Mount Daibosatsu 大菩薩嶺
The mountain within reach of Tokyo
Daibosatsu mountain, located in Yamanashi prefecture, about 100 kilometers from Tokyo, is famous in Japan for the view of Mount Fuji from its summit. Classified among the 100 famous mountains of Japan, it offers a particularly pleasant playground for the traveler in search of hikes.
From Hachiman to the Japanese Red Army
Mount Daibosatsu is named after the legendary warrior Minomoto no Yoshimitsu, the supposed founder of the daitoryū aikijūjutsu martial arts school. Indeed, according to legend, this samurai of the Heian period (794-1185) and lord of Kai province (current Yamanashi prefecture) had acquired the habit during the Gosannen war (1083-1089) of Summon War Kami Hachiman Daibosatsu .
Read also : Tsurugaoka Hachiman Gu
A millennium later, Mount Daibosatsu was able to attract other combative Japanese. It is indeed
View of Mount Daibosatsu from Kasatori
Wikipedia
in its remote accesses that the Japanese Red Army sought to set up a military training camp , out of sight of the forces of order, in order to prepare actions against the State. In particular, she developed a plan to kidnap the Prime Minister at the time. The camp was dismantled in the fall of 1969 and 53 members of the group were arrested.
A microcosm of Japan
The Daibosatsu mountain rises to a height of 2,053 meters , between the Fuji and Tama river basins, within the Chichibu Tamakai natural park (notably known for its mausoleums, such as the Musashi-Mitake tomb), a region in Japan particularly mountains with a number of peaks between 1,000 and 2,600 meters. Dominating the lake at the same time, Mount Daibosatsu becomes at its pinnacle a popular viewpoint over some of the Japanese "postcard" landscapes such as Mount Fuji or the Southern Alps.
Read also : Mount Fuji to the 5th station
Sika deer, a species widespread in Japan
Wikipedia
Hiking through Mount Daibosatsu will give you another glimpse of traditional Japanese flora . Along the way, you can pass through a forest of birch, veitch fir (native to Japan) and beech, as well as Japanese hemlock. As you approach the daibosatsu toga (Daibosatsu pass), the vegetation will reveal its maples and bamboos to you. With a bit of luck, during your ascent you may see shika deer or Japanese saros (a kind of goat). The lucky ones may even come across a Japanese marten!
Read also : 5 places to see fallow deer in Japan
Returning to the foot of the mountain, do not hesitate to visit the Umpô temple built by the monk Gyôki during the Nara period (710-794). You can admire the war standard of one of the greatest daimyô of the Sengoku period (1477-1573), Takeda Shingen.
To your shoes!
Address, timetable & access
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Address
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Timetable
Enzan station (JR Chuo line), about 1h30 from Tokyo, then bus to Daibosatsutouge-tozanguchi (30 minutes)
