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Over Mikuni Pass: Snow and history
A small stone pagoda in front of the Osaka Sanja Shrine. 99.12.19/ Temperature: 0C/ Weather: Partly cloudy/ Wind Direction: NW
Start: Naeba 36 47 55 N 138 46 41 E Destination: Sarugakyo Hot Spring 36 44 07 N 138 53 27 E
Distance Traveled: 18 km (plus 2 in the wrong direction)Mikuni Pass, or Three Countries' Pass, is so named because it lies on the border of the former countries of Kouzuke (now Gunma Prefecture), Shinano (now Nagano Prefecture, and Echigo (now Nigata Prefecture). Avoiding the new highway which has barreled its way through many of the Nigata mountains, I took the opportunity to travel over the old mountain pass.
I paused at the entrance of the tunnel weighing the dangers of walking through a narrow two-mile tunnel against the dangers of walking solo over a snow-covered winter mountain. Reading the weather, judging my physical condition, and having faith in previous mountain experience, I chose to take the 8 kilometer trek up and over the historical pass. As I climbed close to 200 meters over highway 17 I could see the edge of the ski resort town of Yuzawa from which I had come. Ski slopes whitened the hillsides. Large hotels with sparkling windows stood high up against the mountainside. It was quite a contrast to the tree-filled forest, which would soon lead me up to the historical Mikuni Pass.
Step by step I dug my boots deep into the snow along the path. Rabbit and deer tracks were sprinkled here and there along the blanket of soft white snow. Atop the mountain pass was the Osaka Sanja Shrine, a shrine erected to worship shrines from the three countries which formerly surrounded Mikuni Pass. For hundreds of years people have passed by this shrine for various reasons.
The snowless view of Gunma Prefecture from Mikuni Pass Route. Mikuni Pass was formerly an indispensable route for Daimyos (feudal lords) traveling to Tokyo, an important trade route, and a gateway between the Kanto and Shinetsu sides of Japan. There are remnants of the past all along the route. Tombstones of those who passed away on the route, stone pagodas, and the Nagai Bed and Breakfast at the foot of the mountains in Gunma Prefecture all gave me a slight taste of the history of the route.
I trekked through the snow thinking of how strong those who used to travel this route must have been. Had I passed through the tunnel I would have been in Gunma within 25 minutes. The mountain pass kept me trudging through the snow for an hour and a half to the prefectural border and another two and a half hours to Nagai.
If you look closely you can see animal tracks in the snow-filled Mikuni Pass Route. Busy highway 17 could not match the silence and peacefulness of the mountains. The bright snow of Nigata was almost blinding throughout the day. As I approached the descent into Nagai, the snowless valley and mountains of Niharu Village relaxed my sun-strained and windblown eyes. As soon as the snow had hit me back in Sumon Village, the snow had disappeared. It is not likely that snow and I shall meet again on the way to Tokyo.
Tokyo seems much closer as I have passed over the mountains and into the Kanto Region.
Greg
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