Hokkemichi | THE JAPAN ALPS

Walking along the historical pathway connecting Kai and Ina valleys

From Hokkemichi to Mt. Nyukasa-yama

Hokkemichi is an ancient road named after a Nichiren shu priest, Nicho Shonin saint, who later became the head priest of Minobu mountain（Head temple of Nichiren shu）. It is said to be the road that led from the Kai-Shinano border (today’s Fujimi Town, Nagano Prefecture) south through Mount Nyukasa at the northern end of the Alps to the Ina Road.

In the Heian period (794-1185), there were several farms in Kai Province (present-day Yamanashi Prefecture) that were used by the Imperial Court, and it is said that Kai sakoma were transported to Kyoto via the Higashiyama Road, passing near this Hokkemichi Road (an ancient road called Ishido-gozan). In any case, it is said that there was a road in this area that people had been crossing since long before the Middle Ages.

Shibira, Takato, Ina City, which is the starting point of the Hokkemichi Road on the Ina side, once prospered due to the mining of high-quality limestone, but is now uninhabited due to natural disasters since the Showa period (1926-1989). Mr. Atsushi Kitahara, a native of Shibira, and other local volunteers worked hard to maintain the Hokkemichi Road, and now we can walk along this ancient road and think of the people of the past.

Hokke-michi Historic Site

Koza Iwa

Kozaiwa is the highlight of the Hokkemichi. It is said that Nicho Shonin saint, the reincarnation of Nichiren Shonin saint, the Dharma Lord of Minobu Mountain, preached the Dharma for seven days and seven nights with his followers. The site is wide open to the west and offers a good view of the mountains of the Central Alps.

Gosho-gaike Pond

As the name “Gosho (means imperial palace) ” suggests, Gosho-gaike is said to be the place where Prince Munera, the son of Emperor Godaigo, was sheltered during the Nanbokucho Period. This theory is disputed by Misawa, the manager of Nyukasa Farm, and others, who believe that the prince was surrounded by the Suwa clan, who were behind the Hojo clan’s son, Hojo Tokiyuki, who was the cause of the Nakasendai no ran (mayhem). In any case, it seems certain that this area played an important role in the Middle Ages.

Gosho-daira Pass

Gosho-daira Pass was considered to be in the vicinity of Gosho. It is now a junction leading to Kozaiwa, Shibira and Nyukasa Ranch, where a Jizo-son (a stone statue of a Buddhist kinsman) is said to have been carried by Mr. Kitahara, who devoted himself to the revival of Hokkemichi (the path of the Buddhist priest).

Decapitated Water

This is a story from the Edo period. Legend has it that a gold magistrate of the Takato clan was beheaded by bandits when he tried to drink the spring water here. In any case, it can be said that people used to come and go here frequently in the past.

Hotoke-daira Pass

This is the boundary between Ina City and Fujimi Town, and is located beside the trail to the decapitated water of Mt. Nyukasa-yama. It is said that the Hokkemichi Road was connected from east to west from here. The southern foot of Mt. Nyukasa-yama is the land of Irikasa Ranch, but there is no trace, including the forest road on the Fujimi side of the mountain.

Ruins of Sansho Hut

Ruins of an old shelter hut. It is thought to have been a shelter for wayfarers, rather than a hut for climbers.

Habaki-ate

A shinbakin, or shin guard, was wrapped around the shin and tied with a string to make it easier to move when traveling or working.

Umayano-taira

It is said that during the Warring States Period, the horses of Takeda’s cavalry army rested here, and later related items were found. Indeed, a slightly wider flat area can be seen.

Jiji-baba no Ishi

This stone was considered a guardian stone for travelers, and it seems that people prayed for the safety of their journey by piling up stones like a cairn.

Rains of Monzeki Yashiki

It is said that this area used to be a hunting ground for the Suwa Shrine, and as a connection to this area, six houses with magnificent gates were built, which is said to have started the village.

Ryu-tachiba

In this area, hunters are called “Ryu” (dragon), and the hunting ground was called “Ryu-jyutai” (dragon stand).

Manto

Manto” is the name of a place where Shingen, when he attacked Takato Castle, held up many torches and marched on the castle, which made him look like an army of 10,000 cavalrymen, and the people of Shibira were afraid of him.

Suwa Shrine

According to records, the Suwa Shrine was dedicated in the late Heian period (794-1185), which reminds us of the long history of Shibira village.

Hokkemichi Monument

Mr. Kitahara and other local people have devoted themselves to the revival of Hokkemichi, and Ina City has officially designated Hokkemichi as an ancient road.

Gumyou-ji Temple

This temple is said to have sheltered Prince Muneyoshi during the Nanbokucho Period (1568-1568), built a mansion in the mountains with his followers, and dug a pond. In the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the temple was converted to a Nichiren sect temple by Nichigaku Shonin saint, a priest of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism at Minobusan, but it suffered some disasters during the Warring States period, including being burned down by the forces of Nobunaga Oda. The temple is also known as a golf temple, where a professional golfer went out of his way to pray at the temple and soon after won the championship.

Ensho-ji Temple

This temple is related to Hokkemichi, which was originally a Yakushido built in the early Heian period and was converted to Buddhism by Nichijo Shonin saint, a priest of Nichiren-shu who preached at Koza-iwa during the Muromachi period (1336-1573). The road in front of the temple is Hokkemichi Road, which leads to Akiba Road via Hase. From mid-May, the temple is in its Peony season, which attracts many tourists as the “Peony Temple”.

Hokkemichi Route Information

There seem to be two possible routes from the Ina-Takato side of Hokkemichi, one starting from Shibira along the Yamamuro River and the other from Akasaka, a village a little closer to Takato. Although the Shibira route has more historical sites, there is no clear historical basis for either route. Here we present the route from Akasaka as an ascent and the Shibira route as a descent. There are no technical or physical difficulties, but the route from Akasaka is somewhat unclear in some places, so please proceed with caution and look at a map.

The Hokkemichi route from the Fujimi-cho side on the east side is not clear.
It seems to be due to the fact that the route lost its purpose as a road in the Edo period (1603-1867), when the development of roads between cities progressed and the surrounding villages began to manage their forests. In present-day Fujimi-cho Wakamiya, which is believed to be the entrance to Hokkemichi, there are no historical sites that indicate Hokkemichi as a route, although there are a few traces left along the old Kamakura Road. In Fujimi Town, as in Ina City, the assumed route seems to have been verified, but none of them seem to be certain. Therefore, it cannot be called an ancient Hokkemichi, but please refer to it as an approach route from Fujimi side to Mt. Nyukasa-yama.

●Akasaka Route Mountaineering Data

Technical level: 2
Physical strength level: 4
Difficulty level:★★★

Itinerary: Round trip is 1 night and 2 days; day trip is also possible if you are able to walk.
Walking time: 12.3km　From Akasaka to Irikasashi Farm via Mt. Nyukasa.
Walking distance: 6 hours of climbing
Accumulated elevation gain:+1,146m−443m

Access to trailhead for Hokke-michi/ Mt. Nyugasa-yama

Hokkedo Akasaka Route Akasaka ~ Waterhole ~ Kamba Rock ~ Goshodaira Pass ~ Koza Rock ~ Ohahara Wetland ~ Mt. Irukasa ~ Irukasa Farm

：Mountain Villa Information

Ina Takato Akasaka Parking space

↓ 20 minutes

Tanehira hut

↓ 40 minutes

Water hole 1

↓ 1hour 20 minutes

Water hole 2

↓ 40 minutes

Kamba rock

↓ 10 minutes