Hokkaido: Sounkyo Gorge

At last, it’s time to meet our “adventure guide” to go to the moutains.
The tour I signed us up for says, “Upon reaching Sounkyo, we’ll ride the Kurodake Ropeway halfway up the flank of Mt. Kurodake for hiking in the upper mountains. …In the afternoon, we’ll venture into Sounkyo Gorge, where waterfalls tumble down the cliff walls…”

Surely (I hope), the flank of Mt. Kurodake will be where we can finally immerse in the long-sought koyo. In fact, another tour site says, “Mount Kurodake is one of the earliest spots in Japan to see autumn colors, which typically appear as early as the beginning of September around the mountain peak. The colors in the upper elevations are usually best in the second half of September.”

From Ido’s name, I didn’t know what kind of person to expect, but he turns out to be American! His name came from Israel, where he was born, but after growing up in Boston, he’s now a world citizen and all-around adventurer. We hit it off right away.

It’s a three-hour drive to Sounkyo, the center of our excursions. This is north and east of Sapporo, in the mountainous heart of Hokkaido. We opt for hiking the gorge first, saving the ropeway for the afternoon.

As we take in the lovely scenery, Ido explains the biological process underlying the color changes in deciduous trees. This is all new to Esso, of course, but I find it clarifying, as well.

Turn sound up for nature talk

We work our way up the gorge on the remains of an abandoned roadway. (The road was re-routed into a tunnel due to dangerous rockfalls). But the weather is turning harsh. On top of the wool cap I wear against the cold, I have to add a rain hat; and strong winds whip up the gorge, making it even colder. But Ido’s indefatigable good cheer keeps us all upbeat.

More spectacular falls and rock formations (these are all looking across the river)

By the time we return to the trailhead, we are cold but exhilarated. But the wind is still strong. In fact, we learn that the ropeway has been shut down for the day, because it cannot operate safely in high winds. Bummer!
Instead, Ido suggests we take a hike on a nearby trail into the forest. Here we have some interesting sights:

(1) Huge rock covered in lichen,
(2) Birch tree fallen among dwarf bamboo, covered with two kinds of fungi

Pine seedlings growing directly on top of a boulder:

But ironically, the only bits of bright koyo we see is not in the forest, but right next to the parking lot!

We end the day relaxing in a private onsen (also in Sounkyo): a pool fed from natural hot springs, which abound in the this region.