There are some exciting day and weekend trips planned for Winter/Spring 2017! The excursions are open to faculty, staff and students alike. This is a great opportunity for the ISAK community to explore Japanese culture, see some of the beautiful sites in the surrounding area, and get off campus for an outdoor adventure. The 2017 Winter/Spring schedule includes the following trips:
January 29 – Sengataki waterfall & Hoshino Onsen
An easy but lengthy snowshoe walk past the frozen Sengataki waterfall finishing at Hoshino Onsen. The hike takes approximately 5 hours and can be completed by a wide ability range.
February 11 – Yunomaru
There are several options available for this outing, including easy and demanding trails in the Yunomaru area, including the option to camp overnight. Students who wish to ski instead of snowshoe can come along for a half day of skiing at the local ski resort.
March 18th-19th Togakushi
A highland ninja village, the Togakushi has five beautiful shrines with easy snowshoe and cross country ski routes linking them. There is also a more challenging ascent of Iizunayama available. The Togakushi ski resort is a small and challenging area for skiers who wish to pay for a half day on the slopes and the bottom of the slopes are near a small onsen and the area’s main shrine. Overnight camping is an option.
April 22 – Myogisan & Sakura Park
Easy hiking routes at Myogi provide stunning views of rock arches and vertiginous peaks. There is a large sakura (cherry blossom) park, which is a very enjoyable spot to spend a long day in. The blossoms at the Myogi shrine are stunning!
