Family hike Amabiki

Information:

Hello Everyone!

The Sakura season is about to begin this year! While it lasts, let's have a pleasant easy walk. As announced in the schedule, I plan to organize one on April 9 (Saturday).

Let me begin by repeating that the family hike is an easy and leisurely hike for all abilities - with nice views! It is a real hike, yet light enough for all ages.Everyone is recommended to join this walk (you don't necessarily need to be married or have children). But people with children are encouraged to come, as well as with parents, in-laws or friends.

This time we will climb Amabiki-san (409m) from Amabiki temple (~150m). Amabiki temple dates back to 588AD, has a large compound where peacocks roam. We expect to see peacocks among Sakura blooms.

Where and when to meet: April 9 (Saturday) 8:30 AM at the Tsukuba station short time parking. This parking allows only up to 20 min. of free parking, so be there before 8:30 AM.

Plan: We arrive at Amabiki temple at about 9:30AM, look around and maybe have a coffee. Start walking at about 10:30AM. Have lunch at the top at about noon. Start walking down to the temple ~2 PM. Watch temple activities and ceremonies. Head back to Tsukuba between 4 and 5 PM.
We should be back to Tsukuba by 5:00PM in the afternoon.

Clothing according to weather, and rain protection (in case).
Walking or hiking shoes.

What to bring: a lunch box and drinks (water/ juice/ cha).

Fees: Children and drivers are exempt from club fee of 300 yen.

Transport: We will use car pooling. Let me know if you are coming by car.

I am pleased to report that we came back after Family hike to Amabiki temple and Amabiki-san safely and happily yesterday.

It was a very nice weather yesterday, with clear skies and diffused sunshine. We 41 participants, including 7 children aged 2 to 9 years old, set out in 8 cars at 8:45 from Tsukuba station parking yesterday. We were a truly international groups from several continents (thanks in part to Quimpo-sensei (Nathan)), some quite new to Japan (two just arrived two days earlier).

We spent about an hour looking around and relaxing in the temple compound. It was crowded in the otherwise quite temple compound, with some kind of festival going on. We saw many families coming to with newborns and children to take part in the prayers. Beautiful Sakura was in full bloom, but we didn't see any peacocks roaming (I hear they were put in a cage).

We left the temple for the walk up, at about 10:30. It was quite a good exercise. We were on the top well before noon, where we all had lunch and engaged in interesting conversations with each other, until it started feeling cold at about 1:30 PM. We started to walk back at about 1:40. On the way down, many of us decided to take the shortcut down to the temple. And discovered that it was disappointingly short!

We again lazed around in the temple compound, which was still full of activities, had a group picture, and left for Tsukuba at about 3 or 3:30PM.

I thank all the participants for their participation and helpfulness, making the trip smooth and enjoyable. I especially thank all the car owners/drivers (Yuji, Yumiko, Ryoko, Kotaro, Yoshi, Mitsuko and Masa) without whom this would not have been possible (and thank Aki for the child seats).

I will put up an album of pictures when I have sorted out all the pictures (look out on the TWMC Facebook page (Groups twmc.tsukuba)).