The High Life with Moto the Mountain Guide

Snow Country Stories Japan

In Episode 05 of Snow Country Stories Japan, I speak with Hayashi Motohiro - better known as ‘Moto the Mountain Guide’. Moto is a true man of the mountains, an experienced guide who makes his working and guiding in Japan’s tallest mountains. As such, Moto is most certainly leading the high life here in the snow country of Japan.
Japan is in every sense a country of mountains. Over 70% of the Japanese land mass is designated as mountainous or rugged. Japan has 21 mountains over 3000 metres with many more mountains of over 2000 and 2500 metres. The majority of Japan’s tallest mountains are found in three ranges in the centre of Honshu - the Hida, Kiso and Akaishi Mountains - more commonly referred to as the North, Central and South Alps; and when grouped together the three ranges are simply referred to as the ‘Japanese Alps’. It is important to note however that Mount Fuji - Japan's tallest mountain - is not located within the Alps but sits alone to the south*.
*In the introduction to the podcast, I mistakenly state that Fuji is to the east of Tokyo. It is in fact to the west.

My chat with Moto starts with us talking his winter working ski patrol at Hakuba Iwatake and his the upcoming season working and guiding in the North Alps and Mount Fuji. The conversation then moves onto his own story and how a young man from Saitama travelled to Nepal and then New Zealand, and fell in love with mountain life. For anyone wanting to book Moto as a guide, you can get in touch with him via his personal website – for guiding including the North Alps and others around Nagano – or the Fuji Mountain Guides website – in relation to guiding on Mount Fuji; and make sure to follow him on Instagram!
For listeners interested in some of the destinations we discuss in today’s episode, please refer to the following websites:
Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field: https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/winter.

Kamikochi: https://www.kamikochi.org/.

Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route: https://www.alpen-route.com/en/.
Snow Country Stories Japan is a bi-weekly podcast about life and travel in Japan's legendary 'yukiguni'. For more information about the show and your host, visit our website - www.snowcountrystories.com - and make sure to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.