The Backpack Adventures

Located in Kumatori town in Osaka Prefecture in Japan , Mt. Ame   or simply Ameyama ( 雨山 )  is a mountain referred to by locals as the Rain Mountain . Ameyama Ameyama Details Ameyama stands 314 meters tall. From the clearing at the peak, you could see Osaka Bay and Kansai International Airport. Aside from that, you could also see a panoramic view of the Izumi mountains and towns near the mountain.  The mountain offers more than just beautiful scenery. It is also historically and culturally significant to the Japanese people especially to those living near the mountain. View from the peak of Ameyama - Kumatori, Osaka Prefecture The map of the Ameyama Trees lined up neatly along the path to Ameyama's peak Several milestones could be found along the path Just follow the path to the peak The man-made steps make it look easy The locals before (probably until now) believed that the Ameyama Dragon King is living on the summit of the mountain. The Ameyama Dr

Located in Kumatori, Sennan in Osaka Prefecture in Japan , Okuyama Ameyama Nature Park  ( 奥山雨山自然公園 )  is a place ideal for jogging, trekking, biking, and even family bonding. Okuyama Ameyama Nature Park Okuyama Ameyama Nature Park Details Okuyama Ameyama Nature Park is really blessed by Mother Nature. It has picturesque hills where one can see a 360-degree view of the park and its surrounding areas. It also has plenty of plant life that will surely add beauty to the park during the spring and autumn season.  Okuyama Ameyama Nature Park - Kumatori, Osaka Prefecture Cartoonized map of Okuyama Ameyama Nature Park The Eiraku Dam from a distance The placid waters and the orange-colored leaves reflected upon it is a sight to behold. The viewing deck on one of the hills Aside from the natural beauty of Okuyama Ameyama Nature Park , there are also several man-made structures that equally add to the appeal of the park. Examples of these are the Eiraku Dam , whose store

Day 4  December 22, 2014 Solo Backpacking to Okuyama Ameyama Nature Park Well, well, well it's a cloudy day today. It looks a bit gloomy but I won't let that stop me from fulfilling my plan to revisit Eiraku Dam  in Okuyama Ameyama Nature Park today. I have discussed this with my wife already and I'm happy that she supported me on my plan. Yay! My first snow! I headed out quite early. Though my wife decided to stay behind to rest because her energy was drained during the previous trips. Well, I don't want to force her to because I calculated that the trip to Eiraku Dam and back would take at least 4 to 5 hours. Plus I would just be walking during the whole adventure. Walking route around the dam. Halfway through the trip, snowflakes fell and for the first time, I got to experience an event like that. The snow didn't build up though and melted within half a minute. After the brief admiration, I continued on. After almost an hour of walking, I finally reach