as caving, photography and cross-country cycling. I came away impressed with Hamachi, not only because of his business success, although things do seem to be looking up for his company, but also his zest for life and the open-minded approach he takes to everything he does. I hope some of those good vibes rub off on me when we hit the water this summer. ✤

TOKYO SHOWROOM / 東京営業所 2-5-2 Midorigaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0034 〒152-0034 東京都目黒区緑が丘2-5-2 Tel: 03-6421-4425

Stream Trail Outfitters Bangkok 66/2, Soi 2, Sukhumvit Road, Klong Toei, Bangkok Tel: +66-2-656-8811-2

T R AV E L E R

ル、ラインやティペットが広く普及していることだ。濵地さん曰く、これらの製品の多くは、世界有数のフライタイアーたちにも愛用されており、ここ数十年、日本製のルアータックルが世界的に人気を博していることからしても、これは当然のことなのかもしれない。国内では、多くの渓流でトラウトを放流しており、初心者から釣りを楽しむ環境が整っている。一方、海釣り好きは、世界でも有数の、スズキやメバルなどのフライキャスティングを東京湾で楽しめる。また温暖な時期には、東北や北海道の多くの川で、地域の在来魚を釣る楽しみもある。日本のフライフィッシング界における最後のフロンティアは、マグロやシイラなどの大型浮魚を狙ったものだろう。これはけっして不可能なことではないものの、外洋でのフライフィッシングという特別な挑戦に対して、知識と気概のあるスキッパーが少ないのが現状だ。そこで私たちは、今年の夏、シイラの最盛期に相模湾で挑戦する約束を交わした。不安定な業界ではあるものの、濵地さんの事業は順調に進んでいるようだ。最近では、タイのバンコクで広々とした店舗を開店し、ほかにも東南アジアに数店舗開くことを計画、あるいは模索している。さらに今は、釣り以外にも洞窟探検、写真、クロスカントリー・サイクリングなどの分野のアーティスト、またはアウトドア愛好家も支援している。今回の濵地さんとの対談を通して、私は彼のビジネス手腕に感心するとともに、なによりも彼の人生に対する熱意や、なにごとにもオープンマインドな姿勢で臨まれていることに深く感銘を受けた。今年の夏、一緒に釣りをする際には、彼の前向きなバイブが少しでも私にも移ることを願うばかりだ。✤

CAPS / 株式会社キャップス

2-12-19 Shinmori, Osaka Asahi-ku, Osaka-shi 535-0022 〒535-0022 大阪府大阪市旭区新森2-12-19 Tel: 06-6955-2066 Web: www.capsjp.co.jp

CAPS Brands

Stream Trail: www.streamtrail.net Izumi: www.izumi-fishing.jp Angler’s House: www.anglershouse.co.jp Stamps: http://stamps-magazine.com

SUMMER 2014

Festival 40日の濤った怒巡をィバルテス・フェロックう

Daze ど

と

By Aaron Jamieson

A red pizza truck and a motley crew of out-of-work ski bums set out on a 40-day road trip around Japan where they battled the elements, thousands of kilometers of hot pavement, hot pizzas and hungry partiers at Japan’s top summer music festivals.

スキーに魅せられた無職の集団が、赤いピザ・トラックに乗って日本を巡る40日の旅に出た。車の旅とはいえ、けっして楽ではない。真夏の太陽で焼けそうなアスファルト、熱いピザ、腹を空かしたフェスティバルの観客。そう、この集団がめざすのは日本の夏をにぎわせる数々の音楽祭だった。

T R AV E L E R

t was a misty spring morning when the red pizza truck arrived in Niseko. The last of the snow was evaporating from shaded corners of the ski fields, and the sound of power tools echoed across empty farms. As the new season arrived in Hokkaido, a legacy was beginning. The red pizza truck, and the proprietor, Cezar Constantin, became a fixture in Niseko. A friendship between Cezar and me grew over time as did the plans for local events over many espressos. One day, in a mad fit of enthusiasm, an idea was born: a road trip to Japan’s top summer music festivals. A concrete plan developed for a 40-day mission, and it was time to find a crew. Cezar’s recruiting was devilish. He chose the most desperate, out-of-work ski bums lurking around Niseko and offered them the chance to earn some cash while on the “summer road trip of their lives.” Sure enough, it wasn’t long before our motley crew rolled out of Niseko in a circus-like convoy. Cezar and his wife Keiko, a yin-and-yang couple with an indefatigable can-do attitude, led the charge in the red pizza truck. Kent led the merry kitchen team that included Pops (Cezar’s dad), Tom, Murray, Dai, Eba, Watanabe, Waza, Tom and Dylan. Smooth-talking Chook and Jerrod would be the face men, out in front taking orders and working the crowd and the popular gelato fridge. The crew was eager, oblivious to the reality that awaited— spending 16 hours a day in a 50-degree pizza sauna, serenaded by the merry sounds of festival-goers having the time of their lives. I was recruited as the photographer to document the tour and escaped much of the “real work,” but I got a true behind-the-scenes feel for being cramped in a pizza van in the middle of summer in Japan.

ニ

セコに赤いピザ・トラックが到着したのは、まだ霧がかった春の朝だった。スキー場の木陰に残る最後の雪が溶けはじめ、ガランとした農場にはパワーツールの音が響いてい

た。北海道に新しい季節がやってきて、歴史の空白のページが新たに書き加えられる言葉を待っていた。赤いピザ・トラックと、そのオーナーであるセザー・コンスタンチンは、いまやニセコとは切っても切れない存在となっている。セザーと僕は、エスプレッソを飲みながら、長年をかけて友情を深め、地元でのイベントを計画するようになった。とある日、情熱にかられて、日本の夏の主要な音楽祭を車で廻ろうというアイデアが生まれた。40日をかけた旅の実質的な計画ができあがり、クルーを探すことになった。セザーの人集めは並外れている。ニセコに潜伏している、スキーに熱をあげて仕事もしていない飢えた連中を探しだし、「人生最高の夏の車の旅」をしながらお金を稼げるチャンスだとふれこんだのである。当然のごとく、あっという間に奇怪な集団がサーカスのような部隊を組んで躍りでた。セザーと彼の妻のケイコは性格がまったく違うが、疲れ知らずで、 “できないことはない” といういつも前向きな態度で、赤いピザ・トラックの集団を率いた。ケントの担当は、父ちゃん（セザーの親父さん）、トム、マレー、ダイ、エバ、ワタナベ、ワザ、トムとディランからなる楽しいキッチン・チーム。口のうまいチュークとジェロッドは、表に出て注文をとり、お客をうまくとりなし、人気のジェラートの冷蔵庫を担当する。クルーは待ち構えていた現実などものともせず、お祭りではしゃぎまくる人々の楽しそうな声を聞きながら、50℃にも上昇するピザ・サウナの中で１日16時間を過ごした。僕は写真家兼ツアーの記録係として、 “仕事らしい仕事” を避けることができたが、日本の真夏で狭いピザ・ワゴンで仕事するのがどんなものかという雰囲気はじゅうぶんに味わった。 SUMMER 2014

FUJI ROCK Naeba, Niigata

If there’s a harsher baptism by fire than kicking things off at the biggest music festival in Asia, I can’t imagine what it is. After a late departure (engine failure, a car accident and a generally naive group of pizza boys the culprits), we rolled into Naeba and beheld the spectacle that is Fuji Rock. When we arrived, it was late and raining. Not the refreshing kind of rain that provides respite from the summer heat; this was a heavy rain intent on drowning you. We were two days in, had driven for 18 hours with a few hours’ sleep and were running on excitement, Red Bull and adrenaline. The rain tried its best to wash away our enthusiasm as we began assembling our mobile pizza shop. The “test run” in Hokkaido had gone perfectly. Replicating this in these challenging conditions was more difficult. The entire set-up was an engineering masterpiece when complete. Two enormous pizza ovens, three freezers, two fridges, a coffee machine and a gelato fridge all needed to fit into a set floor plan. A small scaffold was built on one side of the bus with a floating floor to lift the entire operation three feet off the ground. A heavy plastic tarpaulin was stretched tight, creating a canopy that would, in theory, drain away water. Scattered around a muddy parking lot, it appeared less impressive. We had less than 24 hours to be operational, and nothing seemed to fit together right. The clock was ticking before a steady stream of hungry festival-goers would descend upon us. Desperation is a great motivator. The crew worked most of the night, caught a couple of hours’ sleep and awoke soaking wet to some hungry Fuji Rockers. Fuji Rock is enormous. No other festival in Japan comes close in terms of size, number of spectators and sheer amount of music. Stages are spread out at the foot of Naeba Ski Resort like small villages linked by forest trails. Tents cling to the hillside campsite at steep angles, while below guests line up orderly for neatly organized rows of toilets. If it rains at Fuji Rock, and it usually does, trudging from one stage to the next in deep, sloppy mud can be treacherous without the proper footwear. When the sun breaks, people lounge on rocks along a creek that runs through the center of the festival like lizards. Farther down the valley, a gondola transports guests to stages higher up. Everything runs like clockwork, and music plays 24 hours a day if you look around. The first 100 or 200 pizzas were fun, but after that it was a hot, grueling routine. We closed the shutters on the pizza truck at 2 a.m., opening again at 7 for weary-eyed festivalgoers craving the infamous breakfast pizza: two soft-boiled eggs and two rashes of bacon on a half pizza dough. Served with a hot coffee or morning beer, this was breakfast of champions for thousands of Fuji Rockers and what sustained me most of the trip.

ROCK IN JAPAN Hitachinaka, Ibaraki

After surviving Fuji Rock, we lethargically broke down our camp (a 12-hour process), loaded the convoy and labored across Honshu to a small mountain village where we would rest for a day. The team showered, slept and then prepped.

T R AV E L E R

Dough was made, rolled and cut into pizza-ready balls, then frozen. Signs and scaffolds were chopped and cropped to fit the new set-up. We’d sold twice what we had planned at Fuji Rock, and we were now critically low on stock for Rock in Japan. Collecting what we could from the local shops, we replenished supplies and headed off to feed the fanatics. Rock in Japan is centered on a main stage area that spreads from wooded parkland to the ocean. Here rain was replaced by a chronic, life-sapping heat. The kind you do not want waking you up in your tent at 11 a.m. when you’ve overslept from a hangover. Set-up went relatively smoothly until security evicted us from the festival site at 10 p.m. We hadn’t had time to claim a campsite, so we trundled to the beach where we crashed beneath the stars until a rain shower woke us at 3 a.m. Hot, sandy and wet, Rock in Japan began.

Bam! We hit the ground running. For two days, Rock in Japan is a super high-energy event complete with its own Ferris wheel and mini-theme park. It rocks from the moment the gates open until the closing act stage-dives into their own drum kits. This is big, loud, fist-pumping fun. The heaving crowd seemed to thrive in the incessant heat, and the lines at the pizza van were just as insistent. Where Fuji Rock hosts a multitude of international acts and subsequently draws a large portion of the foreign community, Rock in Japan is nearly as big with a mostly Japanese crowd. What it may lack in size it more than makes up for in volume. The stages can be heard from kilometers away, and when the headliners hit the main stage, the coordinated bobbing and bouncing in unison must be seen to be believed. The vibe was super friendly, bubbling with positive energy; it was one of the most polite rock festivals I’d witnessed.

Festival

Daze 腹を空かしたフジ・ロックの連中が待ち構える中、ずぶ濡れになって目を覚ました。フジ・ロックはものすごく大きいイベントだ。サイズ、観客数、音楽の数からいうと、日本のフェスティバルとしてはダントツだ。ステージは苗場スキー・リゾートの麓に、小さな村のように散らばっており、森の小道でつながっている。山のキャンプ場にはテントが急斜面にかろうじて貼りついている。その麓で、トイレを待つ観客がおとなしく列をなしている。フジ・ロックで雨が降ることはよくあるのだが、そうなるとステージから別のステージへ泥にまみれた道を移動するのは、これにふさわしい靴がないと危険でもある。陽が出ると、フェスティバルの中央からトカゲのように地面に広がる小川沿いの岩で休憩する人も多い。谷の奥に行くと、ゴンドラが高いところにあるステージへ観客を運んでくれる。すべては予定通りにきっちりと進み、見回せば24時間中、どこかで演奏がつづけられている。最初の数百枚のピザは楽しかったが、次第に暑くなり、作業が辛くなった。午前2時になってピザ・トラックのシャッターを閉め、また翌朝、眠い目をこすりながら、有名なブレックファスト・ピザを食べたがるフェスティバルの観客のために朝の7時に開ける。ブレックファスト・ピザとは、半分のピザ生地に、半熟卵2つとベーコンを2枚のせたものだ。これにホットコーヒー、または朝のビールを付けると何千人ものフジ・ロッカーにとっては最適の朝食となる。僕も旅のあいだはたいていこれを食べていた。

ROCK IN JAPAN 茨城県・ひたちなか市

フジ・ロックを生きのびたのち、僕らはへとへとの身体に鞭打ってテントを撤収し（12時間を要した）、トラックに荷物を詰め込むと、のろのろと本州を横切り、その日しばしの休息をとることになる小さな山村にたどり着いた。僕らはシャワーを浴び、眠り、そして準備に取り掛かった。生地をつくり、延ばし、あとは焼くだけの状態になるように切り分けて丸め、冷凍した。新しい設営方法に合わせて、屋台の看板や枠組みを調整した。フジ・ロックでは予想の倍の売り上げを記録したため、ROCK IN JAPANのための材料がほとんど残っていなかった。地元の商店で買える物をかき集めつつ、僕らは熱狂的ファンの腹を満たすために出発した。

ROCK IN JAPANは、木が生い茂る公園から浜辺にかけて設営されたメインステージを舞台にしておこなわれる。フジ・ロックでは雨に悩まされたが、ここでは逃れようのない暑さが待ち受けていた。そのため、午前11時のテント内、二日酔いで死んだように眠っていた僕らは、けっして気持ちのよ

フジ・ロック新潟県・苗場

くない目覚めを体験することになった。北海道での模擬訓練は完璧にこなせた。だが厳しい環

準備は比較的スムースに進んでいたが、午後10時、警

境の中で、それと同じようにやるのは難しい。できあがったも

備員にサイトから退去するよう告げられてしまった。キャンプ

のは、工学技術をみごとに駆使した傑作だった。どでかいピ

サイト側に苦情を出すには遅すぎる時刻だったので、僕らは

ザ・オーブンが2台、冷凍庫が3台、冷蔵庫が2台、コーヒー

砂浜に転がり満天の星空の下で眠りにつき、降りだした雨

これまでやったことのない任務をアジア最大の音楽祭で

マシンとジェラートの冷蔵庫1台ずつを、すべて決まったフロ

で午前3時に叩き起こされた。暑さにやられ、砂だらけにな

するというのは、炎で洗礼を受けるようなもの。これより厳し

アプランに収めねばならない。ワゴンの隣に小さい枠組みを

り、びしょぬれになる。これぞROCK IN JAPANだ。

い状況は考えられない。出発が少し遅れた（エンジン故障、

組んで、そこに高床を付け、地面から1メートルほど浮いたと

翌朝、僕らは弾けるように活動を開始した。すぐ近くの観

車の事故、ナイーブなピザ・ボーイの集団というのが原因

ころにすべての作業場をのせた。厚い防水シートをぴっちり

覧車と遊園地とともに、ROCK IN JAPANは、これから2日間、

だった）が、苗場に到着して、みごとなフジ・ロックを眺める

張りつけ、それを天蓋にして、雨が入らないように流す、とい

人々を熱狂の嵐に変える。入場ゲートが開いた瞬間からそ

ことができた。

う思惑だった。

れははじまり、最終日のトリが最後の一音を鳴らしきるまで終

到着したのはすでに夜遅く、雨が降っていた。夏の暑さを

ドロドロの駐車場に散らばっているときはそんなに印象的

わらない。ばかばかしいほどの爆音に身をさらす悦び。身を

紛らわせてくれるような、さわやかな雨ではなく、溺れるのでは

ではなかったが、24 時間以内に開店しなければならない。

焼くような気温の中、波打つ観客はむしろその勢いを増し、

ないかと思うような大雨だった。出発してから2日、わずかの

なのに、なにもうまくつながりそうになかった。時間が迫る一

僕らのピザ・ワゴンに群がる行列は途切れることがなかった。

睡眠で18時間を突っ走り、ワクワクした気持ちとレッド・ブル

方で、腹を空かせた観客がどんどん列をつくる。

ROCK IN JAPANの観客数は、そのほとんどを日本人が占め

とアドレナリンだけで保っていた。移動ピザ・ショップを組み

だが必死になると、人はすごいことができるものだ。クルー

るにも関わらず、世界中のアーティストを見にやってきた外

立てる僕らのポジティブな心を雨は叩きつけようとしていた。

はほぼ一晩中働き、ほんの数時間の睡眠をとっただけで、

国人も少なくなかったフジ・ロックの観客数にまったく引けを

SUMMER 2014

RISING SUN Otaru, Hokkaido

After Rock in Japan, the crew and the truck looked as if they had been rolled in flour, covered with cheese and cooked in an oven. A sleep-deprived team slowly packed down as sweat streaks ran down dust-covered faces. The set-up had survived but was in need of repairs. The team was exhausted. We loaded the trucks and set out north on the long drive to Hokkaido and the biggest festival on the north island, Rising Sun. Being back on home soil brought renewed enthusiasm and determination. We made repairs and modifications, redesigned the layout for a quicker set-up-and-take-down and got rid of one supply truck. Rising Sun is Hokkaido’s main summer festival, and the stages rise to the occasion. The main stage is a musical monolith, while the secondary stages are impressive in their individuality, if not size. The festival is set in a wide-open field. A consistent haze of mist seems to hang in the sky, kicked up by tens of thousands of feet stamping the dry grass into a fine dust. “Hammockville” lies at the outskirts of one of the marquees, while another stage is adorned by enormous totem poles soaring well above the crowd. Wander farther past a psychedelic stage pulsating and glowing through the blackness, and you’ll drift into the chill-out zones. The music is a Japan-centric collection of bands with diversity and creativity in the collation. Revelers drift from the campsite to stages day and night, and just as things seem to slow down, fresh faces of day visitors re-ignite the crowd. We pumped out pizzas constantly without any sort of adherence to the normal breakfast, lunch and dinner routine. Rising Sun passed by in a blur and, when it finished, the exodus was swift, perhaps due to the desire for a shower or an onsen. It was a lonely feeling packing up the pizza van in a post-festival desert. A fine dust powder covered everything, including my camera gear. Almost a month on the road, and we were showing signs of serious wear-and-tear. It took five days to completely clean the trucks, vans and equipment. As we prepared for the final show, our team shrunk as Cezar assembled an elite strike force to re-pack the trucks, reload the freezers and head for the ferry at Tomakomai.

ARABAKI ROCK Michinoku, Sendai

We landed in Aomori at first light after an overnight ferry, now 32 days into the tour. The demands of the mission had far exceeded our expectations, yet tensions were kept in check as the end was now in sight. After the three massive festivals, Arabaki Rock was a dream. This eclectic festival sprawls from the forest where festival-goers meander beneath a tree-filled grove into fields of stages, a small food street and tents punctuated by a fullblown wrestling ring (complete with crazed wrestling teams and mechanical bulls). The more you explore, the less you understand how this festival was conceived. The setting, atmosphere and diverse collection of music and people made things interesting. From catchy punk rock to celebrity cover bands, the days drift into nights of fire twirling and small gatherings in the many multi-purpose tipis.

T R AV E L E R

Festival

Daze とらない。しかし、なによりも比べ物にならないのはその音量だ。ステージの演奏は数キロ先からでも聴くことができ、ビッグアーティストのパフォーマンスとひとつになった観客のユニゾンは目に見えるようだ。そのバイブは身体に染み込み、ポジティブなエネルギーがわき立つ。ROCK IN JAPANはほかに類をみないほど洗練されたロック・フェスティバルだった。

ライジング・サン北海道・小樽

ROCK IN JAPAのあと、クルーもトラックも小麦にまみれ、チーズをかぶってオーブンで焼いたように見えた。睡眠不足のチームは、埃にまみれた顔に汗をタラタラと流しながら、ゆっくりと荷物をまとめた。設営は壊れなかったものの修理が必要で、チームも疲れはてていた。僕らはトラックに荷物を詰め、北の島でもっとも大きいフェスティバル、ライジング・サンへ行くために北海道への長い道のりを運転しはじめた。故郷の土を踏めるとあって、新たな元気がわき、決意を感じた。修理と修正をおこない、レイアウトをデザインし直すことで、設営も解体も短縮でき、在庫のトラックを１台減らすことができた。ライジング・サンは北海道の主要な夏のフェスティバルであり、ステージはどんなものにも対応する。メインのステージは、ライブ音楽用の巨大なブロックのような建物だが、そのほかのステージは大きくはないが、どれも個性に溢れていてすばらしい。フェスティバルは広々とした野原でおこなわれる。からからになった草を踏みつける何万人もの足によって埃が舞い、空中はつねに薄霧がかかっていた。大天幕のはずれにハンモック村ができていたり、ステージには巨大なトーテムポールが高くそびえている。さらに先に行くと、サイケデリックなステージが闇の中でチカチカと輝いており、だんだんリラックスしてくつろいだ気分になる。音楽は日本のバンドが対象で、ジャンルもさまざまで創造性に満ちている。お祭り騒ぎの人はキャンプ場からステージへと昼も夜も移動し、賑わいが治まったかなと思うと、日帰りの観客が新しいエネルギーを加える。朝食・昼食・夕食というパターンを無視し、僕らは一日中休みなしにピザを焼いていた。ライジング・サンはもうろうとしているうちに終わってしまい、終わったと思うと客はあっと言う間に帰っていった。おそらくみんなシャワーか温泉に入りたかったのだろう。ここではなにもかもが埃にまみれ、僕のカメラ一式も例外ではなかった。フェスティバルが終わって人気のいないところでピザ・ワゴンをたたむのは、とてもわびしい気分だ。旅に出てからほぼ1ヶ月。僕らは明らかに心身が消耗していた。トラックやワゴンや機材を完全にきれいにするのに丸5日かかった。最後のフェスティバルに向けた準備をするなか、セザーはエリート集団をつくり、トラックを詰め直し、冷凍庫をふたたび載せて苫小牧のフェリーに向かい、チームは小さくなった。

ARABIKI ROCK（荒吐ロック）

仙台市・みちのく

フェリーで一夜を過ごし、夜が明けるころに青森に到着した。この旅もすでに32日目だ。この任務は思っていたよりずっと厳しいものだとわかったが、旅が終わりに近づいていると思うと気持ちは穏やかになった。巨大なフェスティバルを3つもこなしたあととあって、この荒吐ロックは夢のようだった。いろんなものが混じったこのフェスティバルは、客が散歩する木の生い茂った森からステージのあるフィールドへと広がっており、小さな屋台やテントが立ち並び、大掛かりなレスリング・リング（イカれたレスリ

SUMMER 2014

Festival

Daze Arabaki Rock demanded a consistent stream of pizzas produced at a reasonable speed, gelato through the warmest part of the day and beers in the evening. The challenges of the previous three festivals seemed to pave the way for a smooth final event. The four days drifted comfortably by, the crew getting ample rest in the cool, lush grass beneath the shade of the pizza truck. As the festival drew to a close, we finished the

beer kegs while braking down the operation. We wrapped up on a high and woke up with a hangover.

ング・チームと機械仕掛けの雄牛まである）まで揃っている。散策すればするほど、どうやってこのフェスティバルが生まれたのか不思議に思える。環境、景観、そしてさまざまな

During the daze of the last 40 days, we had traveled more than 6,000 kilometers and pumped out more than 20,000 pizzas. When we pulled into Niseko, the cool, fresh air suggested the leaves would soon be turning. We couldn’t wait for a nice, relaxing dinner of anything but pizza. ✤

スタイルの音楽と人々によって、ひじょうに興味深いものとなっている。ノリのいいパンクロックからセレブのカバーバンドまでを聴きながら日は暮れていき、ティーピーでは炎が舞い、人が集まっている。荒吐ロックでのピザの需要は絶えることがなかったが、流れも安定しており、暑いときはジェラート、夜になるとビールがよく売れた。これまでのフェスティバルでの苦戦から学んだおかげで、最後のイベントはひじょうにスムースだった。

4日間のイベントは、ピザ・ワゴンの下の陰の涼しい芝生でクルーがじゅうぶんな休憩をとれたこともあって、なんなくこなせた。フェスティバルが終わりに近づくにつれ、ビールの樽も空になり、僕らは作業場を解体しはじめた。歓喜に満ちて任務を終え、二日酔いで目が覚めた。この目が眩むような40日間に、僕らは6千キロを旅し、2万枚以上のピザを焼いた。ニセコに到着したとき、さわやかな涼しい空気に秋の訪れを感じた。やっとリラックスしてディナーが食べられる。楽しみだが、ピザはもうごめんだ。✤

Summer Music Calendar HAPPY FARM MUSIC FESTIVAL

ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL

WINDBLOW

ROKKO SUN MUSIC

PUNKAFOOLIC! BAYSIDE CRASH

SUNSET LIVE 2014

NANO-MUGEN FES

MTV ZUSHI FES '14

TOKYO JAZZ FESTIVAL

PEACEFUL LOVE ROCK FESTIVAL

RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL

NEW ACOUSTIC CAMP

When: July 12-13 Location: Yamada Bokujo Yagai Ongakudo Kariyon Hall, Nagano Web: www.happyfarmmusicfestival.com

Date: July 12-13 Location: Rokkosan Country House, Hyogo Web: www.rokkosun-music.com

Date: July 12-13 Location: Yokohama Arena, Yokohama Web: www.nano-mugen.com

Date: Aug. 2-3 & Aug. 9-10 Location: Kokuei Hitachi Kaihin Koen (Hitachi Seaside Park), Ibaraki Web: www.rijfes.jp

Date: Aug. 3 Location: Harumi Kyakusen Terminal, Tokyo Web: www.punkafoolic.com

Date: Aug. 8-10 Location: Rivera Zushi Marina, Kanagawa Web: www.mtvjapan.com/zushifes2014/

Date: Aug. 15-16 Location: Otaru, Hokkaido Web: http://rsr.wess.co.jp

Date: July 12-13 Location: Okinawa City, Okinawa Web: http://peaceful-love-rock.com

TOHOKU REGGAE SAI

FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL

Date: Aug. 16 Location: Iwate Kogen Snow Park, Iwate Web: www.tohoku-reggaesai.com

Date: July 25-27 Location: Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Web: www.fujirockfestival.com

SUMMER SONIC

SUN LIFE

Date: July 26-27 Location: Kozomi Kaisuiyokujo, Tottori Web: www.sunlife-tottori.com

Date: Aug. 16-17 Location: Makuhari Messe, Chiba, and Maishima, Osaka Web: www.summersonic.com

MURO FESTIVAL

EARTH CELEBRATION

Date: July 27 Location: Harumi Kyakusen Terminal, Tokyo Web: http://murofes.com

Date: Aug. 22-24 Location: Sado Island, Niigata Web: www.kodo.or.jp/ec/

Date: Aug. 30-31 Location: Sagara Seaside Park, Makinohara, Shizuoka Web: www.windblow.jp

Date: Sept. 5-7 Location: Keya Kaisuiyokujo, Fukuoka Web: www.sunsetlive-info.com

Date: Sept. 5-7 Where: Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo Web: www.tokyo-jazz.com

Date: Sept. 13-14 Location: Minakami Kogen Resort 200, Gunma Web: www.newacousticcamp.com

THE LABYRINTH

Date: Sept. 13-15 Location: Naeba Greenland, Niigata URL: www.mindgames.jp

GUNMA ROCK FESTIVAL

Date: Sept. 20 Location: Maebashi Green Dome, Maebashi, Gunma Web: www.gfes.jp

KYOTO MUSIC EXPO

Date: Sept. 21 Location: Umekouji Koen Shibafu Hiroba, Kyoto Web: www.kyotoonpaku.net

For more events and festivals, visit www.outdoorjapan.com

T R AV E L E R

SUMMER 2014

Q&A with Peter Hillary

インタビュー：ピーター・ヒラリー

In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary made the first ascent of Mt. Everest with his climbing partner Tenzing Norgay. The names Everest and Hillary have been linked ever since. Sir Edmund’s son Peter, an accomplished alpinist in his own right, has carried on the legacy of adventure for the first family of mountaineering. He and his wife Yvonne sat down with Outdoor Japan contributor Tracy Lenard to talk life, adventure and the release of “Beyond the Edge,” a new film Peter helped produce about his father’s life. 1953 年、エドモンド・ヒラリー卿は、登山のパートナー、テンジン・ノルゲイとともにエベレストの世界初登頂に成功した。以来、エベレストとヒラリーという名はリンクして世界中に知られることになった。そのエドモンド卿の子息であるピーターは熟達したアルピニストとして成長し、登山家一家のさきがけという伝説をも引き継いでいる。本誌アウトドアジャパンのトレーシー・レナードは、ピーターと彼の妻イボンヌらと膝を突き合わせ、人生や冒険、そして新作の映画『ビヨンド・ザ・エッジ – 歴史を変えたエベレスト初登頂』について語り合った。それは父エドモンドの人生を描いた映画で、ピーターはその製作に協力していた。

TRACY LENARD Welcome to Japan. Have you been here before? PETER HILLARY Only once, about 20 years ago on a business trip, mostly in Tokyo, but we briefly went out to some mountains nearby. Yvonne lived here for nearly four years, so we caught up with some of her friends this trip, which was really lovely. But I have been hankering to take the kids up to Hokkaido. We like skiing, and everyone tells me Hokkaido is a skier’s paradise. Is the powder as good as they say? T Better. I’m a powder addict myself and, when friends come to visit, they can’t believe it.

トレーシー・レナード（以下 T ）：日本へようこそ、初めての訪問ですか？ピーター・ヒラリー（以下 P ）：20 年ほど前に一度訪れたことがありますが、仕事の旅でほとんど東京に滞在していました。でもじっさいは近くの山にも出かけました。イボンヌが4

P Well, I think we’ve recruited “madam” here, since she enjoyed being reunited with her friends so much. Now everything is in place. T I had a chance to see the film last night and, I have to say, I was incredibly impressed. P You saw the 2D version? T Yes. It was a beautiful film. Other mountaineering films are usually not nearly as well produced. How much were you involved? P I was somewhat involved in the whole thing, and it’s been a fascinating journey. I helped with narration and advised on the mountaineering, how to get the re-

「奥方」で P さて、彼女は友人との再会を楽しんだときからいれたと思います。ここにはなんでもあるから。

T 昨夜、新作の映画を観させていただきました。正直に申しあげて、すばらしい感動を憶えました。

年ほど日本に住んでいたことがあったので、友人を誘って出

P あなたがご覧になったのは2Dバージョンですか？ T はい、そうです。美しい映像でした。ほかの登山映画は

かけました。すごくいい思い出です。でも、北海道に子供を

じゅうぶんにプロデュースされていないと感じることが多いで

連れていきたいのです。私たちはスキーが好きで、いろんな

すね。あなたはどのくらいこの製作に関わられたのですか？

人から、あそこはスキーヤーの天国だって聞かされています。本当に雪質はいいんですか？

P 緊密ではありませんが、全体を通して関わりました。興

enactments done and who to contact to film those particular sequences. I remember the director, Leanne Pooley, called me up and said, “I found the guy to play your father, but I want you to come and look at the photographs.” She looked really nervous as she brought out the photographs. They were mocked up, wearing all the gear, and I just went, “I can’t believe it!” T P T P

Chad (Moffitt) is incredible. Absolutely. Spitting image. Yeah, so I said, “The only problem is he is going to

とがありました。監督のリアン・プーリーから電話があり「お父上役の俳優を選んだから、ぜひ写真を見て欲しい」。彼女はたいへん緊張してその写真を私に差しだしました。それは意図的に登山用具を装備した姿でしたが、「信じられない」と叫んでしまいましたよ。

T P T P

チャド・モフィットはすばらしい。まったくおっしゃるとおりです。お父様に生き写しですね。そのとおりです。「彼がエド・ヒラリーのような外見を施

味深い経験でしたよ。ナレーションを担当し、登山について

せば、もうそれでじゅうぶんです」と言いました。製作チーム

T 想像以上ですよ。私もじつはパウダー中毒です。北海道

のアドバイスをしました。特定のシークエンスをどう再現して、

は「ロード・オブ・ザ・リング」や「ザ・ホビット」のプロダクショ

を訪れた友だちは、その雪質に信じられないと驚いています。

だれとコンタクトすればいいかなどです。そういえばこんなこ

ンチームからの多くのサポートを受けました。すごいことです。

T R AV E L E R

redefine what Ed Hillary looked like.” You know, they did a great job, and they had a lot of support from the production team that worked on “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.” It was pretty marvelous, that stuff. T I learned a lot about your father and Tenzing watching the film. A lot of the portrayals I’ve seen before really focused on Ed, and him leading everything. I never really understood that Tenzing was such a passionate climber. The film really brings that home. I think that’s one of the most interesting things. I remember there was a quote your dad said on the soundtrack, “John Hunt didn’t really want two Kiwis standing on top of the mountain,” and he thought, “I need to look around for a climbing partner.” He had the whole expedition search for a partner and discovered Tenzing was the best to go for it. P I think it says a lot about John Hunt actually. But also, you must bear in mind that the dozen or so British climbers who were there already had their attempts. (Tom) Bourdillon, (Charles) Evans and the others. On these sorts of expeditions, you find about half the people performing OK, but it’s like they can’t really get it together physiologically; things aren’t working. So, in fact, there may have only been two other real strong contenders. Then people like Alfred Gregory, George Lowe and John Hunt himself put so much effort into the support. So, while they also could have had summit potential, they were exhausted. It’s not uncommon for people who have climbed Everest

to ask each other, “How long did it take you to feel you’d regained the spring in your step? A couple of months?” I mean it really knocks you around. You feel like a flat-footed policeman for the first couple of months when you are jogging, and then all of a sudden you go, “I’m rolling up on the balls of my feet, I’m getting that going again.” It’s like the energy is drained out of you. It affects you a lot. T That brotherhood of the rope Ed and Tenzing shared, it really seems to have worked out well and brought them together. It seems like they shared a lot past the summit. P Yes, we saw quite a lot of Tenzing, but also his family. For me personally, my involvement with the Tenzing families has been a fantastic thing. I have e-mail or telephone contact with them every couple of weeks; Norbu and Jamling in particular. Jamling and I have guided some clients together and we were on the Everest expedition together in 2002, so we do quite a few business things together. Norbu is the Director of Funding of the American Himalayan Foundation, and I’m on their board, so we are in touch about that too quite a bit. In fact, I’m working with him in 10 days time, associated with some fund raising I’ve been doing.

T Does that have anything to do with the accident on Everest in April? P Well, all of us are putting a whole lot of resources into what happened up there. T A real tragedy. P A terrible tragedy. In fact, I don’t know what you know about climbing on Everest, but if you look at the history, people have been dying in the icefall; it’s just like that, and the challenge here is if something different doesn’t happen, history will just be pushed out into the future. It is a numbers game. Personally, I’m not against the guiding. I think it is great people are getting out and challenging themselves. But what worries me is the high altitude porters who just go up and down every day, because their vulnerability is immense. T Indeed. Over the years as the commercial interest has become more prevalent on Everest, have you noticed there’s been any sort of tension building up? Tenzing said, “I’m a climber. I’m not just a pack mule.” It seems like more of the Sherpas are becoming skilled climbers and guides. P That’s true. A lot of them are still just high altitude porters, but they are acquiring skills. People like Conrad Anker and Pete Athens have been running mountaineering schools, which is really good because otherwise you’ve got these guys who want to work, who are capable, but they don’t know anything. They have to learn, and so it’s great

いる環境は脆いのです。

T 私は、あなたのお父上やテンジンの映画を見て多くのことを教えられました。また記述や著書もすべて読みました。

T おっしゃる通りだと思います。エベレストの広告価値が

そのときに気づいたのは、テンジンが山に情熱を傾けてい

次第に高まっていく空気のようなものを感じることがあります

た登山家だったということです。この映画はその点について

か？テンジンはかつて「私はクライマーであり、荷物を運ぶロ

も疎かにしていません。そこに私は大きな興味を抱きました。

バではない」と言いました。シェルパのほとんどは熟達したク

映画のシーンで、あなたのお父上がこう言いましたね。「ジョ

ライマーであり、ガイドであるのですからね。

ン・ハントはキウィを二人も頂上に立たせたくはないのだろ

P それは真実です。彼らの多くは高地でのポーターとして

う」。そして「とにかく登山のパートナーを捜さなければ」。そ

P そうです。私たち家族はテンジンだけでなく、彼の家族と

れから、彼は優秀なパートナーを捜す遠征をおこない、テン

も多くの関わりを持つようになりました。テンジンの家族との

アンカーやピート・アセンはそこで登山学校を運営していま

ジンを選んだ。

出会いは貴重でした。現在も2 週間ごとに家族のノーブや

す。この試みはすばらしいと思います。ポーターの仕事を求

働いていますが、そのスキルは熟練しています。コンラッド・

P それはジョン・ハントという人について多くを語っていると

ジャムリングとはメールや電話で連絡を取り合っています。

め、かつその能力もある者が知識に乏しいというのはいかが

いえますね。しかも忘れてはならないのは、イギリスはすでに

2002年に、あるクライアントから私がガイドを依頼されたとき

なものでしょうか。学べる機会を与えることはすばらしいのです。まだ多くの者は体験のみから学んでいます。ただ25kg

多くの登山家に挑戦させていたということです。トム・ボール

は、ともにエベレストへの遠征隊に参加しています。つまり

ドウィン、チャールス・エバンスなどです。だが遠征のときに

ビジネスでも密接な繋がりがあるのです。ノーブはアメリカン

の荷物を担いでアイスフォールを横断し氷の山肌を登るだ

隊員の半数が、生理学的に体調が思わしくないとなったら、

ヒマラヤン基金のディレクターも務めています。私もその委

け。それを学ぶと呼ぶにはあまりにも危険すぎる。そのよう

物事はうまく運びません。事実、強靭な体力を持っていたの

員の一人で頻繁に連絡を取り合って、基金を増やす手伝

な状況で不満が高まり、昨年はある事件が起きた。シェル

は、たった二人しか残っていませんでした。アルフレッド・グ

いをしています。

レゴリーやジョージ・ロウ、そしてジョン・ハントたちは登頂する実力があったにも関わらず、サポートに忙殺されたためにそれだけで疲れてしまっていたのです。

T 4月にエベレストで起きた事故については関わりはありますか？

月？」。こんな会話がエベレスト登頂にやってきた人々で交わ

P 私たちは全員でその事故に対応しました。 T まさに悲劇という状況でしたか？ P 悲惨な状況でしたね。あなたがエベレストの登山につい

されるのも珍しくはありません。ジョッギングをすれば最初の

てどの程度の知識があるか判らないのですが、あのアイス

「足のバネが蘇るのにどのくらいかかりそうだい？ 2ヶ

2ヶ月はまるで疲れきった扁平足の警官になったような気分

フォールで多くの犠牲者がふたたび出ました。ここでの挑戦

でしょう。「まるで足の母子球の上に立って、よろよろしてい

は、事故が起こるか起こらないかなのです。この歴史は未

るみたいだ」。それはまるで、エネルギーが身体から抜けてい

来永劫につづくでしょう。これは確率のゲームなのです。個

くような感覚なのです。大きな影響を及ぼします。

パの側を多くの人が支持したが、ある3人を100人のシェルパが告訴（訳注、もしくは暴行）しただけで不満が解消されたとは思えない。

T それを聞いてよかったと思いました。友人が関わっていたので。

P T P T

本当ですか？ジョン・グリフィスです。彼はなんと言っていましたか？彼はその不満が彼らだけに向けられたものではなく、そ

の根底にもっと大きな問題があるのだと言っていました。

人的に、そのガイドについて私は非難してはいません。その

P 正直な気持ちですが、私は彼らを深く尊敬していま

T 互いをロープで繋ぎ合い、兄弟のような信頼関係を築

場にいた人々も人生を賭けて挑戦していたすばらしい人々

す。3人はとてもすばらしい登山家たちなのです。ウリ・ステッ

いたからこそ偉業を成し遂げることができた。その信頼は登

です。でも私が気になっていたのは、毎日標高の高い山を

クは、最近の10年ですばらしい登頂をアンナプルナで達成

頂が終わったあとも変わることはなかったのですね。

登ったり降りたりしていたポーターたちです。彼らの置かれて

しています。たぶん彼らは少し傲慢だったのかもしれません。

SUMMER 2014

they are getting that opportunity. Yet a lot of them just learn as they go, carrying that 25-kilo load up through the Icefall, climbing up the ice face and, well, that’s a pretty dangerous way to learn. But look, there have been mounting tensions; there was the event last year, which was lamentable on both sides. I know a lot of people have taken the Sherpa’s side, but I don’t think it’s satisfactory that 100 Sherpa tried to beat up three guys. T I’m happy to hear that. One of my good friends was involved. P Oh really? T Jon Griffith. P And what did he say? T He knew it wasn’t directed directly at them per se. It was a much bigger issue and that’s kind of the way it came out. P Because you know, to be honest, I have enormous respect for them; I mean those three are extraordinary mountaineers. Uli Steck went on and did one of the great climbs of the decade on Annapurna. You can imagine maybe they were being a little bit arrogant. But, as I’ve said to people, at altitude, everyone is a bit tight, your emotions are near the edge and so someone snaps and says something and someone else says something and it just ratchets up into even greater stupidity and you get this ugliness, which is not a feature of Nepali and foreign climber relationships. So, it’s really sad, but then we had

this avalanche and the reality is if they keep going up and down the icefall it is a watertight guarantee it will happen again and again. T Do you see anything changing in the future? Like the Nanda Devi sanctuary where a time is set aside for the mountain to rest? P Look, you’d find the Nepalese would lose all their livelihoods and so on. T Which is what happened in that case… P That’s right, but to an even greater extent I would like to see pressure from the Nepalese government; it’s about time they stood up and said, “You know what? We need to make some decisions here. These guys should have better insurance.” You can’t just blame the foreigners, they are paying the insurance they are told to pay. If it should be more, you make them pay more. Now, how do we stop it happening again? You’ve got to do something different, and it’s where mountaineering knowledge needs to come in. You can’t just rely on bureaucrats in Kathmandu; they haven’t got any idea. So, the reality is the icefall doctors, in some respects, I think they’ve been making a mistake. T Going too far to the left? P It’s easier ground on those avalanche fans for sure, we all know that but… T You’ve got that hanging above you… P So, it’s a ticking time bomb and it happened. Everyone told me that if it had happened 20 minutes earlier it would

しかしながら高山ではだれもが気持ちに余裕がなく、精神

P そうなのです、時限爆弾の時計が周りはじめていて、つ

状態が切迫しています。だれかがイラつき暴言を吐くと、そ

いに起きてしまったのですよ。だれもが言っていましたが、も

れが伝染し愚かな醜い空気が蔓延するのです。それはネ

し20分早く起きていたら、事態はさらに深刻だったそうです。

パールと外国人登山者とのあいだの健全な将来とは言えま

犠牲者が60人は出たかもしれません。しかしほとんどの人は

せん。しかも大変悲しい事実は、雪崩の事故を受けてもな

通過した後だったのです。もっと中央から入りこめばよかっ

おシェルパたちはアイスフォールを上がったり下がったりしな

たと思います。私たちは、その選択をよくしてきました。セラッ

ければならいのです。そして事故はこれからも起こりつづけ

クが落ちてくる可能性はありますが、事故が起きたとしても2

るのです。

∼ 3人の犠牲が出るだけで、16人とか35人といったことには

T あなたは将来なにかが変わると思っていますか？ナンダ

なりません。ここは危険な場所ですから、つねに別のオプショ

have been much worse; it could have been 60. Most of them had gone through. I think the first step is moving back more to the center, which is what we used to do. If an accident happens there a serac can come down. Sure, it may kill two or three people but it won’t be 16 or 35. This is a dangerous place and we have to look at the options. Again, the Nepalese government has to give people permission to try it out. Maybe put up a rope for gear and equipment to be taken up onto the Lhotse, you know the end. Are you familiar with that place? T Yes. I haven’t climbed Everest or even been to base camp, but I’ve been to Island Peak. P Then you know the area, the western end of Nuptse. It appears you could get something on that and then around. They need to explore that. There are plenty of very experienced climbers, both Nepali and foreign, who could take the lead. Politicians don’t have to do it, they can put some money into it and say, “Listen, you guys go, we’ll support you.” But that’s the problem there, as you’ve

It’s hard to be cool, calm, collected and totally rational. I just had this strong feeling it didn’t gel.

デヴィ国立公園のように山に休息を与えるときがやってきて

ンを考えていなくてはなりません。ネパール政府についてで

いるのではないでしょうか？（訳注、インドの最高峰で入山が

すが、彼らは試用のための許可を発行して。たぶんローツェ

征の過程で友愛を慈しんだのです。息子として与えられたそ

禁じられている）

まで装備を持ち上げるロープを設営したらいいのじゃないか

の経験はまさに貴重でした。

P そうすると、ネパールの人たちの貴重な収入源が断たれてしまうのです。

T そのいずれかが起こるというわけですね。 P そうなのです。ネパール政府の対応も静観したいと思っています。彼らも立ち上がって、なんらかの声明を出す時期

と思います。ところで、このエリアについてあなたは詳しいですか？

T はい、でもエベレストは登ったことはありあませんし、ベー

自然のなかにこそ真実がありました。仲間は私も含めて遠

T 1990年のエベレスト遠征は一緒でしたか？ P いえ、一緒ではありませんでした。でも私が登ったときは最初の二世代の家族による遠征となったのです。多くの

スキャンプにも行ったことはありません。でもアイランドピーク

人々がそれにつづいています。

は経験があります。

と考えています。彼らには保険が必要なのです」というよう

すね。あそこには大変多くの優秀なネパール人や外国人の

T あなたたちは二人とも南北の極点に到達していますね。 P そうなんです。私たちはそれぞれが新しいルートで南極点に到達しています。40年の時間の隔たりはありますけれど

な、外国人たちを非難するのではなく、要求すれば保険代

クライマーがいます。政治家はなにもする必要はないので

ね。私はニール・アームストロングとツインオッター飛行機で

を支払うのですから、さらにもっと要求すればそれにも応じる

す。ただ少しお金を払って「いいですか、あなたが行くなら、

並外れたトリップをしました。ほんとうにすごかった。ニールは

でしょう。さて、今、どうやったら将来の事故を止めることが

私たちはサポートしますよ」と言うだけでいいのです。でも彼

信じられないほどの落ち着いた人格の持ち主で、しかも印

できるでしょうか。いままでとは異なった方法をしなければなら

らはお金を取り上げるだけで還元しようとしない。それが問

象深い、個性的でインテリジェンスに溢れています。操縦し

ないのです。登山を学ぶことです。カトマンズの官僚主義

題なのです。

ている彼を見ているだけで「ああ大丈夫」と思ってしまいます

でしょう。たとえば、「私たちはある決定が必要かもしれない

に期待しても無駄です。彼らはなにも考えがありません。現実的にはアイスフォール・ドクターでしょうが、彼らも失敗するのです。

P それならば、あのヌプッエの西端のエリアが理解できま

T あなたを見ているとお父上とは良好な親子関係だったのが判ります。

P 父は行動の人でした。人とコミュニケートすることが好

きでしたね。ダイニングテーブルの周りに腰掛けて昔話や T あの左に行きすぎたということですか？ P あんなところに行ってしまうなんて、判っていたはずですが。ジョークを話すのが大好きでした。とくに野外で友人たちと

T 彼らのその上になにがぶら下がっていたか…

T R AV E L E R

過ごすときはご機嫌でした。カヤックを操ったり山を登ったり、

よ。なにごとにも動じない雰囲気が漂っています。私たちはエルスメア島とリゾルート湾に約10日間滞在しました。そのときは、ほんの雑談さえも貴重な体験となりました。

T ネパールの関わりあいは、いつ頃からですか？ P 最初に訪れたのは7才のときです。それからつねに私は尊敬の念を忘れません。事実、私は子供たちをそこに連れ

probably sensed. They take all these fees but they don’t want to invest back into it. T It seems you had a very close relationship with your dad. P Dad was a real action man. In a way that was how he liked to communicate with people. He certainly enjoyed sitting around a dining room table, telling stories and jokes, but he particularly enjoyed when a group of his friends were out in the field. It could be paddling a kayak or climbing a mountain, but really out there in the wilds. A group of people enjoying the camaraderie and I, toward the end of his expeditionary career, went along as one of the juniors and that was a magical time for me. T You summited Everest together in 1990? P No, not together, but when I climbed it we were the first two generations of a family to have done that. Lots of people have done it since then. T And each of you has stood on both poles? P Yeah, we each established new routes across

沈着冷静を保ことなど不可能な状態だとします。それでも私はけっして膠着しない強い意思を持っていたのです。

Antarctica to the South Pole about 40 years apart, and we shared an extraordinary trip with Neil Armstrong in a Twin Otter ski craft. It was a blast, just phenomenal. Neil was an incredibly private person. A remarkable guy, just phenomenal. An incredible intellectual. You imagine him at the helm of something and you’d say, “We are in good hands.” Because this guy, he’s just unflappable, very calm. We were out there for about 10 days; Ellesmere Island, Resolute Bay, and that incidental conversation, it was a special opportunity.

T You’ve summited Everest three times? P No, twice to the top and five expeditions. I was on the American West Ridge Route, which is one of the classics. We got to 8,300 meters, over 27,000 feet. I must admit when I was up there I was thinking about Tom Hornbein and Willie Unsoeld, saying, “Wow you guys, you were really out there.” So were we actually, and they went up and over, it was pretty wild.

T What were your earliest experiences with Nepal? P Well I first went there when I was 7 years old and in many respects I’ve been going back ever since. In fact, I’ve been able to take my kids to visit an old woman who is sort of like an aunt to me, a Sherpa aunt, who I’ve known since I was 7, and she is still there. Her husband was dad’s right-hand man and a real close friend. He died but there are photos everywhere. I take my kids and there is this wonderful connection.

P Yeah. I’ve been into the Baltoro before that on the Himalayan Traverse, when we crossed the Himalayan chain, but yes, only that time on K2.

T You’ve passed that on to your children. P Yes, I think they feel very connected to her as well, and with our foundation, teacher training and education programs… T Are they involved in that? P A bit involved. My daughter in particular, who’s my oldest, is helping with that. So there’s a marvelous continuity coming along, which I’m very pleased about, I must admit.

T あなたは1995年のK2で過酷な体験をしていますね。その山は一度だけですか？

P そうですねヒマラヤ縦走の前にはバルトーロに行きました。でもK2はそのときだけです。 T そのシーズンは多くの人が苦しめられましたね。引き返す決断はどうやって決められましたか？

T You had an incredible experience on K2 in 1995. Have you only been there once?

T A lot of people perished that year. You made the call to go down. Where did that decision come from? P Interestingly, I just had a conversation about that with (Kazuaki) Amano, you know, he’s a mighty impressive mountaineer; he’s “top shelf country.” We were talking about intuition, and I definitely believe it is intuitive because you are debilitated by the lack of oxygen; you are tired, coming through this foggy brain and drawing on all of your experience and all of your resources. It’s hard to be cool, calm, collected and totally rational. I just had this strong feeling it didn’t gel. Now, sitting down here, I can see clearly what didn’t gel but up there I put it down to a sort of intuitive sense. What happened was this intense cold front was coming in from the northwest. In mid-afternoon our base camp

ら…。

T 彼らは風に吹き飛ばされたのですか？ P あっという間に消えてしまいました。そこでは生と死が近接していたのです。私はそのロープのおかげで幸運にも助かりました。

P ちょうどそのことについてアマノ・カズアキ氏と話したば

T 三浦雄一郎氏の家族はご存知ですか？ P 三浦氏とは少し面識があります。1970年代に彼と父は

かりですよ。彼は印象深く、卓越した登山家です。私たち

すでに知り合っていましたし、彼の映画も観たことがありま

は直感について話し合いました。私はその能力を信じていま

す。2003年のエベレストのベースキャンプでは彼が下山する

ていき、私が叔母のように慕う人に会わせています。彼女、

す。たとえば酸素が欠乏して衰弱し、疲れ果て頭の中は霧

ときにいろいろな物資をいただきました。

シェルパおばさんとは私が7 才のときからの付き合いで、今

がかかったようにぼんやりし、それまでの経験も資質も抜け

も彼女はそこで暮らしています。彼女の夫は父の右腕だっ

落ちてしまう。沈着冷静を保ことなど不可能な状態だとしま

T 彼が70才のときですね。 P 彼は元気に見えましたが、じっさいは疲れていました。だ

た人で、親しい友人でもありました。その方は亡くなられまし

す。それでも私はけっして膠着しない強い意思を持っていた

から無理に挨拶はしませんでした。彼が徒歩で帰路に着く

たが、いまでもいたるところに写真が飾られています。私が

のです。今、私はここに座っていますが、ここにいてもその

姿を見かけましたが、まさに驚きです。

子供たちを連れていったことですばらしい関係が起きている

膠着しなかった直感的なセンスを感じることができるのです。

んです。

あのとき、強烈に凍えた強風は北西から襲ってきました。

昼を過ぎて、私たちのベースキャンプはそのストームの襲撃 T あなたは子供を預けられたのですか？ P はい、子供たちは彼女といい関係を築いただけでなく、に遭い、ハンマーのような冷たい強風によってテントはぺしゃ

T 80 才で登頂に挑戦することについて、どう思われますか？

P 最長齢の記録というものについては、とくに興味はありません。彼らの功績は特殊であり、それがアルピニストに影

私たちの基金や教師のトレーニング、教育プログラムなども

んこに潰されました。それまでは美しかった日々が突然、地

響を与えるということはないと思います。高齢のクライマーに

同時に知ることができたのです。

獄の様相と化してしまいました。でも私たちは努めてそれを

とってはいいことかもしれません。しかしながら、多くの高齢

T 彼らもそれに参加しているのですか？ P 少し関わっています。とくに年長の娘が中心ですね。次

無視しました。ほかの者たちは、それでも頂上をめざそうとし

のクライマーたちは心臓停止などで死に至っています。そし

ていたようです「頂上はきっとすばらしいぞ」。ところが20分

て「彼は好きなことをして死んだ」と思われるでしょうね。もし

の世代に受け継ぐことは私の願いでしたので、たいへん嬉し

後、さらに激しい強風が私に、そして無防備の彼らに襲い

76才で、山で死んだとしたらどうでしょうか、それは悲劇でしょ

く思っています。

かかったのです。おそらく風速160m以上あったかもしれませ

うか？むしろ人生を全うしたともいえるかもしれませんね。一

T あなたは三度エベレスト登頂に成功していますね。 P いえ、登頂は二度で、遠征は5回です。古典的なアメリトカンウエストリッジのルートを選びました。8,300mを超えて、

ん。私は下山する決断をしていましたが、葛藤にさいなまれ

方で、年齢ということに関しては若すぎるという問題もある

ていました。「せっかくのチャンスを無駄にするのか」。でも

のです。13才の少年がエベレストをめざすという行為です。

私は、24,000フィートにあるブラックピラミッドのトップにクリッ

少年が登頂しなければならないのでしょうか？それで死んでし

ム・ホーンベインとウイリー・アンソエルドにこう言ったのです。

プをして、5m∼10mほど懸垂下降していたのです。そのとき

まったらどうでしょう。登頂して偉大な登山家になりたいのか

に強風が襲ってきました。もしあのとき、私がロープにぶら

もしれませんが、でもそれならば、アーハード・ロレタンやジー

下がっていなかったら、彼らと同じように頂上をめざしていた

ン・ティロレットがやったような、ザ・ノースフェイスを2日間で

「すごい、君たち本当にここに来ちまったね」。そしてみんなで登頂を果たしました。すばらしい瞬間でした。

SUMMER 2014

was being slammed, tents were being flattened, the cold, dense air hammering the bottom of the mountain. All hell’s breaking loose down there, and we’re ignoring it because it’s a beautiful day up where we were, but the storm is coming up. While it was hitting me, the others who went on were probably still on the top going, “It’s terrific up here,” except 20 minutes after it hit me it reaches them—at more than 100 mph—and they've got no protection. I made my decision to go down, but I was of two minds. Egotistically you are thinking, “Have I blown my chance?” and then I clipped into the fixed rope at the top of the Black Pyramid at 24,000 feet and leaned out. I had only been rappelling for five or 10 meters when it hit. If I hadn’t been on that rope, like them up there…

was staying together through all that. P I’m not kidding, marriage is so hard.

I just love to be in that environment. I think the importance of outdoor activities is a vital message for young people.

Y And when you throw all these other things in… T A bit of adventure, life on the line… Y Yeah. P Children. Y Then all the risk pales in comparison.

私は自然の中に身を置くことが好きです。このような機会は若い世代にとっては重要です。

T Blown right off… P Just gone. That was too close. Way too close. I was very happy to be on that rope. T Do you know the Miura family well? P I know Yuichiro a bit because my father met him way back in the 1970s, and I’ve seen the film. He sent a lot of material to my father and I was in Everest base camp in 2003 when he came down. T When he was 70. P Yeah, he looked great but he was very tired so I didn’t go over and say, “I’m so and so.” I saw him walk past, amazing. T How do you feel about him summiting at 80 years old? P Age records are not of particular interest to me. I think they are significant to the individual. I don’t think they mean anything to alpinists. For the older climbers that’s fine. Although for the people around you, a lot of older climbers die, have cardiac arrest, and we don’t hear about

昇り1日半で下山したような驚くべきルートを開拓してみてはどうでしょう。マッキンリーやそのようなタイプの山で経験を積み、それからエベレストを32才になってから挑戦すればいいのです。それが私の年齢について思うことです。でもやはり山に登りたいという気持ちは変わりません。昨年もアスピリン山に登りましたが、その山小屋でだれかが「このふざけた年寄り馬鹿は、ここでなにをするんだ」と言っていましたよ。

them because everyone goes, “Oh he died doing what he loved.” It’s not really a tragedy if you die at 76 on a mountain; you’ve sort of had your life. But at the other end of the spectrum, I have a problem with sending kids, like that 13-year-old boy who went to Everest. I don’t think he should be there because he could die. Look, he might go on and become a great climber, but he’s got his whole life to do it, so why not do it like (Erhard) Loretan and (Jean) Triolet and do an absolutely amazing route up the north face—two days up, then half a day down. Do Everest when you are 32, after doing routes all over McKinley and that type of thing, when you are a really a seasoned climber. That’s my feeling on the age thing. But you know, I love getting back up into the mountains. I’m sure when I was on Mt. Aspiring last year someone in the hut might have said, “What is that silly old fool doing up here?” T You’ve been to the North and South Poles, completed the Seven Summits, you are an accomplished writer, businessman, philanthropist, husband and father; what do you consider your biggest achievement? P Well, the toughest thing in my life is definitely marriage. YVONNE I was going to say that our biggest achievement

Y T Y P Y P

P Making a living is easy, surviving a storm on K2, pfft, any day… Y Dealing with me, hmmm… P The thing is, we change over time, and want different things and different ages, and so you sort of have to grow together. It’s a challenging road; we’re still on it. Y A long and winding road. T Are you still constantly adventuring? P Yeah, I just love being in the mountains, I really do. About 10 days ago I was out with my son, we were just walking around Ruapehu, a big volcano on the North Island of New Zealand and… Y It was terrible weather. P Yeah, and Alexander says, “Who cares, dad? Let’s go anyway.” So we went and had a lot of fun. I just love to be in that environment. I think the importance of outdoor activities is a vital message for young people. In a place like Japan, you’ve got an affluent society living in a largely urban situation. All the kids need to go out into their mountains and their coastlines to have those experiences because that makes you a balanced person. If all you do is sit behind a computer screen, it’s unhealthy. You’ve got to do other stuff. ✤

そしてほかのすべてのことを投げうってでも…

ペフという大きな火山

そして長い人生で、冒険などささやかなもの…

に行ったんですが…

まったくそのとおり。そして、子供。そして、すべてのリスクは色あせてみえる。生きるって簡単だよ。K2のストームのなかでサバイブする

くらいのものさ。

Y 最悪の天候だったんです。

P そうなんです。でもアレキサンダーが「父さん、それがどうしたっていうんだい。とにかく先に進もうよ」。その一言で楽しい時間

Y それが私と暮らすってことなのね。 P つまり、結婚とは超過勤務を乗り越えて後悔しながら一

を過ごすことができました。私は自然の中に身を置くことが

して父親でもあります。人生でもっとも輝かしい功績はなん

緒に年齢を重ねていくというものなのだ。それは苦難の道の

日本でも人工的な都会の中で人々は生活していますね。す

だと思われますか？

りで、私たちはいまだに道半ば。

T あなたは北極と南極に到達し、七大陸最高峰に登頂し、作家としても極め、ビジネスマン、慈善事業家、夫、そ

P そうですね、人生でいちばん過酷だったことは結婚ですね。イボンヌ（以下 Y ）：私たちにとってもっとも輝かしい功績は離婚しなかったことね。

P ふざけてはいませんよ。結婚生活は難しいのです。

T R AV E L E R

Y 長く曲がりくねった道。 T 冒険は今もつづいていますか？ P もちろん、山にいることが本当に好きなんだ。10日前に息子と山に出かけました。ニュージーランドの北島にあるラ

好きです。このような機会は若い世代にとっては重要です。べての子供は山や海で自然を体験する必要があります。それがバランスのいい人格形成に役立つのです。もしコンピュータの前に座っているだけとしたら、それは健康的ではありません。積極的に自然と触れ合う方法を見つけなければなりませんね。✤

SUMMER 2014

MICRONESIA IS Part One: The Marshall Islands, Kosrae, Pohnpei ミクロネシアアイランドホッピングパート１：マーシャル諸島、コスラエ、ポンペイとチューク。

Tim Rock takes us on a two-part island hopping adventure across the brilliant Pacific waves to wartime wrecks, distant atolls, towering peaks and the colorful reefs of Micronesia.

Tim Rock がご案内するミクロネシアの島々への冒険旅行

∼うつくしい太平洋の波から戦時中の沈没船、環礁やそびえたつ山々、カラフルなサンゴ礁などの自然の旅∼

T R AV E L E R

LAND HOPPING and Chuuk

he island nations scattered around the northwestern Pacific Ocean are collectively known as Micronesia. These “tiny islands” (the largest, Guam, is only 30 miles long) are spread out across an area equal to the size of the United States. Here you will find some of the world’s best diving. There are war-era shipwrecks, spectacular underwater walls and drop-offs and beautiful coral reefs that delight snorkelers and divers alike. Each island has its own special features, both culturally and geographically, making it a fascinating island-hopping experience. There are roughly eight distinct cultures found among the islands. Some islands rise high out of the sea with great hikes, flowing waterfalls and jungle rivers. Low lying islands boast sandy beaches, huge stands of coconut palms and remote atolls. From the Marshall Islands to east to the archipelago of the Palau Islands to far west, this is island-hopping at its best. You will discover things found nowhere else in the world, from lakes full of jellyfish to huge stone disks used for money.

太

平洋の北西に点在する島々からなるその島は、総称して「ミクロネシア」として知られている。最大のグアム島でも全長約50kmしかなく、小さな島々がアメリカとほぼ同じ面積の中にひろがっている。ここは

世界有数のダイビングスポットで、戦争中の難破船、海中の壮大な断崖やドロップオフ、うつくしいサンゴ礁がダイバーたちを楽しませてくれる。島はそれぞれが地形的、文化的にとても独創性があり、どの島を訪れても最高の体験ができるだろう。ミクロネシアには大きくわけて8つの文化が存在している。標高の高い島では、流れ落ちる滝やジャングルの川などへのハイキング、標高の低い島では砂浜とヤシの木や環礁などを楽しむことができる。おすすめはマーシャル諸島、そしてパラオ列島の東側から西側へ向かうルート。世界でどこにもいない淡水クラゲがいっぱいの湖や巨大な「石のお金」を見にいこう。

SUMMER 2014

MICRONESIA IS LAND HOPPING

THE MARSHALL ISLANDS The Marshall Islands is one of four “atoll nations” in the world. These land masses, located in eastern Micronesia, about four hours by air from Hawaii, have infamous names such as Bikini and Rongelap, and they were the sites of 1950s nuclear testing. Kwajalein Atoll is still used today to test U.S. “Star Wars” missiles and other space defense programs. Jaluit was a hub of copra trading in the 1800s and of the Japanese in WWII. Majuro is the capital of the Marshall Islands. Today it is a thriving center of business, hotels and eateries and the gateway to tourism and scuba diving in the Marshall Islands. Modern Majuro is not so overbuilt that the visitor feels out of touch with nature. Buildings are modest, and the paved road runs from one end of the large main island to the other, through town and then out along beach-lined shores. It ends at a beach park with large shade trees and views of the azure lagoon. Majuro Atoll and Arno, its nearby neighbor, are producing spectacular diving that reef buffs, wreck buffs and fish fans find addictive. If you love the sea, you’ll adore staying on an atoll. Every direction has ocean views, whether it is the inner lagoon or the Pacific Ocean.

T R AV E L E R

Here, water is a fact of life. Wind keeps the coconut trees rustling, and the lapping of the waves on the shore adds to the symphony of island sounds. For divers, the Holy Grail is one of the atoll’s major passes at incoming tide dubbed The Aquarium. When the tide is right, fish including many large pelagic fish, gather here in great numbers. With an average water temperature a comfortable 83 degrees year-round and an air temperature about 80 degrees, Majuro has some of the most favorable diving conditions around. Water clarity is normally excellent at incoming tide and pretty good even at outgoing. The Majuro people are gentle and friendly; almost shy. They are famous for woven baskets and fans. Visitors can enjoy sailing a handmade outrigger across the lagoon or taking a day-trip to one of the remote islands for a Robinson Crusoe adventure. There are hotels in town with nice beaches and also some private stays; some very upscale, on the lagoon islands.

KOSRAE Kosrae is one of the four states that make up the Federated States of Micronesia, a nation with five distinct ethnic groups. Unlike the rest of the FSM states, Kosrae has no landmasses or atolls other than the island itself.

Kosrae juts from the sea, exposing its ragged cliffs toward the clouds. It is a lush green island with some roads and development, but it is mainly jungle, rivers and mountains, and an amazing inland mangrove and hardwood forest. This is a religious place, predominantly Catholic and Protestant, and work is not done on the Sabbath. Somehow, diving gets equated with fishing, so it is not OK to dive either. However, you can take an exhilarating (and strenuous) hike to the top of Mt. Finkol or a more relaxing hike to Sipyen Falls. You’ll be tempted to spend the day lounging at this cooling 30-foot falls that ends in a refreshing tidal pool. Kosrae’s ruins in Leluh aren’t as famous as Nan Madol in neighboring Pohnpei, but they have the same mysterious history. Leluh was the ancient ruling center of Kosrae back when it was a feudal society more than 500 years ago. The king and high chiefs lived inside Leluh’s massive walls, along with their servants, low chiefs and other commoners. When Europeans first made contact (1824), Leluh had about 1,500 residents. The "city" contained more than 100 walled compounds and was as large as Nan Madol. Today, one can wander the remnants of this city and imagine life back in those days while marveling at the effort if must have taken to build. Kosrae is a special place for sea kayaking. Paddle among mangroves as birds cry and flit overhead and water drips

sports

leisure

With an average water temperature a comfortable 83 degrees year-round and an air temperature about 80 degrees, Majuro has some of the most favorable diving conditions around.

activities

年間の平均水温は28℃、平均気温は26℃というマジュロはダイビングにはもってこいの場所である。満潮時の水の透明度はひじょうに高く、そして干潮時でも良好だ。

マーシャル諸島

だ。RossXXXは、島の主要なパスの入り口からもぐり、北から南へとすすみ、「アクアリウム」と彼がなづけたお気に入

マーシャル諸島は世界に4つしか存在ない「環礁の国」のひとつだ。ミクロネシアの東に位置し、ハワイからは飛行機

りのスポットをみつけた。潮の状態がよければ近海魚から遠洋魚まで多くの魚があつまる。

で約4時間ほど。ビキニ島やロンゲラップ島のように1950年

年間の平均水温は28℃、平均気温は26℃というマジュ

代の核実験により有名になってしまった島もふくまれる。クェ

ロはダイビングにはもってこいの場所である。満潮時の水

ゼリン環礁は、米国の「スターウォーズ」計画やほかの宇宙

の透明度はひじょうに高く、そして干潮時でも良好だ。

防衛プログラムのテストをするためにいまだに使用されてい

マジュロの人々はシャイな人も多いが、やさしくてフレンド

る。ヤルートは1800年代のコプラ（ココヤシの胚乳を乾燥さ

リー。おみやげで有名なのは、カゴや扇子など。また、ハン

せたもの）取引や第二次世界大戦では日本軍の拠点でも

ドメイドのアウトリガーでラグーンをこえて離島へクルーズす

あった。

るロビンソン・クルーソーの1日冒険ツアーもおすすめだ。

discover the

マーシャル諸島の首都であるマジュロにはビジネス街やホテル、飲食店などがあり、観光やスキューバダイビングの玄

コスラエ

関口となっている。マジュロは自然がのこる心地よい都市で、建物もそれほど多くはなく、舗装された道路が本島のは

コスラエはミクロネシア連邦を構成する4つの州のひとつ

しから街を通ってビーチにそって整備され、終点では大きな

で、5つの民族からなる。連邦のほかの州とちがって、コス

木陰から紺碧のラグーンをみわたすことができる。

ラエ以外に島や環礁をもたないのが特徴だ。コスラエは、

マジュロ環礁とアルノ近辺は、サンゴ礁や難破船、そして

海から空へつきだするように伸びる入り組んだ崖がつくる島

魚好きをとりこにしてしまうみごとなダイビングスポットで有名

で、緑ゆたかなジャングルを中心に、川や海、そして内陸に

だ。すべての方向から太平洋やラグーンのうつくい景色をな

はすばらしいマングローブと堅木の森があり、その中に街と

がめることができるこの場所での滞在は、海好きには夢のよ

数本の道路が共存している。

うな時間となるだろう。ここでは海がすべて。ヤシの木をゆら

信仰深い場所で、宗教はおもにカトリックとプロテスタン

す風の音と、ビーチの波の音が奏でるうつくしいシンフォニー

ト、安息日には仕事はしない。どういうわけかダイビングと

が楽園でのときを刻む。満ち潮のホーリーグレイル（聖杯）は人気のパスのひとつ

釣りは同じあつかいをされているので、どちらも安息日にはタブーである。そんな日には、フィンコール山やシピエン滝へ

possibilities

www.picresorts.com For reservations, contact us at: +1 (670) 234-2042 reservations@picsaipan.com SUMMER 2014

into the overgrown passages. Don’t miss a trip through the Utwe-Walung Marine Park. It is both eerie and wonderful with the towering overhead canopy of indigenous terminolia trees above. It is a relaxing adventure into nature. Kosrae is famous for its eco-friendly mooring buoys that mark more than 40 scuba diving sites. This is one reason the coral always looks so good here. Underwater, the marine wonderland unfolds with huge bommies and a steep slope. At Walung Dropoff, a large school of big-eyed jacks circles and flashes in the sun. Sea anemones and their respective clownfish are plentiful. Schools of brilliant anthias and basslets give a crimson glow to the drop-off edge, dancing in the current.

POHNPEI Pohnpei is one of the most beautiful islands in Micronesia. Its high dragonback mountain range rises to the clouds and forms a tropical rain forest, creating more than 40 rivers and 20 waterfalls ranging from nice to spectacular. Some are easily accessible while others take considerable effort and a good guide to find. The broad inner lagoon is pocked with reefs and blue holes and scribbled with channels both broad and deep. Outside the lagoon sit two post card-perfect atolls. Pohnpei is to the North Pacific what Bora Bora is to the South Pacific.

T R AV E L E R

Idyllic, lush and inviting. You’ll fly in from the south, circumnavigating more than half of the island before heading toward mighty Sokehs Rock, the Diamond Head of the west, and touching down in Kolonia Town. Pohnrakiet sits on a hill overlooking the harbor. The villagers here are of Polynesian descent, hailing from the outer Pohnpei atoll of Kapingamaringi. These folks are famous for their carvings made of mangrove wood and palm ivory and their weavings made from palm and panadanus. Toothed sharks, sea turtles and flowing mantas are all fashioned by the creative woodworkers in this village. Divers usually head straight for Manta Road, Pohnpei’s introduction to the stellar manta sites of Micronesia. The resident family of mantas here includes some that are almost totally black. Divers gather near a cleaning station which has been designated a protected site to help preserve the manta behavior. They must keep their distance from the station, but the mantas still swim close by. Nearby is Areu Wall, a great inner reef wall fed by currents. Here huge sea fans and soft corals thrive. But the most fun is exploring the deep cracks and crevices that have been cut into the wall over the centuries. Sponges, sea whips and lacey corals share the hideaways with billowy sea anemones and beautiful Notodoris nudibranchs. Take the time to hike up to the top of Sokehs Ridge, where

a panoramic view of the western coast awaits. Before you is Kolonia town, the scenic harbor and Palikir Pass, a name all big wave surfers will recognize. You can look upon the back of mighty Sokehs Rock, the island’s most impressive landmark, and down all of the reef passages.

TRUK LAGOON It’s a fairly short hop to Chuuk from Pohnpei. The plane enters the lagoon from the west, passing over the vast barrier reef that surrounds one of the largest and most scenic atolls in the world. The pilot sometimes gives the full tour, traveling past the peak of Tol, the lagoon’s highest island. Then it is over historic Param, once a major air base during WWII. He then wings past Fefan, Eten, Tonoas and into Weno, the main center of the lagoon. Chuuk (also known as Truk) is the famed shipwreck haven of Micronesia, and an aerial tour provides a great look at why the vast lagoon was such a great anchorage for Japan’s WWII fleet. More than 50 ships and planes now rest on the lagoon’s floor following the devastating attack in February 1944. Decades later, they are now “ship reefs.” Divers come to Truk mainly for the wrecks. An excellent first dive is the Shinkoko Maru, perhaps the most beautiful wreck in Micronesia. It has many artifacts, soft coral and

MICRONESIA IS LAND HOPPING

Kosrae is a special place for sea kayaking. Paddle among mangroves as birds cry and flit overhead and water drips into the overgrown passages. コスラエは、シーカヤックにとくにおすすめの場所だ。頭上を行きかう鳥たちのさえずりとともに、水のしたたるマングローブの中をパドルして進んでゆく。

の爽快なハイキングがおすすめだ。10mほどの涼しい滝と

クマノミが泳ぐイソギンチャクに、ハナダイの仲間（anthias/

タロードへ直行する。ほぼまっ黒なマンタがいることで知られ

滝つぼでの水遊びで一日をのんびりすごすのもなかなかで

アンティアス）やハナスズキの仲間（basslets/バスレット）な

る場所だ。ダイバーはマンタの居住エリアを保護するために

ある。

どのうつくしい魚が深紅の輝きをはなちながら波のあいだで

つくられたクリーニングステーション周辺にあつまる。ここで

踊る。

はステーションからある程度の距離をたもつことがルールだ

コスラエのレロ遺跡は、となりのポンペイのナン・マドール

が、それでもマンタのほうから近づいてきてくれる。

ほど有名ではないが、こちらにもミステリアスな歴史がある。レロは500 年以上前の封建社会だったころの統治の中心

ポンペイ

近くには巨大な軟体サンゴが生い茂り、ダイバーたちにも人気な潮のながれがつくりだしたアレウ・ウォールがある

で、王と位の高い首長は、使用人やほかの首長、そして庶民らとともにレロの城壁の中でくらしていた。ヨーロッパ人が

ポンペイはミクロネシアでもっともうつくしい島のひとつで

が、ここでのいちばんのたのしみはなんといってもクラックや

はじめて接触した1824年当時、レロにはおよそ1,500人がく

ある。竜の背中のような山脈が空へとのびて熱帯雨林を形

クレバスへの探検だろう。何世紀にもわたって共存してい

らしており、その「都市」には100以上の壁で仕切られた区

成し、ちいさなものから壮大なものまで40以上の川と20の滝

る海綿体やムチサンゴ、ウミウシ、イソギンチャクなどが深い

画があって、規模はナン・マドールほどもあったという。当時

をつくりだしている。アクセスがかんたんなものもあるが、そ

壁の隙間にひそんでいるのを探しにいこう。

の生活や街をつくった人々の苦労や努力に思いを馳せなが

の姿を拝むにはプロのガイドとかなりの努力を要するものも

ら、この街を歩いてみるのもおすすめだ。

ある。ラグーンの外側には絵葉書のような環礁が2つ。北

リッジの頂上へは、ぜひ時間をとってハイキングしてほしい。

にポンペイ、南にボラボラ島だ。牧歌的で、緑ゆたか、とて

コロニア市街の手前には、ビッグウェーブサーファーならだ

も魅力的な場所である。

れもが知っているパリキールパスがある。ここではもっとも壮

コスラエは、シーカヤックにとくにおすすめの場所だ。頭上を行きかう鳥たちのさえずりとともに、水のしたたるマングローブの中をパドルして進んでゆく。それから、ウトエ・ワール

飛行機では島の南から入り、半周とちょっと過ぎたあたり、

ング海洋公園もおわすれなく。そびえたつテルミナリアの木

西のダイヤモンドへッドといわれるソーケスロックの手前でコ

がおりなす天蓋の下を抜けていくのは、ちょっと不気味であ

ロニア市街に着陸する。

ると同時に最高の気分を味わわせてくれる。自然を堪能できて、とてもリラックスできるアドベンチャーとなるだろう。コスラエは、40以上のダイビングスポットをマークしたブイ

港を見下ろす丘にあるポーンラキエト村の人々はカピンガ

西海岸のパノラマビューを楽しむことができるソーケース

大なランドマークであるソーケースロックを背にすべてのリーフを一望できる。

トゥルクラグーン

マランギ環礁出身のポリネシア人の子孫。ここは、マング

チュークからポンペイはさほど遠くない。飛行機は、最大

ローブの木やゾウゲヤシの彫刻や、ヤシやパナダナスとよば

かつもっともうつくしい環礁のバリアリーフを西から通過してラグーンへ入る。パイロットによっては、ラグーンでもっとも

でも有名だ。サンゴがいつもきれいなのはそのおかげだろ

れる植物の繊維でつくった織物で有名である。サメの歯や

う。そして海の中ではうつくしく不思議な世界がくりひろげら

ウミガメやマンタをモチーフにした工芸品は村の職人たちが

高いトル島の頂上を通って案内してもらえることもあるだろ

れる。ワールング・ドロップオフでは巨大なアジの群れが円

手づくりする。

う。そして、第二次世界大戦中の空軍基地だったパラム島

をえがいて泳ぎ、太陽に反射してきらきらとひかる。カクレ

ダイバーの多くはポンペイのダイビング入門スポット、マン

を通過し、その後、フェファン島、エテン島、トノアス島をこ

SUMMER 2014

MICRONESIA IS LAND HOPPING

PRACTICALITIES 基本情報

GETTING THERE: The Marshall Islands, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk are serviced by s Island Hopper that starts in Guam in the United’ west and Hawaii in the east, stopping at every island twice weekly. There are additional flights from Guam to Chuuk and Pohnpei. If coming from Japan, take one of the many United flights to Guam via Osaka or Narita and then transfer to one of the island hoppers. Web: www.united.com 行き方：マーシャル諸島、コスラエ、ポンペイとチュークへは、西はグアムから、東はハワイから飛ぶユナイテッド航空のアイランドホッパーがおすすめ。すべての島に週2便飛んでいる。そのほかグアムからはチュークとポンペイへの便もある。日本から行くならば、大阪や成田からユナイテッド航空でグアムまで飛び、アイランドホッパーへの乗り換えが便利だ。

Web: www.united.com WEB CONNECTION: Marshall Islands / マーシャル諸島: www.visitmarshallislands.com Federated Sates of Micronesia (Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk / コスラエ、ポンペイ、チューク）: www.visit-micronesia.fm

T R AV E L E R

sea fans galore and great marine life. A squadron of eagle rays sometimes plays at the stern. The beautifully overgrown stern gun may be overshadowed only by the coral-covered bridge. The ship’s compasses are still intact and the whole bridge is a kaleidoscope of color (this is a great night dive). This is also where the famous surgeon’s table sits in the infirmary. The Shinkoko’s bow and bow gun are things of beauty. Japanese divers like to stay on remote Jeep Island in the south end of the lagoon. There are 16 coconut trees here and a small house with tatami mats. A Chuukese couple cooks for divers and snorkelers. All one hears is the wind and constant splashing of the waves on this tiny islet. Serenity reigns. In the summer, pods of bottlenose dolphins come into the South Pass. Jeep residents go out and swim with the big

dolphins. At night, the sky is filled with stars. Shark Island near Weno is also a favorite. Undersea there is a shark cleaning station where small fish clean parasites from the sharks’ mouths. It’s like a trip to the dentist for these sharks. One by one, big gray reef sharks appear. The wrasses go to work on their bodies, through their toothy maws and gills. Quickly moving their tails to hold in place, they get a short cleaning, circle and then do it again. To see this natural behavior is something special. The area around Shark Island is also quite nice, and the dive can be finished with a quick tour of the reef. Reef diving in Truk is overshadowed by the fantastic shipwrecks. However, there is great promise in the reef and pass diving here, and you can occasionally even see dolphins swimming around the island’s edge. ✤

えて、このラグーンの中心であ

のちいさな宿がある。聞こえてく

るウェノ島に入る。

るのは波と風の音のみ。「静寂」

チューク（トゥルクとも呼ばれる）

はこの島の “売り” である。夏には

は、難破船で有名なミクロネシアの

バンドウイルカと一緒に泳いだり、夜

島だ。上空からみれば、この広大なラグー

には満点の星をたのしむこともできる。

ンがなぜ大戦中に日本軍の拠点となったかがわ

ウェノ島のそばのシャークアイランドもまたお

かる。このラグーンには、1944年2月の壊滅的な攻撃によっ

すすめスポットだ。サメのクリーニングステーションでは小魚

て沈んだ50以上の船や飛行機が眠っており、70年以上の

がサメの口の中の寄生虫を掃除していて、サメにとっては

時を経た今、ここは魚たちの住み家となっている。この島に来るダイバーたちの目当てはおもに沈没船だ。

歯医者のような場所となっている。灰色のサメがつぎつぎとあらわれベラなどの魚たちがギザギザの歯がたくさん生えた

初めてのダイビングにおすすめなのは、ミクロネシアでもっ

口の中を掃除する。その間、サメがしっぽを小刻みにうごか

とも美しい沈船「神国丸」。人工物のなかにウミウチワや

して位置をたもちながらクリーニングをしてもらう様子はなか

軟体サンゴなど、さまざまな海洋生物が生活している。トビ

なか見ごたえがある。

エイが泳ぎまわる船尾砲あたりでは、おいしげるサンゴが

シャーク島は、その周辺エリアもダイビングにはおすすめ

万華鏡のようなうつくしい色彩をはなっている（ナイトダイビ

で、リーフを短時間でまわることができる。トゥルークでの

ングもおすすめだ）。船首と船首砲も、うつくしさそのものと

サンゴ礁ダイビングは難破船ダイビングにくらべると見劣り

言えるだろう。

するかもしれないが、ここでのダイビングはほんとうにおす

日本人ダイバーの多くがジープ島という離島に滞在する。16本のヤシの木と、チューク人夫婦が経営する畳敷き

すめで、ときには、島を周遊しているイルカに出会えることもある。✤

GO BIG

POINT BREAK

ASIA FLOW TOUR 14 September 26, 27, 2014

PIC ROAD RACE

10KM HALF MARATHON 4X5KM RELAY November 8, 2014 For more information and entry forms, contact glenn.policare@picsaipan.com.

www.picresorts.com

SUMMER 2014

New Routes in

Okayama 岡山での新しいルートと、いにしえの歴史との出会い By Eddie Gianelloni

“We are almost there,” Yuji turns to me and says as we wind up a mountain road. I open my tired eyes and then everything goes black as we enter a tunnel. The blinding light that comes next gives way to an amazing rock feature so steep it overhangs the road. “What do you think?” he asks me. “Looks like heaven. Why haven't you brought me here before?” I reply. 山道を登り切ったとき、ユージは私に振り向き、「そろそろ着くよ！」と声をかけてきた。私が眠い目を開けた途端、トンネルに入ってしまい、あたりは暗くなった。次くら

には、目が眩むような光に包まれ、慣れると目の前には道路に覆いかぶさるようなきゅうしゅん

急峻な岩壁が現れた。彼が「どう思う？」と問うと、「まるで天国だ。もっと前に連れてきてほしかったよ」と私は答えた。

T R AV E L E R

SUMMER 2014

kayama Prefecture, like most of Japan, has a rich, fascinating history that dates back centuries. Most visitors are drawn to the historical district of Kurashiki or hiking in the beautiful mountains. We, on the other hand, are looking for new routes to climb in the Hayama area, the epicenter of climbing in Okayama, located about 60 km. northwest of Okayama City. Sachi Amma, the current World Cup climbing champion, was specifically planning to try his luck at one of Yuji Hirayama’s old routes; one that had never been successfully completed, called Karachi Direct. Yuji is widely recognized as Japan’s most famous rock climber and, because of his long climbing career, he is known everywhere in Japan rock-climbing circles. As we walked to the base of the cliff, the climbers were surprised to see “The Sensei” in Okayama. They politely asked for photos with these two Japanese rock stars, and an impromptu photo session ensued. After a number of shirts, harnesses and shoes were signed, we got to work. It had been more than nine years since Yuji had been to this area to climb, and he was anxious to show Sachi around. Sachi quickly warmed up on some easy routes, and Yuji did the same. Yuji had his eye on a route called Aozura, which only one person, an Okayama climber named Sakae Nakahara, had climbed. Sachi and Yuji shared beta (a term to describe the correct movement required to properly climb a route) on Karachi Direct, possibly Japan’s most difficult rock climbing route. This was Sachi’s “project” for the trip. Over the next three days, Sachi relentlessly threw himself at it. “This is one of the hardest routes I have tried. I really hope it is possible,” Sachi commented the night before our rest day.

岡

山県は、ほかの日本の地域と同様、何世紀にも遡る豊かで魅力的な歴史を持つ。多くの観光客は倉敷の歴史地区を訪れるか、美しい山々でハイキングを楽しむ。一方、私たちは、

岡山市から北西に60kmほど離れた、岡山でのクライミングの中心地、羽山エリアで新ルートを開拓するためにやってきた。現ワールドカップ・チャンピオンの安間佐千は、平山ユージが開拓した前人未到の空知ダイレクトに挑むつもりだ。ユージは日本でもっとも有名なロッククライマーとして広く知られており、その長いキャリアから、日本ロッククライミング界で彼の名を知らぬ者はいない。私たちが、崖の麓に向かって歩いていると、周りのクライマーは、「先生」を岡山で見かけることに驚きを隠さない。彼らが、日本ロッククライミング界の二大スターに礼儀正しく写真撮影をお願いすると、即席のフォトセッションがはじまった。その後、シャツ、ハーネス、靴などにサインをし終えると、いよいよクライミングの開始だ。ユージがこのエリアに登りにくるのは約9年ぶりのことで、彼は佐千を案内することに興奮していた。佐千とユージは、まず簡単なルートでウォームアップをした。ユージのいちばんの狙いは、アオゾラというルートで、それは岡山のクライマー、中原栄しかいままで成功していない。佐千とユージは、おそらく日本で最高難度のロッククライミング・ルートである空知ダイレクトを登るために必要な動きを確認しあった。空知ダイレクトの登頂は、佐千の今トリップの最大の目的で、彼はその後3日間にわたって執拗に挑みつづけた。休息日の前夜、佐千は「いままで挑んだなかでいちばん難しいルートだね。登れることを切に願うよ」と自分の気持ちを語った。

T R AV E L E R

SUMMER 2014

On our day off we decided to drive an hour to Kurashiki and its well preserved Bikan Historical District. This area is bifurcated by an old canal perfectly framed with sweeping willows and sakura. The district seems nearly untouched by time, transporting you back hundreds of years. The 17th century buildings lining the canal are beautiful, stretching out in all directions. You can even hire a Japanese gondola to take you down the canal, floating under countless magnificent stone bridges. None of us had been here before, so we took our time exploring the streets, curious what lay around the next corner. Temples, old warehouses and tea houses were scattered in the area, as well as a number of great museums, such as the Ohara Museum of Art, where you can view works by Renoir and Monet. Wander down nearly any side street, and you’ll find local sweets and ice cream as well as the warm hospitality of locals. When we returned to Hayama, Yuji was more determined than ever to attack his project. After a short final session, he successfully climbed Aozura, a grade 5.14b route (very difficult), becoming the second person ever to climb the route. This route is tough from start to finish with small, sloping edges and a very technical final move. All said, Yuji climbed the route about eight times, working on each sequence. “The limestone here is very good, and the wall is steep. There are many great routes. If this wall was close to Tokyo it would be very crowded,” Yuji says as we head back to the lodge. Karachi Direct proved more elusive. The route goes through the steepest part of the large roof. Yuji climbed most of the route many years ago, but this new route includes an additional link through a two-move section, which, in his opinion, makes the line “next level.” Though Karachi Direct remained unclimbed after we left, it was well worth the effort, and the road trip from Tokyo had been a blast. “I plan on coming back very soon,” Sachi told me on the drive back home. “This is an amazing route and now I know it is possible,” he added with a smile. ✤

休息日は、車で1時間ほどかけて倉敷美観地区に行くことになった。この地区の中心には、柳と桜の木で縁取られた古い運河が街を分断するように走る。また古き情緒が今も色濃く残っており、ここに来ると数百年前に戻ったような錯覚に陥る。運河沿いに立ち並ぶ17世紀の古い建築物は美しく、四方に広がっている。さらに日本式の川舟で、美しい石橋を次々と潜りながら、運河を下ることもできる。ここを訪れるのはみんな初めてだったので、新しい発見に胸を躍らせながら、町の中を長い時間、歩き回わることになった。町の中には、寺院、蔵屋敷、茶屋、そして、すばらしい博物館や美術館が点在し、大原美術館ではルノアールやモネの作品を見ることができる。路地に入ると、かならずといっていいほど地元のお菓子やアイスクリームを売るお店があり、地元の方たちの温かいもてなしにも触れられる。ふたたび羽山に戻ると、ユージは登頂への意欲をさらに強くしたようだ。最後の短いセッションで、彼はみごと、超難関なグレード5.14bのアオゾラルートを登り切り、史上二人目の快挙を成し遂げた。このルートは、足がかりが小さく傾斜している上、最後には、とてもテクニカルなムーブが求められる、全体を通してひじょうにタフなルートだ。とはいうものの、各シークエンスを意識しながら、結局ユージは8回も登り切ってしまった。宿に戻る途中、ユージは「ここは石灰岩の質がとってもいいし、壁も険しい。最高なルートがたくさんあるよ。ここが東京の近くだったらすごく混むだろうね」と感想を語ってくれた。一方、空知ダイレクトは、そう簡単にはいかなかった。このルートは、大ルーフのいちばん急な部分を通る。ユージは何年も前に、ルートの大部分を制覇しているが、最後のセクションの難度が、彼曰く「別次元」だそうだ。結局、空知ダイレクトを登頂することはできなかったが、挑戦した甲斐はじゅうぶんにあったし、東京からの道中も最高に楽しかった。帰りの道中で佐知は「またすぐ戻ってくるつもりだ。ものすごいルートだけど、きっと次は登頂できる」と満面の笑顔を見せた。✤

T R AV E L E R

GETTING THERE: The best way to explore the climbing areas in Okayama is by car. You can either drive from Tokyo or take the bullet train to Okayama City and then rent a car. Driving from Tokyo takes about eight hours. Take the Shin-Tomei through Shizuoka, Nagoya and Kyoto. From Okayama City, make your way northwest toward Takahashi. Use this as a starting point and stock up on food or supplies for your outings here. Grab one of the s 100 Free Climbing Areas”guidebooks for detailed blue“Guide to Japan’ directions to any one of the dozens of climbing areas here. ACCOMMODATION: In the Takahashi area, there are a few Japanesestyle hotels, but I suggest staying at Cottage Kinomura (コテージ木の村). Kinomura is owned and operated by Moriji Sugita, a pioneer in the Okayama area. The simple cottage has electricity, hot water and a fully operational kitchen. There is an upstairs area with ample space for stretching and relaxing after a long day losing skin on the perfect limestone in the area. Web: http://www.kibi.ne.jp/~morig-/shise.html

行き方：岡山のクライミングエリアを訪れるのであれば、車で行くのが最適。東京から車で行くか、または岡山市まで新幹線で行き、そこでレンタカーを借りることもできる。東京から車で行く場合は、新東名高速を使って静岡、名古屋、京都を経由しながら、約8時間で岡山市に着く。岡山市からは、北西方向にある高梁（たかはし）市に向かい、ここで食料や必要な物を購入することをお勧めする。「フリークライミング日本100岩場」というガイドブックには、岡山周辺にある数多くのクライミング・スポットに行く道順が詳細に記載されているので購入することをお勧めする。和風の宿がいくつかあるが、「コテージ木の村」に泊宿泊：高梁市には、まることをお勧めする。木の村は、岡山エリアのパイオニア、杉田守二が経営しており、シンプルなコテージには電気とお湯があり、キッチンも付いている。2階には広々としたスペースがあり、岡山の良質な石灰岩の壁を一日堪能した後には、そこでストレッチやリラックスをすることもできる。 Web: http://www.kibi.ne.jp/~morig-/shise.html

SUMMER 2014

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE DIRECTORY HOKKAIDO

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T R AV E L E R

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Come in December, March or April and beat the crowds and save some money!

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SUMMER 2014

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE DIRECTORY SHIZUOKA

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T R AV E L E R

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SUMMER 2014

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Discover Nature, Discover Yourself. BALI 癒しの空間で... 波を心いくまで満喫...

Feel at home... Enjoy the ride... 58

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サーフィンガイドサーフィンコーチラグジャリーな宿泊施設

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