Mount Fugen in Winter: Unzen, Nagasaki

Mount Fugen Unzen Nagasaki is not as challenging as Mount Fuji (I don't know from firsthand experience) but a great experience to climb never the less.  Not being much of a mountaineer myself, I jumped at the opportunity when a friend said to me out of the blue, let's climb to the top of the Volcano in the middle of winter.  Now, some might say that is a little foolish, but the views and the scenery at the top are well worth the effort and freezing temperatures.  You see in winter the scenic views are usually at their peak, not much cloudy cover and or fog or pollution polluting the desired view for climbing the mountain in the first place.  The frost on the limbs and trunks of the trees are worth seeing as the angles of the frost match the incoming wind direction to form the icicles perfectly.

Although we weren't able to get to the volcano it looms large and in all directions, such a massive and dominating effect on the landscape it's impossible to miss.  Absolutely the most interesting and extraordinary location on the Shimabara Peninsular.

Come and check out Mount Fugen Unzen Nagasaki here on a map:

Click on the photo below to enlarge:

It was extremely cold

To see vapors wafting out of the ground as we were getting closer and closer to the Volcano was a little intimidating especially whether they might be toxic or not was unknown and a little disconcerting but we were as brave as could be expected to virgin winter climbers and if i get another invitation in the future I will jump on the bandwagon again without a doubt in the world!!