Mt. Yake, Matsumoto

Mount YAKE is an active volcano in the Japan North Alps. There are several fumaroles on the top of the mountain and many steam comes out from it and depend of the day and time the amount of steam is different. when you look around the top of mountain you can see mt. NORIKURA and HOTAKA mountains etc. I highly recommend going there if you have a chance.

A good hike with an incredible view. I started from the Shinhotaka onsen area, as it was easier to access by car from the lodge I stayed at. There is also parking near to the trailhead and it seemed less busy than some of the other routes; I only saw one other hiker on the trail, but there were lots of people around the summit who had climbed up from the other trails, and it's probably a bit busier at the weekend. The trail wasn't particularly difficult and seemed well maintained, although there was a short section that was a little overgrown before emerging on the ridge below the main peak. Until you reach this ridge you will be walking through a forest trail with occasional views for about 2/3 of the total hike to the summit. The final section up to the main peak is much steeper than the trail below, and you should be careful to avoid knocking rocks onto other hikers. Some people were wearing helmets, and I think you can rent them from Yakedake Hut if you are concerned about falling rocks. From the ridge the summit looks quite intimidating, but it looks steeper than it actually feels, so don't worry :) The whole hike up and down took about 6 hours with frequent short breaks after I hit the ridge, but I ascended through the forest relatively quickly. I went on a Friday, so it wasn't too busy, and the weather was basically perfect.