The river starts here
(Ohminakami-yama)
Unique climbing style in Japan
There is an unique climbing style, called "Sawa nobori", in Japan. "Sawa nobori" (Japanese) is a style to climb through water stream. This is one of popular way to climb a mountain in summer time in Japan. (In a winter time, it could be an ice climbing.)
It is a sort of variation route climbing. Since mountains in Japan are not really high elevation, most of mountain in Japan are less than 2000m that is typically lower than tree line. This means there are many trees, plants in a mountain. It is hard to have trails in the mountains, it is hard to make it and maintain it. One of easy way is climbing through water stream, since there is less trees and plants near water stream. On the other hand, there could be some hard portion to going through water stream, such as falls, narrow portion with steep walls on the both side. Those could be attractive for many climbers and climbers enjoy to climb through the water stream as a variation climbing. Especially, it is really hot weather in summer time, climbing through water line is some time better than walking on a regular trail.
Depending on a route, ropes and rock climbing skill could be required to do this type of climbing.
Tone-gawa (Tone river)
Tone-gawa (Tone river) is the second longest river in Japan. It starts in a border of Gunma-ken and Nigata-ken, then it is going through near Tokyo area to Pacific ocean. In a mountain region of this river is one of famous water stream climbing route in Japan.
There are some big dams for electronic power generation. They make harder to approach this river for climbing. A road along a dam that was used for building a dam is not maintained well and the trail is getting not clear nowadays. So that many climbers are using boat to approach to upper part of this river for climbing.
Since the approach is not easy and not many people visit there. Therefore the nature of the upper part of this river is really beautiful and quiet. It is easy to catch fish from the river during the climbing.
Ohtone fall
Water fall climbing
There are some water falls in this water stream and climbers need to do rock climbing for those water falls. Some time the climbing line could be very close to the water stream or in the water stream, it is some time hard, but it is also really fun!
In this river, there is not really big walls, the biggest one is could be around 25~30m.
A snow bridge in Oikkui
Snow bridges
This river is located in a region where is getting a lot of snow in winter. Even if in summer time, there is still much snow on the river and it is getting like a snow bridge over the stream. How climbers go through the snow bridge is one of key to climb through the water line. Some time people climb on top of the bridge and some time people go through under the bridge. The risk is a bridge could break any time in summer time. Once it is breaking, it is really danger situation.
Entrance of Oikkui
Oikkui -- one of hardest part of the river
Oikkui is one of hardest part of this river, there is very steep wall with grass. Then the stream is narrow and deep. If people do detour, it will be really hard and time consuming. Then on the stream, there are many snow bridges sometime, then make harder to go through the water line. So that this part is a key of this climbing route.
A year we went there was not much snow and the condition of snow bridges are not too bad. Therefore, we could go through the water line with swimming. However, the water was really cold even if it was in August.
Narrowest part of the river
(Tonegawa hitomatagi)
Narrowest part of the river
There is one portion where people can stride across the water stream. It is call "Tonegawa hitomatagi". This is the only part a human can stride across over the stream.
Other than this river, there are many river / water stream people can climb. Especially rivers in a region where is getting much snow winter time is typically beautiful. Since the snow cleans the surface of rocks around the stream. Then the cold water make us forget climbing in summer time. This type of climbing requires more experience and skill sets such as route finding and rock climbing skill. However, people can see many nice / different thing than a typical trail hiking.
If people have enough time and have such skill set, I would really recommend to try to climb through a water line. Mt. Tanigawa area is one of good area people can climb water stream.
Tonegawa may take 3~4days climbing, but in Mt. Tanigawa area, there are may water stream people can do a day climbing.
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