Tanigawadake

At the middle of October, I went to Tanigawadake Tenjindaira in Gunma prefecture to view the autumn colors. Mt. Tanigawadake is famous for rock climbing. Unfortunately the autumn colors were not so beautiful. I had to wait 45 minutes for getting on a ropeway. It was no use visiting on weekdays. Everybody thinks alike, doesn’t it? (Though I found it on my way back, this ropeway station had been constructed to respond to a long queue. Long, long winding corridors lead us to an entrance to a platform.) From Tenjindaira, the destination of a ropeway, I headed for Tenjintoge (=pass) by ski lift. Here was a 360ﾟ panoramic view. You have to come to this point, when you visit Tanigawadake. You can take time to enjoy a nice view also at the rooftop observation deck of the lift station. On the day, it was a beautiful day and there were a lot of people to climb Mt. Tanigawadake. There were some clouds at the top of the mountain; its peak would not show up till the last moment. Unlucky!

Actually this was the third time to visit Tenjindaira. More than ten years ago I ventured to climb Mt. Tanigawadage with my friends. We stayed at a minshuku (=private home providing room and board) and enjoyed a hot spring managed by a town. The next day we started climbing. We were so tired after walking tiresomely long paths along the river and the route of the climb was muddy because of the previous day’s rain. Courageous retreat was unanimously decided before the summit. We arrived at Tenjindaira in a little distress and got on a ropeway. How beautiful the autumn colors of leaves were! How wonderful yellow leaves and red leaves, though not many, looked best in bright sunshine. We did not feel in the least that the ropeway fare of 950 yen was expensive.

That impression was so intense that I visited again five years ago to take pictures. This time the weather turned bad, there were some rain and wind. When I was taking pictures at Tenjindaira, I dropped my contact lens. There was a drain ditch when I looked down. I searched the lens with my poor eyesight, but I could not find it. So, the third time was a sort of revenge. It might be a little early for the best season. My challenge has not been completed…..

Home-made cold tofu and a one-pot dish cooked at the table served at the minshuku were very delicious. This one-pot dish was very simple; pork back ribs, thin green onion, and Flammulina veluptipes were boiled in a soy sauce soup. This cuisine was added to my recipe later.

(Mt. Tanigawadake)

(View from Tenjintoge)

(On the Lift)