This section deals with the crags passed along or accessed from the Kamoshika Hiking Course leading from the top campsite to Karasawa Waterfall. These are hard to work out from the campsite. The most prominent is Toride Iwa, the steep, east-facing curtain of rock set high on the slope.
Incidentally, the signs on the path exaggerate the time it takes to get to the waterfall. 35 minutes should do it.
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Ojisan Iwa - Uncle Rock
The crag on the right of the path to the waterfall, visible just after you cross back over the (almost always) dry stream about 250m up from the Panorama Course junction. The crag remains green and murky despite the felling of many trees in the area.
The word "iwatake" in a couple of the route names refers to the black, leafy lichen that is found on sheltered lumps of rock such as this. It appears to be called "rock tripe" in English.
| Hyper Kante - Hyper Arete | 5.12a | 12m |
| A rather pointless route up the right side of the right arete. | ||
| Start just right of Iwatake Ojisan. Pull up to the arete and follow it rightwards up the gully to a lower-off. | ||
| Iwatake Jiisan - Grandpa Fungus | 5.10c** | 14m |
| Pleasant climbing up the central line on the front of the buttress. The second clip is quite bold. | ||
| Start at the toe of the slab and follow the front rib to a drop in angle. Step left and smear with difficulty to a ledge. Finish between vegetated cracks at a tree and lower-off. | ||
| Iwatake Ojisan - Uncle Fungus | 5.10a* | 13m |
| Not-so-pleasant deviations give a much easier route that requires a steady lead. Friends 2-3 also help. | ||
| Start up the slope to the left. Climb diagonally right to join Iwatake Jiisan at its second bolt. Go up and right to a flake, then back left into Iwatake Jiisan to finish. | ||
| Midori Hime - Green Princess | 5.10a** | 12m |
| The left arete of the slab is much more pleasant than it looks. | ||
| Start as for Iwatake Ojisan. Climb the blunt arete direct via some fun moves. Step right to join Iwatake Jiisan at the top. | ||
| Kinoko Hime - Mushroom Princess | 5.8 | 10m |
| A waste of our time up the lush slab left of Midori Hime. This must be what it is like to climb a stack of disintegrating snooker tables. | ||
| Pull out of the gully to a jug, stretch left to clip then scrabble for holds to a ledge as for Iwatake Ojisan. If you can reach the top slab (left of the crack) climb this, otherwise, step right to join Iwatake Jiisan at the top. | ||
Cliché Crag
I gave the crag a name because it didn't have one. In the latest (2001) Japanese guide, this is called Noren Iwa, with the words 'provisionary name' in brackets. A short way along the path to the waterfall from Ojisan Iwa, break off right up the slope just left of Ojisan Iwa. About 50m up here on the left a house-sized (where I come from) crag is visible on the left. This is Cliché Crag.
| Oni ni Kanabou - Safe as Houses | 5.10c | 15m |
| The bulging, juggy lefthand line. Atrocious rock. | ||
| Start on the right. Climb the short lower wall to swing left below the bulging section. This is easier than it looks, but still "exciting". Continue to a badly placed lower-off. | ||
| Neko ni Koban - Pearls Before Swine | 5.10a* | 15m |
| The steep righthand face. | ||
| Climb the attractive but short face on good holds to a lower-off. The rock is good, but the proximity of loose stuff keeps you on your toes. | ||
Kabuto Iwa - Helmet Rock
Approach by skirting Ojisan Iwa on its left. A vague path can still just be made out. Follow this up the deteriorating slope for 150m. Kabuto Iwa is the only decent crag on this slope, so you shouldn't miss it. Well...
You can also cut up and across on a no-path from Cliché Crag. Last time I looked (August 2010), there were bolts but no tat for the lower-offs. All the rock and route names have a connection with the boys' festival (in May).
| Koi Nobori - Carp Streamers | 5.11c* | 18m |
| The bulging line up the steep left face. Take a rack | ||
| Start at the right edge of the big overhang on the left face (well up the gully on the left).limb through bulges on crumbly holds to a good flake. Continue on jugs to a slab and on to a lower-off. 10c if you use some holds that you're not supposed to use. | ||
| XXX | 5.9 | 8m |
| A waste of good bolts up the short rib on the narrow front face. | ||
| Start by swinging up to a good pedestal at the foot of the rib. Climb the narrowing slab easily to twin bolts (no tat). I think you're not supposed to touch the cracks on either side. | ||
| Yoroi - Armour | 5.10c | 11m |
| A top-rope problem. | ||
| Climb the short capped corner at the left end of the right face then pull onto the rib on the left and continue to the twin bolts on the previous route. It is easier and more pleasant to start up the face just right. | ||
| Sekku - Annual Festival | 5.9** | 10m |
| The right face. Worthwhile. | ||
| Start a few metres up the slope from Yoroi. Climb the black slab pleasantly past the pretty-coloured bolts to the twin bolts (no tat). | ||
| Satsuki - May | 5.10d* | 16m |
| The bolted face and slab up and right. The hard moves can easily be avoided on the left and, combined with a clean-up, that would make a pleasant 10a. | ||
| Start on a ledge left of a jungle in a corner. make a hard pull up past an obvious white pocket to better holds that include a weird and wonderful little knob. From here, climb the slab easily to a lower-off at the top (bolts but no tat). | ||
| Tsutsuji - Azalea | 5.7 | 15m |
| A top-rope problem right of Satsuki. You could probably protect it if you could find the crack! | ||
| Start at a corner just right of Satsuki. Climb the dirty corner to a dirty slab. Follow this less than pleasantly to the top. | ||
Lost World
An atmospheric slab hidden away in the woods right of Hotoke Iwa. Rarely sought and almost never found. Blowtorch and/or sandblaster obligatory for routes besides Zuino.
Follow the path to the waterfall. About 200m past the boulder and turning for the Panorama course you come to a sign that says 500m to the waterfall. This is just after a wide stream (if there's any water) and opposite Ojisan Iwa. A smaller path cuts back left at the sign. Follow this back across the main stream to a small stream coming down a steep-sided valley on the right. The steep wall high on the left contains Rolling Stone. Follow the stream itself (there was still some red and yellow tape and a few small cairns in 2001) for about 200m to the toe of a mossy slab. The Lost World slab is round to the left of this.
| Zuino | 5.11b***** | 20m |
| My favourite. Superb technical climbing up the disappearing dike on the right of the crag. The best of the dike trio (Noizu, Zuino, Noizuino) and well worth seeking out. | ||
| Pleasant climbing past spaced bolts up the dike leads to a point where the dike becomes a single quartz knob. Make a devilish move to stand on the knob and, just when you think it's all over, it isn't. A slippery semi-mantel followed by a dodgy smear brings the lower-off within reach. | ||
| Funny Face | 5.11b | 20m |
| Somewhere under the lichen to the left is a line of bolts. | ||
| Climb and regret. | ||
| Tajan III -Tarzan III | 5.10b | 20m |
| The next weakness along. | ||
| Climb and regret. | ||
| Groovy Groove | 5.11b | 20m |
| The groove finishing at a dike. | ||
| Climb and regret. | ||
The next route is usually found by lost souls looking for Lost World. From the path that cuts back, cross the small stream coming down the steep-sided valley on the right and head for the steep walls straight ahead. Towards the left end of these is an obvious, steep, thin crack. Some new bolt lines were added in 2007, details to come. The crack is:
| Rolling Stone | 5.12c*** | 15m |
| Worth another star if clean. The gear is good, but hard to place. | ||
| Climb the crack all the way to a lower-off under a small roof. Painful and strenuous however much technique you put into it. | ||
Sendou Iwa - Meditation Rock
The luminous slabs by the stream below Pocket Mantel. Not worth a visit, unless you've got a thing about moss. I paid a visit once, but not much attention, so treat the entries with caution.
Follow the hiking course past Pocket Mantel. Where a log bridge crosses a small stream, drop down and follow it (the stream) down to the big stream to a big ugly rock on the right. I think this is it.
| Hidari Ue Crack - Upper Left Crack | 5.11a | 15m |
| Take a rack. | ||
| After a visit to your local gardening centre, find and climb the crack up and round to the right (?) of the front face. | ||
| Shiki - The Four Seasons | 5.7 | 15m |
| The hideous cleft on the front of the buttress. | ||
| Climb and regret. | ||
| ShunKaShuuTou - Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter | 5.10a | 15m |
| The crack breaking left from the hideous cleft. | ||
| Climb and regret. | ||
| Green Pepper | 5.11c | 18m |
| Once a bit of a classic. Not anymore. | ||
| Climb the wandering bolted line up the dirty slab round to the left. | ||
Genki ga Deru Slab - Feelgood Slab
The tapering slab in the woods opposite Pocket Mantel.
Follow the hiking course past Pocket Mantel. Where a log bridge crosses a small stream, drop down and follow it (the stream) down to the big stream. Confused? Don't worry, you're not lost yet. Just past a big ugly rock on the right (Sendou Iwa), a stream runs down from the right. Look up and slightly left to see the foot of Genki ga Deru Slab about 70m up the slope. There used to be a path dropping down from the left edge of the Pocket Mantel crags to the main stream, then heading straight up the opposite bank. You're welcome to try.
| Rollcake | 5.9 | 15m |
| The fissure that bounds the slab on the left. The grade assumes the route is clean and dry. Which it isn't. | ||
| Swim up the crack then follow a line rightwards into Water Chute. Move up the crack a couple of metres to a lower-off. | ||
| Water Chute | 5.11a** | 25m |
| The central line. Worth an extra star if clean and dry. Quite bold, too. Take some medium Friends for the cracks in the dike. | ||
| Climb direct to the second bolt. From here, step right then smear up and mantel onto the dike. Smear up again, then move up and right to the crack (possible belay). Move up, then back into the centre of the slab, crux. Continue to a lower-off. | ||
Toride Iwa - The Fortress
The big wall set back in the valley and high on the hillside provides some excellent steep slab-, face- and crack-climbing. Some of the routes are rarely climbed and can be quite dirty. 2001/2002 saw a lot of development in this area across to the left of Shinrin Escalator. And some of the routes are very good. I'll get the info up as soon as I've worked out what day it is.
Follow the Kamoshika Hiking Course towards the waterfall. About 5 minutes after Ojisan Iwa, where the path fords a stream with the help of a DIY bridge, follow a smaller path upstream on the right of the stream, eventually breaking off uphill. There is a signpost on a tree stump by the stream. The path winds up past some boulders into a hollow. The face on the right has an attractive bolted line (Shirakaba) right of a flake. The chimney in front of you is the start of Arch Crack. The path right of the chimney leads up steeply in 5 minutes to Toride Iwa itself. The path leading left under the crags leads across to Ogawayama Shantse etc. The path cutting left as soon as you step into the hollow leads to the new area. The more popular established routes in this area have little green name tags at or near their base, which is useful if you can read Japanese. Even if you don't, the grades on the tags might give you a hint.
The photo below shows the Toride rocks seen face on. Roll your mouse over it to see crag names. Click a name to jump to the crag description.
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Toride Iwa - Lower Crags
A couple of long slender crags sit under Toride Iwa. These have been construed as supporting legs of the main crag. There are other smaller crags dotted around the woods in this area. The first of interest is just below and right of where the path splits.
| Ocean Blue | 5.10a* | 15m |
| The steep flake on the left of the crag. Take a rack. | ||
| Gain the flake and follow it to its end. Continue up then move right to finish. | ||
| Shirakaba - Silver Birch | 5.11b** | 15m |
| A good steep face climb right of Ocean Blue. | ||
| Start a couple of metres right of Ocean Blue and climb direct to finish up it. | ||
Higashi Mon, Migi no Monbashira - East Gate, Right Pillar
An impressive crackline gives the only route. To get a better idea of where you'll be going, it's best to walk across to Ogawayama Shantse then look back. The line itself is obvious.
| Arch Crack | 5.10a** | 65m |
| The big crackline slanting to the left eats Friends. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.7 Climb the recessed chimney above the hollow to a flake. Up this to a tree belay. Pitch 2. 5.10a Pull up to a continuation flake and follow this somewhat painfully to a ledge. Belay by a chimney. Pitch 3. 5.9 Climb the chimney then go left to an off-width. Thrutch to the top. Climb down over the back to the bay below Toride Iwa. There are a couple of fixed ropes. | ||
Higashi Mon, Hidari no Monbashira - East Gate, Left Pillar
From the hollow, follow a path left past a cleft. Continue up and round to the obvious twin slabs of Ogawayama Shantse and Shinrin Escalator. The routes are described from left to right.
| Kaichuu Elevator - Underwater Elevator | 5.8** | 20m |
| Good fun in the chimney up and left of the smaller lefthand slab. Take gear. | ||
| Burrow up the chimney past a convenient tree to a bolt. Thrutch past this to enter a tunnel on the right, then funnel up and right to the ridge between the two slabs. If you funnel down, you'll fall down Morocco Crack. Climb pitch 2 of Ogawayama Shantse to round things off nicely. I'll even give you an extra star. | ||
| Shinrin Escalator - Forest Escalator | 5.10c*** | 40m |
| The centre of the lefthand slab. Excellent. | ||
| A choice of starts (right is easier and original, but someone's nicked the hanger off the bolt) leads to a dike. Easier climbing leads to an insecure mantel onto a vague dike, after which lovely sustained slabbing leads to the top. If you have two ropes and need to clean the route, ab the route. You can ab between the two pillars with a single rope (from the ledge at the top of Ogawayama Shantse). But the best option is to climb pitch 2 of Ogawayama Shantse. | ||
| Morocco Crack | 5.10a** | 16m |
| The crack in the right side of the smaller lefthand slab has a bizarre finish. Take lots of bigs. According to the tag, it's not called Morocco Crack anymore, but I can't remember the new name. | ||
| The crack starts off jammable, but keeps getting wider. Dive into the slot at the top and finish up the tunnel of Kaichuu Elevator. | ||
| Ogawayama Shantse - Ogawayama Shanty (?) | 5.11c**** | 80m |
| The centre of the righthand slab. Superb. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.11c Climb the mossy left edge of the slab to a dike. Traverse right to a crack, move up and back left (crux), then climb direct to a bolt belay on a good ledge. You can ab down to the gully between the slabs from here (20m). Pitch 2. 5.9 Climb the centre of the easier-angled slab above the belay to a crack. Steeply up this past a tree to the top. Ditherers such as myself will have brought some medium Friends for this. The bold are happy with a sling on the tree. Climb down over the back to the bay below Toride Iwa. | ||
| Sekisho Yaburi - Breaking Barriers | 5.12a* | 15m |
| The crack in the right side of the righthand slab. An excellent line, but it will need a clean-up. | ||
| Climb the crack to a lower-off. "5.11d if you use the chockstone." Indeed. | ||
Toride Iwa - New Areas
Charlie Chainsaw and the Demons of Hilti have wreaked serial havoc on two tiers of rock across to the left of Ogawayama Shantse etc. Although very close to the Ogawayama Shantse routes, there is no path across at that level, although you can get across. The usual approach is to take the path leading immediately back left as you climb round the big boulders into the basin below Arch Crack. In summer 2003, this path is clearly marked with dark yellow tape. The path leads quickly into a usually dry stream - continue left to the Lower Tier, or scramble up the stream and left to the Upper Tier.
At present there is a topo for the Lower Tier in a biscuit tin under the bulge at the bottom of Shuugyouzou. Upper Tier details have not been released yet, perhaps due to shame at the amount of damage caused, but more likely because there is more to come.
The New Area - Lower Tier
Routes are described from Right to left. Some of these are already in the last guide.
| Tsukamitakunaru - I Want to Grab it | 5.10c** | 9m |
| The face above an easy slab at the right end of the rocks. I think 'it' is the small tree right of the lower-off. Personally I have nothing against trees on or near routes, unlike the people who developed this area. | ||
| Climb easily to the face. Pull up the flake and mantel steeply. Mantel more delicately to just below the top. Pull on the tree on the right or make a delicate step up to the lower-off. | ||
| XXX | 5.12c* | 7m |
| The next face left, gained by pulling up a short fixed rope. | ||
| Climb the short face - a lot harder than it looks. | ||
| Buyuuden - Tale of Valour | 5.13a*** | 18m |
| The big looping line on the sidewall to the left of XXX. | ||
| Start as for XXX, but pull onto the face on the left. Go up to a thin overlap and follow this left. Pull up, then go right and up to a lower-off. | ||
| Bintaman - Slaphead | 5.13a*** | 17m |
| The stupendous line through the left side of the big hang. | ||
| Start in the centre of the face. Move up and pull out left, almost into Kanzen Naru Shuuran. Pull through the roof using a prominent hole and a good hold on the lip on the left. Continue more easily to a lower-off and in situ bunch of bananas. | ||
| Kanzen Naru Shuuran - Pissed as a Newt | 5.10c** | 18m |
| The hideous cleft just left might remind me of Elder Crack if I ever do either. | ||
| Climb the wide crack all the way. There are bolts here and there, otherwise protection depends on how many monster Friends you can afford. | ||
| Shuugyouzou - Ascetic Monk | 5.12c** | 22m |
| The steep slender face just left of Kanzen Naru Shuuran. | ||
| Start in the undercut centre of the face. Pull up on dodgy rock to a rest above the undercut. Step right to a shallow groove, climb it, and finish in the centre of the face. 12a if you dip into Kanzen Naru Shuuran for holds. | ||
| Icchoura - Best Bib and Tucker | 5.12c**** | 22m |
| Good varied climbing on a cracking line. Take Friends 2-3. | ||
| Start next to Shuugyouzou. Pull steeply up the lower arete before a technical sequence gets you in position to swing left to a hanging flake. Sprint up this to easy ground and a lower-off. | ||
| Tokage no You ni - Like a Lizard | 5.11b** | 25m |
| The long slim slab left again. Take Friends 2-3. | ||
| Start on a small terrace below an overlap. Pick any line up the slab past a short crack to a lower-off. | ||
| Hanami Mushi - Hanami Insect | 5.10c* | 15m |
| Hanami is the word for watching the cherry blossoms in April. They don't do much. Take a rack. | ||
| Climb the first prominent slanting wide crack in the cruddier face left of Tokage no You ni to a lower-off in a tree. Painful and insecure. | ||
| Banzai Jam | 5.10c** | 17m |
| The less cleft-like crack left again. Take a rack. | ||
| Climb the crack to a lower-off in the face. Marginally more fun that its neighbour - but that doesn't mean it's fun. | ||
| Noboru Saitama-ken Jin - The Climber from Saitama | 5.12b*** | 22m |
| Good climbing up the big arete a few metres left of Banzai Jam. Take a couple of big Friends (4ish). | ||
| Start right of the arete and climb left, right and both of it to where the angle eases. Finish at a lower-off in the slab. | ||
| Matsutake Fuumi - Matsutake Flavour | 5.11c* | 18m |
| The slim face left of an ugly wide crack. | ||
| Climb the centre of the scruffy face. Sustained low down and in need of a proper brush-up. | ||
| Unnamed | 5.10a* | 12m |
| The grotty face left of another unclimbed cleft. | ||
| Climb the face, starting well to the right and moving left of the boltline at the second bolt. Nice moves once you get going, but poor rock. | ||
| Kaminari Tarou - Johnny Thunder | 5.10d** | 40m |
| The long face starting a few metres left of Unnamed. A third pitch is under construction. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.10c Start right of a big bulge. After a steep start, easier moves lead up and right to a short corner. Climb this then go diagonally left across a stiff slab to the left edge of an overhang. Pull over and climb easily to a bolt belay. Pitch 2. 5.10d Climb the pretty much direct continuation boltline. Ab off. | ||
| Nanden Kanden - XXX | 5.11a* | 12m |
| The grotty, shrouded face 20m left. Needs more cleaning. | ||
| Climb the face, with hard moves at its steepest point, to easier dirty climbing to a lower-off. | ||
The New Area - Upper Tier
From the approach to Tsukamitakunaru, continue straight up the stream, mainly on the right and using fixed ropes here and there. Below the first substantial face, cross the stream and go up into a clearing containing the evidence of serial chainsaw crime.
INCOMPLETEToride Iwa - Upper Crags
The big wall rising from the hillside contains a lot of unjustifiably neglected routes.
Follow the path right of the start to Arch Crack steeply up to a cramped bay below a towering wall. And mind your head on that rock fang. Routes are described from wayyyy over left to right, but to give you some bearings, the fang of rock is between the starts of Mitsurin no Madonna and Western Lariat.
Toride Iwa - Left End
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| Heiwa no Rouen - Rocket of Peace | 5.10c* | 45m |
| The hand/offwidth crack at the extreme left of the crag. Challenging, shall we say? Take a bucketful of Friends. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.10c Start on a ledge up the gully on the left. Climb the crack through several metamorphoses, all of them unpleasant, to a belay. Pitch 2. 5.10c Climb the continuation offwidth. Ab off. | ||
| Yarii! Naginataa - Spear! Halberd | 5.11c* | 30m |
| Well I don't know what that means. A tough slab pitch on dirty rock. Rarely climbed. Take Friends 2-3 for the start. | ||
| Climb direct past flakes to the first bolt. Move left and up to bisect the traverse of Kakushi Toride no San Akunin, then make hard moves past a flake to a lower-off. Optional second pitch up the wall and slab behind the belay. | ||
| Kakushi Toride no San Akunin - The Hidden Fortress | 5.10d* | 25m |
| A varied pitch, but lacking something. Quality, perhaps. Take a rack. | ||
| Climb the slab to a corner to an overhang. Traverse left under this to a flake. Continue left by a hard move past Yarii! Naginataa, then step off the crag onto a ledge with a meaty tree. Ab off. | ||
| Tobidase Seishun - Go for It, Youth | 5.10a | 70m |
| The big corner-crack-cum-chimney gets better with height. Unfortunately, that's not saying much. Take a rack and something abnormally big. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.9 Climb the big chimney on the left of the recess to a belay. Pitch 2. 5.10a Ditto. Pitch 3. 5.9 Ditto. | ||
| Chi-lites/Punk | 5.9* | 45m |
| A trying time connecting two chimneys. Take a lot of bigs. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.9 Climb the big chimney in the centre of the recess to a belay. Pitch 2. 5.9 Chi-lites pitch 2 climbs the hideous continuation above the belay, so do Punk instead - move right into a chimney (originally the top pitch of Fighting Mami) and climb this to its top. Ab off a tree if the bolts are as grotty as they used to be. | ||
| Fighting Mami | 5.11a* | 25m |
| Another big dirty crackline. Take a rack. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.11a Join up the less continuous chimneys/wide cracks to the right to a belay. Pitch 2. 5.10a Traverse out right to a handcrack. Climb this to a belay. Ab off or climb an easier continuation pitch to the top. | ||
| Shiberia Tetsudou - Siberian Railway | 5.11a** | 25m |
| A slightly less intimidating crack than its neighbours, though harder than most of them. Take a rack. | ||
| Start at the right end of the recess. Pull steeply into a crack and jam this to easier ground. Climb the bolted flake above and finish on a terrace. Ab off. | ||
Toride Iwa - Centre Right
| Koi no Takinobori - Flying Carp | 5.11b*** | 20m |
| Good fingery climbing up the water-worn face. This can usually be climbed even if there's water streaming down to the left. The name's a pun that doesn't come off in English. | ||
| Climb over easy ground to the foot of the face proper. Make a hard move onto the face and continue by sustained, fingery moves to a lower-off. | ||
| Saku no Kuchibue - The Saku Whistle | 5.10d**** | 70m |
| Two excellent pitches. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.10c Climb over a subsidiary face to reach the face proper (possible belay), then move up and left to a flake (try not to disturb the bats - they've probably been up all night). Continue direct to a small stance and bolt belay. Pitch 2. 5.10d Move up and right to a dike. Pull onto this, then follow a slightly left leading line to the top. Ab off. | ||
| Main Street | 5.11a*** | 75m |
| The striking crack just right of the subsidiary face is becoming vegetated due to lack of traffic. Pity. Take a rack. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.11a Gain the crack from the subsidiary face and follow it past a hard move low down to bolts protecting a kink left. Follow the continuation to a bolt belay on a dike. Pitch 2. 5.10b Climb the slab behind the belay to another dike. Pull into a crack, climb this, then finish more easily rightwards under the tower of Taiyou no Shinden. Climb this or ab off. | ||
| Offroad | 5.11a**** | 72m |
| Superb steep slabbing on the first pitch. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.11a After a steep start, climb easily up to a dike left of a flake. Follow the dike left (crux), then climb direct, passing an overlap, to a bolt belay on a good ledge. A sustained pitch. Pitch 2. 5.10d Make a desperate move onto the slab behind the belay. Follow the left edge of the slab more easily to a bolt belay. Ab off, or climb Taiyou no Shinden. | ||
| Kyoseki Densetsu - The Legend of the Megalith | 5.11a*** | 20m |
| Another cracking steep slab route. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.11a Climb direct right of Offroad to a bolt belay on a small ledge below the main dike. Crux just below the ledge. Pitch 2. 5.10c Pull onto the dike behind the belay. Follow the bolts to a traverse left into Offroad at the top. Ab off, or climb Taiyou no Shinden. | ||
| Taiyou no Shinden - The Temple of the Sun | 5.10d** | 20m |
| A good pitch, not lacking in exposure. Take a rack and go heavy on the bigs. | ||
| Climb the face to a slanting crack. Follow this to a ledge, then move left to another crack. Follow this to the big top. Ab off. | ||
| Apache Crack | 5.10c** | 45m |
| A good crack on the first pitch, but becoming overgrown through lack of use. Take a rack. The top pitch is usually omitted. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.10c Layback the arching crack (crux) to a continuation handcrack. Up this to a belay on a ledge. Pitch 2. 5.10b Climb the easier continuation crack past a kink left and right and a dodgy mantel to a bolt belay. Ab off. | ||
| Just Four Years | 5.11b* | 20m |
| Short and steep. Take a rack. Shouldn't have any trouble reading the green tag for this one. | ||
| Climb disjointed cracks to the right edge of an overhang. Traverse left using a crack overhead and pull round to a lower-off on the right. Originally the route climbed a second pitch up the off-width above the lower-off (5.7). | ||
| Mitsurin no Madonna - Madonna of the Jungle | 5.11a* | 50m |
| The big crack left of the fang needs some big gear. An impressive line, but a bit grotty. | ||
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Pitch 1. 5.11a Climb the crack somewhat unpleasantly to a bolt belay at a dike. Pitch 2. 5.10c Climb the impressive handcrack above and wander left to belay. Ab off, with care. | ||
| Western Lariat | 5.10d* | 20m |
| A disappointing route centred on the intimidating twin cracks above the fang. Take a rack. | ||
| Start right of the fang. Climb over broken ground past a peg to twin cracks. Struggle up these to a belay on the ledge on the right. Ab off or climb Sugar Apple Slab. | ||
| The Arm | 5.11d** | 20m |
| A hard variation on Western Lariat. | ||
| Climb as for Western Lariat, but use only the righthand of the double cracks. Ab off or climb Sugar Apple Slab. | ||
| Sugar Apple Slab | 5.10c** | 50m |
| Take Friends 2-3. A good slab pitch, but... | ||
| First you have to get there. Climb the slab from the top of Western Lariat easily at first to a flake. Crux moves past this lead to easier climbing almost direct to a bolt belay. Ab off. | ||
| Nineteen | 5.11b*** | 35m |
| A good, worrying pitch linking the disjointed cracks left of Jigoku no Mokushiroku. Mostly bolted, but take some medium and big Friends (2 and up). | ||
| Follow the disjointed cracks by some insecure moves as they jink you up and left to a lower-off. | ||
| Jigoku no Mokushiroku - Apocalypse Now | 5.11b**** | 40m |
| An Ogawayama classic and a veritable panic factory. | ||
| Start at a short corner where the path begins to slope up. Climb the corner to a crap bolt. Clip this then drop down and traverse nastily left to the base of a crack. Use this to reach another short crack. Climb this and make a hard move onto the face. Up this to a lower-off. | ||
Toride Iwa - Right End
| Natsu no Owari - The End of Summer | 5.11b* | 30m |
| The slab 10m up and right has some good moves and a bold finish. | ||
| Start just left of where the vegetation is winning. Climb direct to the first bolt, then diagonally left till below a couple of dikes. Mantel these, then finish slightly right to a suspicious tree. | ||
| Gingawa Tetsudou 999 - Silver River Railway 999 | 5.9 | 25m |
| The big flakeline to the right is now filthy. Take a rack. Or a holiday - you probably need one if you're contemplating this. | ||
| Climb the slab to a corner to an overhang. Traverse left to a wide crack. Span this and make a hard move onto the face. Up this to a lower-off. | ||
| Gyakkousen - Shadowline | 5.10a | 25m |
| The line of dirty cracks and corners a few metres up the slope right of Gingawa Tetsudou 999. Take a rack. | ||
| Climb the crack through various degrees of hardness - in terms of both difficulty and rock quality. There's a nasty wide bit (aren't they all) at two-thirds height. Ab off. | ||
| Right End Line | 5.8 | 25m |
| The big flakeline pulling out of the crack just right again goes in three pitches. | ||
|
Pitch 1. 5.7 Climb the crack then pull right into the flake. Climb this and belay at its end. Pitch 2. 5.8 Pull left to a continuation flake and follow this to belay on a ledge below an obvious hand-traverse. Pitch 3. 5.8 Traverse right and pull up to another flake. Climb this for a few metres then go left to belay. Ab off. | ||
| Gambaranakucha - Gotta Go for It | 5.8* | 25m |
| An obvious crack in a face set up and right of Toride Iwa. Very rarely climbed. Take a rack. | ||
| Climb up to the crack and enter it at a chockstone. Climb the crack to its end, then make a couple of slabby moves to the top. Ab off. | ||
Kamoshika Side Rocks
Ten minutes along the Kamoshika Hiking Course after the stream where you turn off for Toride Iwa, the path doglegs right then left under a curtain of rock. This area went without a name for ages and became known by the name of its Number One route, Pocket Mantel. In the latest guide, it is called Kamoshika Side Rocks, which seems fair enough.
Birdwatching Rock
Where you turn left to walk under the main wall, follow the wall right, off the path for 15m past a dirty slab to fixed ropes in a corner. Up these and tree roots to a semi-ledge and good trees. The routes are on the wall on the right (just in case you hadn't noticed).
| Kibitaki - Narcissus Flycatcher | 5.10c*** | 13m |
| A very good crack pitch. Take a rack, no need for the bigs. | ||
| Climb the lefthand crack to a tree. Crux where it thins just before the top. | ||
| Ooruri - Blue and White Flycatcher | 5.8** | 15m |
| Much more enjoyable than it looks! Take a rack. | ||
| Climb the righthand crack to a lower-off right of a perched block. More of a face route than a crack route. | ||
| Bluebird | 5.11c* | 18m |
| A top-rope problem up the face right of Ooruri. It could do with some kind soul bolting it up. | ||
| Start as for Ooruri. Traverse out right low down to the first dike, then mantel three or four times to the top. | ||
| Albatross | 5.11c* | 21m |
| The right arete of the face, climbed mainly on its left. You'll be wanting a rack. | ||
| Start at ground level. Climb the arete past a stubborn bulge to finish airily above the trees. | ||
Meanwhile, back on the dirty slab...
| Ki ni Naru Kante - Anxious Arete | 5.10a | 16m |
| A once pleasant slab now disappearing under lichen. Graded for a clean ascent (clean as in brushed). | ||
| Climb the left edge of the slab past a dirty break to a dike. Finish direct. | ||
| Offside | 5.11b* | 21m |
| Another once pleasant slab now disappearing under lichen. Also graded for a clean ascent. | ||
| Start 3m right of Ki ni Naru Kante on a ledge behind a tree. Climb direct to the first bolt, then up and right to the second (crux). Pull up to a ledge (Washi no Su Terasu - The Eyrie), then climb diagonally left to join Ki ni Naru Kante at the dike. | ||
Pocket Mantel Rocks
Left of Ki ni Naru Kante, the path runs under a curtain of rock. 10m along, the path steps up where the rock sticks out into it.
| Hatsunetsu no Machikado - Busy Street Corner | 5.10b*** | 16m |
| A neat, underrated and often underestimated pitch. Take Friends 2~3. | ||
| Start at the rise in the path, at the left edge of a slim, protruding face with a juggy dike at its foot. Mantel onto the undercut dike, then climb shallow cracks to a good dike. Pull up to the base of a crack and layback this to a lower-off. | ||
| Pocket Mantel | 5.10d**** | 25m |
| An excellent, sustained pitch, high in the grade. Optional Friend 3-ish for the top crack. I haven't seen any details of the line of new bolts breaking out right from the ramp. | ||
| Start about 20m along the path from Hatsunetsu no Machikado, below the left edge of a ramp. Climb a shallow cornery thing to a high first bolt. Step across and smear along the ramp to its end. Pull up and make a baffling mantel onto the big pocket. (Be Warned: After rain, this pocket can be full of icy water and/or uncharted ecosystems!) Next climb from dike to dike diagonally left to a stopper steep bit. Thin moves up (crux) gain a crack leading to a lower-off. A 50m rope will just do it. I don't remember seeing this, but there is apparently a slab finish behind the belay (40m to the ground). | ||
The next two routes start another 20 metres along the path. A fallen tree might have something to say about the start of Kemonomichi.
| Kemonomichi - Animal Tracks | 5.10c* | 27m |
| Used to be... Take a rack. | ||
| Start at a green slab a few metres right of a crack that becomes a corner. Climb to the first bolt (yes, the bent one), clip, then move left to the corner. Climb this till it blanks out, step left, then climb pretty much directly to the top. There used to be a belay anchor just after the step left, but I don't know if it's still there. Depending on the fallen tree, it may be necessary to start up Bhutan, or up the crack to its left. | ||
| Bhutan | 5.10d* | 26m |
| The non-line to the left. You'll be wanting Friends 2-3. | ||
| Start by climbing a baby slab next to the main jobby (the first two bolts are ring bolts). Go left to a vague crack, then cut up right through an overlap (crux) to a better crack. Offload your Friends, then head up to the top slab. Climb this past a couple of dikes and a devious dink left to the top. Ab off. If it is still clean, this top slab is great. Otherwise, go fish. | ||
Hakoya Iwa
The cracked, tiered buttress just behind the left edge of the Pocket Mantel Rocks, visible from the main path to the waterfall where the path kinks right then left to a large boulder.
Two slanting terraces cut across the rock. These can be walked into and out of on the right, but require scrambling and junglebashing on the left.
Hakoya Iwa - Lower Tier
The first routes approached are, not surprisingly, on the bottom tier. Described from left to right.
| Unreported | 5.11a* | 20m |
| The line of bolts up the steep face to the right of a cracked white wall. | ||
| Climb the face. The first half is very sustained, but the climbing eases with the angle. | ||
| Fuyu no Izanai - Winter Calling | 5.10c*** | 60m |
| A 3-pitch crack route, with an escable stop on each terrace. The second pitch is popular and, for many climbers, is the only reason for visiting this crag. | ||
|
Pitch 1. 5.9 Climb the first prominent crack from the left. There is an awkward section over a bulge at two-thirds height. Belay on the terrace. Pitch 2. 5.10c Climb the central crack to a niche. Hard moves out of this lead to another terrace. Pitch 3. 5.10a | ||
| Shinrin Yoku - Forest Bath | 5.9** | 17m |
| The next crack to the right, leading to a brown flake. | ||
| Climb the excellent finger crack to a break with a sapling. Finish steeply over flakes that rattle when they don't boom. Pity: The first half really is excellent. | ||
Hakoya Iwa - Middle Tier
The Middle Tier is best approached by slogging briefly up the gully on the right then walking in. The routes are described as approached, from right to left.
Hakoya Iwa - Upper Tier
The Upper Tier is also best approached by slogging up the gully on the right and then walking in. The routes are described as approached, from right to left.
Waterfall Rocks
One of the most imaginative names I have come up with, this refers to the crags on the right of the path as it arrives at Karasawa Waterfall. The whole area is a bit gloomy and feels hemmed in, but there are some steep, impressive faces to throw yourself at.
Kita Kabe - North Wall
The steep slab just off the path before you round the last righthander before the waterfall. This wall was gardened relatively recently and could return to the plants quite quickly because of its tree cover and northfacingness. Time will tell. Described from right to left.
| Pegmatite | 5.11a* | 30m |
| This would be a good long pitch with regular traffic, but I'd ask you to leave it so as not to disturb the bats in the top flake. If you do it, you'll need a rack. | ||
| Climb unpleasantly up the bolted line just left of where the gardened section ends (unfortunately you have to dip into the tottering heap on the right for holds occasionally). Dodge the moss garden on the left to arrive at the base of a flake. Follow this then go left to a narrow ledge. Climb direct to a second flake and climb this till it curves back on itself. Pull left and up into the continuation and follow this to the top. Ab/lower off (there's a ring on the last bolt before the flake for climbers with 50m ropes, but I don't know how happy you are about abbing off a single bolt). | ||
| Yubi Ijime Right - Fingerstinger Right | 5.11d** | 22m |
| The line that skirts the main part of the face on the left. | ||
| Climb easily past a couple of small hangs to an overlap. Now it gets hard. Finicky moves on holds that are hard to see and harder to use lead eventually to a tree. Ab/lower off. | ||
| Yubi Ijime Left - Fingerstinger Left | 5.12b* | 20m |
| The face left again is a lot harder than it looks. | ||
| Start at a low bolt right next to the path. Scruffy climbing up vague cracks leads to a stopper move at their end. Then another. And another. And just for good measure... Ab/lower off. | ||
Tsuki no Tou - Moon Tower
This is just round the corner, and starting on the last bend in the path before the waterfall. It's easier to work out if you walk past it then look back. This gives you an excuse to gawk at the waterfall, which is pretty impressive after rain. Routes described from right to left. Start the first two by scrambling carefully up onto a terrace right on the bend.
| Supergirl | 5.11c*** | 35m |
| The centre of the lower slab and the tasty face above provide two very good pitches. | ||
|
Pitch 1. 5.11c Climb the centre of the slab without touching the crack on the left to belay on a good terrace. (If you do use the crack for the last moves, you get a very neat, sustained 10c). Belay at the anchor on the back wall if you're going to do the top pitch. Pitch 2. 5.11c After a hard, pushy start up the arete, climb steeply up to a step right past a crack. The face around this is full of holds and fun. Ab off. | ||
| Takahashi-san no Crack - Takahashi Crack | 5.8* | 12m |
| The bottomless crack left of Supergirl pitch 1. Rack up. | ||
| Clip the first bolt of Supergirl pitch 1, then traverse out to the arete. A tricky move up gets you to the crack proper. Good moves on good gear take you to the halfway terrace. Serious for the grade because of the atrocious gear lower down. Ab/lower off. | ||
| Startline | 5.10c* | 20m |
| The fierce-looking crack starting on the right arete of the left face actually gives a bit. Take a rack. | ||
| Hard moves through an undercut gain a crack in a groove. Follow this to gain a straight crack on the left, and climb this to the terrace. Ab/lower off. | ||
| Michi - The Path | 5.12c*** | 43m |
| A long and tough continuation to Startline that finishes in a sensational position. There are other possible meanings for 'Michi', but this will have to do for now. | ||
| Climb Startline till the crack straightens. Traverse left to a flake, then make scratchier moves up and left to a bulge. Pull through this on good (by comparison) holds, then climb the top face and slab, via a sneaky deviation left and back, to an anchor. | ||
The face to the left of Startline awaits Billy the Future.
Taiyou no Tou - Sun Tower
This is about 50m up the gully from Startline. The tower is bounded on the right by a grotty gully with a fixed rope trailing down its right wall. Routes described from right to left, down to up.
| Yubiwa Monogatari - The Lord of the Rings | 5.12a* | 35m |
| A mixed bag that suffers from its surroundings as much as anything. Take a rack. | ||
| Climb the face just left of the grotty gully (you're allowed to bridge in to start) past a series of flakes to a crack. Pull right to another crack and climb this to a choice of lines up the headwall. Pancake out to belay on a good terrace. Ab off, or climb a route from the terrace. | ||
| Natsu no Hi - A Summer's Day | 5.12b* | 25m |
| Another disappointing route up the face left of Yubiwa Monogatari. Take a rack. | ||
| Climb the centre of the face till forced ever closer to the left edge. Use a crack on the left to gain a ledge round to the left (at the top of Puzzle). Ab/lower off. | ||
| Puzzle | 5.11a*** | 25m |
| The face round to the left was the final of the First Japan Cup climbing competition, way back when 5.11 was impressive. | ||
| A steep start over on the left leads you back over a bulge to the centre. Follow a confused line of bolts up and slightly left to an overhang. Pull through and reach for a crack and good holds that take you up and right to a ledge. Ab/lower off. | ||
| Kenken no Miminari - The Ringing in Kenken's Ears | 5.12c** | 25m |
| The face above the top of Puzzle. Exposed and necky. Take wires and small friends for the crack. In fact, take a rack, because I haven't got a clue what's up there. | ||
| Climb the right arete to another ledge. Go left under a bulge to a diagonal crack and follow this to its end. Keep going left to the arete and climb this on its left to the top. Ab/lower off. | ||
The next routes start from the ledge at the top of Yubiwa Monogatari. This is best gained by walking round to the top and abbing in.
| Heavenly Bodies | 5.10c* | 15m |
| The wide crack in the centre of the back wall. You can't really expect much when the best you can look forward to is when the crack becomes a chimney. | ||
| Climb the crack all the way. A bolt at half height makes up for the bongs and things you haven't got. | ||
The bolted lines to the left and right of Heavenly Bodies are somebody's projects.
| Tsuna Crack | 5.8* | 17m |
| The corner crack starting from the terrace. Quite pleasant when it gives up being manky. Take a rack with lots of mediums. | ||
| Climb the corner crack. | ||
| Natsu e no Tobira - The Door to Summer | 5.9* | 18m |
| The crack of Heavenly Bodies is just as wide on the opposite side of the tower. | ||
| Climb the crack all the way. Fortunately, not as steep as it is on the other side. | ||
Hoshi no Tou - Star Tower
The next blob of granite up in the gully. A very impressive black granite wall with a cluster of undecided cracks in its centre. Word is, there used to be several top-rope problems around here, and these two got cleaned up.
| Tehran Hokui Sanjuu Roku Do - Tehran 36° North Latitude | 5.12c*** | 23m |
| If anyone can make anything of the name, please let me know. This climbs the lefthand of the diverging cracks in the main face. Take a rack. | ||
| Climb easily to a bolt in the centre of the face below diverging cracks. Follow the left fork up to and over a break. Move up to a flake, then left to another with a lower-off. My mate said his mate did it and he said it was good. So now you know. | ||
| Hoshi no Hito - Starman | 5.11b** | 25m |
| The righthand line. Rack up. | ||
| From the bolt in the centre of the face, follow the right fork up to the break. Pull up and across to the arete, then trend back left to a tree. Ab off. | ||