"Takes about 50 minutes to hike to the top with the first 30-40 at a very steep incline. View at the top is spectacular and worth the effort. No toilets/vending machines/ food outlets along the way or at the top but there is a modest shopping district at the bottom"

Holly Casey

"I had visited the Izushi Castle ruins, but missed the Arikoyama Castle ruins, so I decided to try again.
I entered the municipal parking lot at the foot of the mountain and headed for the main castle after the manager told me that the route via the Izushi Castle ruins was better than the Arikoyama trailhead and that the rain would make the ground slippery, so I headed for the main castle.
There were well-maintained guide signs, so I felt safe even walking alone. I encountered a Japanese giant hornet along the way, but I managed to pass quietly so as not to disturb it. (The summit is about 700m away.)
The mountain is steep, so trekking shoes and trekking poles are required."

袖師丸かいり

"I went to Izushi Castle directly from Takeda Castle.
It's easy to get around by motorbike.
I thought I'd never be able to go to Izushi Castle because it's not that convenient to get there, but this was a great opportunity.
This castle was once ruled by the Sengoku family, and during the time of Sengoku Gonbei, it was Komoro Castle in Nagano, but it was later moved to Izushi.
At that time, soba craftsmen from Komoro moved with them, and soba became popular in Izushi.
I've always wanted to come here because I love the Sengoku manga series.
I ate soba as soon as I arrived.
There were quite a few restaurants that served Izushi soba, but I decided to eat at a restaurant with a great view.
It was after 2:30 p.m., so the restaurant was empty and I was able to sit in a good seat.
I ordered Izushi soba. It was 1,100 yen.
The soba was served in small portions, and I enjoyed it with grated yam and eggs to change the flavor.
It was really delicious. Five plates is not enough, but I kept it to a minimum since I have mountain climbing coming up.
I stopped by the tourist information center, got my stamp from the 100 Famous Castles and bought a castle seal.
I was also told that they would store my luggage for 300 yen, so I did.
It seems that Arikoyama Castle is quite difficult.
It closes at 5pm, and the climb takes an hour, so if it seems too difficult, I should turn back.
Also, bears have not been seen at Arikoyama Castle, but they have been spotted in the nearby mountains and may come along the ridge.

I started off by looking around Izushi Castle.
It's easy to see from here.
The shrine is dedicated to Sengoku Gonbei.
I don't think he has been to Izushi, but he is said to be quite revered in Izushi.

I went up the stairs lined with red torii gates to finally reach Arikoyama Castle.
From below, I could see that the main castle was located quite high up, but when I went up, it was as difficult as I expected.
No, I thought it wouldn't be too hard, so it was even harder.
As expected, it didn't take an hour, but it took a little over 30 minutes.
The mountain path is well maintained, but I'm not good at climbing stairs, so I tried hard even though I should have climbed slowly, and I got tired.
The soil is sandy in places, so it's quite slippery.
I was worried about where to put my feet on the stairs made of tree roots.
That's why I don't like trail running, I thought to myself as I climbed.
When I reached the top of the stairs, it finally became a normal uphill slope.
I was relieved. I wondered what I would do if these stairs continued forever.
From there, there were a series of baileys.
When I finally reached the top, a magnificent view unfolded before me.
It was amazing.
For a moment I hesitated about climbing, and thought about just seeing Izushi Castle and going home, but I'm really glad I climbed.
I took a 10-minute break to enjoy the view, and was able to go down in 20 minutes on the way back, so it took about an hour round trip.
It was hard work, but it was a very satisfying climb."

ご機嫌おやじ