Mount Kasa

Mount Kasa (笠ヶ岳) is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, reaching the height of 2897 m. It is situated in Japan's Hida Mountains in Gifu Prefecture and in Chūbu-Sangaku National Park. The shape of the mountain looks like the Umbrella("Kasa"-笠) in the triangle. Therefore, it became this name. There are many mountains with same name in Japan and this is the tallest.

History

 * In 1683 – It was said that Enkū had opened this mountain.
 * In 1823 – The Buddhist monk Banryū climbed to the top, and placed a bronze Buddha statue at the top in 1824.
 * In 1894, August 2 – Englishman Walter Weston had climbed on the top.
 * In 1913, August – Usui Kojima had climbed on the top.
 * In 1932 – Mountain hut of Kasa Mountain Cottage  (笠ヶ岳山荘) was constructed near the top.
 * In 1934, December 4 – This area was specified to the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park.
 * In 1964 – "Kasa-shin-dō"(笠新道) of the new Trail had been made. Then it is the main route to the Mount Kasa.
 * In 1993 – Postage stamp of Mount Kasa and Takayama Festival was put on the market by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (Japan).
 * In 1995 – Sumie Tanaka (田中澄江 Tanaka Sumie) completed New Flowers of the 100 Mountains, which featured many of the Alpine plant(Trollius japonicus シナノキンバイ and others) on Mount Kasa.

Main ascent routes
There are three climbing routes to the top of the mountain.
 * Kasa-shin-dō
 * Shin-Hotaka Onsen(新穂高温泉) – Mount Nukedo – Kasa Mountain Cottage – Mount Kasa


 * Valley Kuriya
 * Nakao-Kōgen-guchi(中尾高原口) – Valley Kuriya – Mount Kasa


 * Traverses Route of Northern Japanese Alps(Hida Mountains) from north side
 * Mount Sugoroku – Mount Yumiori – Mount Nukedo – Kasa Mountain Cottage – Mount Kasa

Mountain hut
Thera are several Mountain hut around Mount Kasa. Around Shin-Hotaka-Onsen, there are many hot spring (Onsen) to take the tiredness and to relax.
 * Kasa Mountain Cottage  (笠ヶ岳山荘) – near the top (with Campsite)
 * Wasabi-Daira Hut (ワサビ平小屋) – near the entrance of Kasa-shin-dō
 * Kagami-Daira Mountain Cottage  (鏡平山荘) – near the Pond Kagami(鏡池)
 * Sugoroku Hut (双六小屋) – between Mount Sugoroku and Mount Momisawa (with Campsite)

Geography
It is the mountain that consists chiefly of the Porphyry (geology). The higher region than Shakushi-daira(杓子平) are the forest limit of Siberian Dwarf Pine belt, and the place that Alpine plant grows naturally and Rock Ptarmigan live.

Nearby mountains
Mount Kasa is on the subridge (from Mount Sugoroku) of the main ridge line in the southern part of the Hida Mountains. There are Mount Shakujō and Mount Ōkibanotsuji on the southern ridge.



Rivers
The mountain is the source of the following rivers, each of which flows to the Sea of Japan.
 * Sugoroku River (a tributary of the Jinzū River)
 * Gamata River (tributaries of the Takahara River)