Journeys in Japan S2010E20 - Sekita mountain range, Nagano

The Sekita mountain range, soaring 1000 meters above sea level, straddles Nagano and Niigata Prefectures. Hikers can now walk along it on the "Shin-etsu Trail." It extends along the ridge for distance of 80 kilometers, from Mount Madarao in Nagano Prefecture to Mount Amamizu in Niigata Prefecture. It opened in 2008, thanks to the hard work of many local volunteers. The Sekita mountain range is known for its virgin beech forests and marshlands, which have been largely lost in Japan. The habitats of many plant and insect species have been preserved here. The site is also a "Satoyama," a place where people coexist with the mountain through small-scale farming and forestry use. Our travelers will spend five days walking the full distance of the "Shin-etsu Trail". Our guide is a nature writer, Noriyoshi Kato. Kato has walked several long trails in Japan and abroad. In 2005, he became to complete on foot the full distance of of the Appalachian Trail in the United States. They take off from the starting point of the Shin-etsu Trail - Mount Madarao (1382 meters high). They come upon a marsh on the first day, which is a breeding ground of the rare Forest Green Tree Frog, found only in Japan. 16 passes cross the Shin-etsu Trail. As there are no accommodations available along the trail, travelers stay at private inns in villages in the foothills, accessed by the passes. The lives of people in the foothills are closely linked with the range. Water run-off is used for the rice fields. The beech forests help store that water. It's an example of satoyama. Our travelers continue along the long trail through beech forests, supporting the habitats of many creatures. They learn about the area's nature and how people have long co-existed with it.