避難小屋
The place
避難小屋 (Hinan-goya, "Emergency Refuge Cabin") in the Central Japan Alps, Kiso Ontake/Chuuo Alps sector (Nagano Prefecture, central Japan), at 2,553 m altitude, on the slopes of Kiso Komagatake (2,956 m). Continuous Japan Central Alps cluster (batches 280-347). Hinan-goya emergency shelter under the Ministry of the Environment (part of the "Nihon Sanmyaku Kai" protection scheme covering the 3 Northern/Central/Southern Alps ranges, 20 peaks over 3,000 m), area with Betula ermanii Erman's birch + Pinus pumila dwarf alpine pine + Pinus koraiensis Korean pine, a glacial relic from the last Würm glaciation, heritage of the Kiso "yamabushi" — shugendō ascetic mountain monks, "shu ge yoi" initiations, thousand-year-old pilgrimage routes through the Kii-Alps to the sacred volcano Ontake (3,067 m), site of the catastrophic eruption of 27 September 2014, 63 dead, summit caught unwarned.
The setting
Kiso Ontake/Chuuo Alps Nagano central Japan 2,553 m Kiso Komagatake 2,956 m, continuous cluster batches 280-347, Hinan-goya Ministry of Environment "Nihon Sanmyaku Kai" 3 ranges N/C/S Alps 20 peaks 3,000 m+, Betula ermanii/Pinus pumila alpine/Pinus koraiensis Korean glacial relic Würm glaciation, Kiso yamabushi shugendō 1,000-year Kii-Alps pilgrimage routes Ontake 3,067 m 27 Sept 2014 63 dead unwarned eruption.
