Our route west from Nikko generally followed Japan's Romantic Road, a passage through the heart of the Japanese Alps terminating near Nagano 250 miles to the west. Setting out, we were cheered by a forecast that called for fair, sunny conditions for the next three days.
The route begins with a steep climb up the shoulder of Mount Nantasian to Lake Chuzenji, gaining about 2000 feet in 8 miles. Most of the climb is up the tortuous Irohazaka Winding Road, another seemingly endless procession of switchbacks similar to the one over Hosoo Pass. The name of the pass derives from its original 48 switchbacks (now there are only 30), which matches the number in one of the Japanese character sets.
At Lake Chuzenji the road leveled out as it traversed an upland basin for 10 miles or so before coming to another tough 2000 feet climb up the side of Mount Konsei, topping out at over 6,500 feet. From there it plummeted down the other side of Konsei Pass, and we rapidly lost all the elevation we gained for the day. Toward the bottom we stopped off to look over Impressive Fukiwari Falls on the Katashina River, and shortly afterwards turned off onto a minor side road to Oigami Onsen, our stopover for the night.
Oigami felt like the most 'Japanese feeling' of the places we stayed thus far; and as the only Caucasians there (the norm for most of our stays to come), we felt somewhat conspicuous. Meals were in the common dining room, where we sat on the floor in our yukatas with about a dozen other hotel guests, hoping that they weren't looking too closely at us as we puzzled over our collection of strange foods and honed our chopstick techniques. Bathing took place at the private open-air bath on the roof of the hotel at sundown, overlooking the valley and surrounding hills.
The ascent up the Irohazaka Winding Road from Nikko to Lake Chuzenji followed a seemingly endless series of steep switchbacks and was among the hardest climbs of the tour.
