Mount Sengen - Kanagawa, Japan

I didn’t choose this hike for the views—I just wanted to get outside. Starting from Hakone-Yumoto Station, I made my way through forested trails to Mt. Sengen (804m), then detoured to Chisuji Falls. The waterfall’s delicate “thousand threads” of water were worth the extra climb.

From there, I hiked up to Mt. Takanosuyama (834m), then on to Hiryu Falls, where I helped a few hikers with a tricky river crossing. The descent led me along the historic Hakone Path, a cedar-lined trail with stone paving. I reached Motohakone just in time to catch the bus—five minutes to spare!