The winding path of the old orchard road on Mt. Fudo in Eastern Odawara. In ancient times, this was part of the village of Soga, which was, and still is, famous for its fruit orchards. Today, it is part of Odawara City.

Recently I found myself with a Saturday afternoon free, so I decided to head off to do some hiking around Yamakita, in western Kanagawa Prefecture.  On the way, however, while changing trains in Kozu, I found a map of local points of interest.  One of the items listed on this map was called the orange orchard road, a hiking trail that winds along the ridge line of Mt. Fudo (or Fudoyama) through the old citrus groves and ume orchards.  (Contrary to popular English translations, Japanese Ume are not, in fact, plums.  They are actually a type of apricot.)  The faded images on the tourist map looked good, so I changed my plans and set off.  But first, since Kozu station is right along the beach, I made a brief stop to admire the sea before I set off into the mountains.

A fishing boat works off of Kozu Beach.

Beach admired, I set off toward the looming mountains north of the station and started climbing.

The ascent was not too steep, and the path was a narrow, concrete roadway.  At first, it was almost enough to fit a car through, but after the first level area it reduced to a simple foot path.  Even so, it remained mostly concrete and stone and was well groomed, winding past small old orchard storehouses and sheds.  The weather was very hot and humid, and almost immediately I was sweating heavily.  But the path was beautiful and the view through the breaks in the trees and clearings, so I pressed on.  A short time later I reached for my water bottle and found it empty, realizing that I may have made a mistake, hiking the 6km+ (almost 4 miles) to my intended exit road.  With my next known source of water a coupe hours of mountain hiking away and a thought of turning back in my mind, I looked around and decided to press on.  Surely, the couple of rest areas on the map would have some manner of water fountain, restroom sink, or vending machine.  I would be wrong.  Of course, since I am writing this after the fact, I obviously survived, and without the need of emergency services.  But boy was I thirsty by the time I returned to civilization nearly three hours later.

Looking down on Kozu from Mt. Fudo, a district in Eastern Odawara, Japan, near the entrance to the hiking trails and farm roads of Fudoyama.

Slightly daunted, I pressed on anyway, camera out and ready, shooting all along the way.  The path was a great place to hike, and the view from the top, as I mentioned before, was spectacular.  Surprisingly, however, the climb to the ridge line was a bit difficult, especially in the summer heat and humidity, but once I got onto the ridge, the path leveled off.  All told, it was an easy hike, and often the walking trail would let out onto proper two-lane concrete roads for a time.  Other times, the path followed single lane paved farm roads of various types.  Shooting was sometimes a bit difficult, as the path regularly shifted from covered forest trails and open clearings, each giving very different light.  I didn’t mind however, as the beauty of each area over-rode my minor frustration with having to change my camera settings for every other shot.

The orange road not only has amazing vistas and beautiful forests and orchards, it is also teaming with wildlife.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, and at the point I started to feel faint from the heat and dehydration, I reached my goal.  The site of the six pines today is just a crossroad where the pathway meets two mountain roads, and the six large pine trees that the place is named for are lone gone.  In ancient times, however, these large trees served as landmarks for travelers along the old Kamakura Road, one of the main routes connecting the first samurai capital with the rest of Japan.  Throughout the centuries, famous haiku poets have written about the beauty of this place and the area round it.  Today, the site is unremarkable, but for me it meant salvation.  For these modern crossroads were my intended exit from the mountaintop and the winding downhill forested road from here would lead me back toward civilization and water.  And when I emerged from the mountains, looked right, and saw a vending machine, I cried out with joy.  I was saved.  I immediately bought a bottle of water, poured some over my head and downed the rest.  Getting my bearings, I noticed a custom gelato shop a short distance away and decided it was time for a break, and eventually made my way home.

Looking north from Fudoyama near the Site of the Six Pines. The views from the top of the mountain are breathtaking.

The orange road near Kozu station is a great place to hike.  If you like mountain hiking and you live in the area, this is a great place to go.  My only recommendation would be to hike it in the spring or fall, when the weather is cooler.  And of course, water.  Be sure to bring plenty of water.

Now, enjoy a collection of photos from the hike.