Venturing to 'White Boy Mountain'
A weekend of snowy mountains
Kia ora Koutou, Tim Bunting, Kiwi Yamabushi here on the Japan you never knew you wanted to know.
Yesterday, my good friend Peeter joined as we attempted climbing Shirotaro-yama in Oguni-Machi in the southern Okitama region of Yamagata, my first for the region, in an event run by Yamagata Arcadia Tourism Bureau.
The guide was a really cool Swiss fellow by the name of Cédric Blattner who offers a huge range of nature-based activities in these parts. If you’re looking for a Japan mountain experience (besides yamabushi of course), definitely head his way!
Shirotaro-yama has a very odd name, literally ‘white boy mountain’. I asked Cédric why at the start, and he told me to think about it once we were climbing. In other words, I haven’t found a definitive reason. I’ve looked elsewhere but couldn't find anything, will have to keep searching for you!
I’m not sure who the white boy is, it could be me, it could be Cédric, it could be Peeter, or it could be some other poor soul who got stuck on the mountain. Either way, it’s probably simply because the mountain is extremely snowy.
In fact, the snow is the only reason you can climb it. During the warmer months, the bush on Shirotaro-yama is too thick. It would probably take a flamethrower to be able to carve yourself out a trail.
Or you can just wait for the snow to fall.
Which it did.
Like this:
I’ll be writing a proper article on this mountain, including why we couldn't reach the summit, at a later date so stay tuned!
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Ka kite ano.
Tim.