Fukuroda

A very warm new year wishes to everyone. Hope the new year is treating you well.

This is the first announcement of the hike around Fukuroda Falls on January 24 2015. This is a train based hike with the boarding station as Arakawaoki. The timings are as follows:

Tsukuba Centre ----> Arakawaoki Station 7:15a.m ----> 7:45a.m
(Bus from Tsukuba Centre Stand number 4)

Arakawaoki Station ----> Mito (Joban Line) 8:01a.m ----> 9:02 a.m.

Mito ----> Fukuroda (Suigun Line) 9:22a.m ----> 10:31 a.m.

The plan is to start the hike from Fukuroda station and then head to Fukuroda-no-taki. From there climb up the steep steps to Namase Waterfalls and then take the trail visiting a beautiful shrine atop the hill (Tsukiore Kannon-do Hall) and then heading back to the station after a relaxing onsen trip.

Onsen (http://www.fukuroda-foods.com/hotspring/index.html)

Cost Estimate: 3880 (train return) + 900(bus return) + 300 (club fee) + 700 (onsen ??) + Food

To Bring:

1. Usual winter hiking gear + proper warm layers including hat, gloves and scarf, etc
2. Lunch box + Snacks
3. Hot/ Cold drinks
4. Onsen kit

Looking forward to another great TWMC hike.

Overall hiking time and distance: 5 hours /~10k

So here goes the report.

In all there were 10 of us including Miu Chan for this hike. 6 of us set off from Tsukuba centre catching the 7:15 a.m bus to Arakawaoki Station. At 8:01a.m we boarded the JR Joban line to Mito transfering to Suigun Line from Mito towards Fukuroda. 2 others caught up with us at Hitachi-Omiya Station and the other two at Fukuroda Station.

The weather was unbelievably good for January with low winds and ample sunshine. We set off walking along the road leading to Fukuroda no taki from Fukuroda station. Rather than just walk to the waterfalls, we decided to take a winding route uphill to burn down a few (more) calories. At a junction along the uphill course, there was a option for a less strenuous trail. Miyuki and Miu-chan took that shortcut, planning to meet us at the waterfalls. Rest of the group was up for a challenge. 8 of us head towards the uphill trail that winded past Tsukiore Kannon temple atop a hill with a view of the snow covered peaks (Nasu/ Nikko). The next bit involved steep contour first uphill and then all the way downhill leading to Namase Waterfalls viewing point. On the way downhill we were greeted by Miyuki and Miu-chan (who decided to climb up the stairs to meet us enroute). The rest of the trail was walking down the steep set of stairs and then onto Fukuroda no-taki.

The hike also involved the touristy bit of walking inside a concrete tunnel and seeing the waterfalls from the observation deck (entry = 300 yen). After the (not frozen) waterfalls the next part was onsen. Miyuki and Miu chan decided to skip onsen and take the bus to the station to catch an earlier train. Rest of the group set off for next part of the hike towards the onsen which was around an hour’s hike away from the waterfalls but forming a loop trail leading to the Fukuroda station. At 3:00p.m we were at the onset (http://www.fukuroda-foods.com/hotspring/index.html). Anja, Monica and Yumi(white) decided to skip the onsen and catch earlier train. Five of us went into the onsen with a plan of catching the 4:46pm train from Fukuroda station. However, a relaxed onsen time and the sight of tempting good food meant we took the 5:53pm train back from Fukuroda station after a sumptuous meal. All of us were back in Tsukuba by around 9:00p.m.

Thanks a lot for joining the hike. It was a wonderful hike with excellent weather and lovely TWMC bunch. Please enjoy the pics and share your pics too. Also included in the photos folder is the route map of the hike and two pics of the waterfalls. (For those who didn't believe me when I said the waterfalls was semi frozen in late December, And guys it isn't Photoshoped!!!)