Challenge to the Shiga Loop Trail "Oshigaichi" #1
I set out to thru-hike the Oshigaichi Shiga Loop Trail (430km/30,000mD+), but on the morning of the third day, I received a call that my grandmother had passed away, so I hurried down the mountain. Although my dream of thru-hiking was not realized for the time being, I would like to switch to section hiking and aim to complete the entire trail.
This time, I will record the two and a half days from April 20th to the morning of April 23rd, 2025, from Otsu Port to Mt. Gozaisho. I will leave it as a memorandum before I forget.
About the Great Shigaichi
"Oshigaichi" is a self-challenge event in which participants complete the entire "Shiga Loop Trail", which circles around Shiga Prefecture, home to Lake Biwa, on their own. The Shiga Loop Trail (commonly known as Shigaichi) is one of the longest trails in Japan, with a total length of 438 km and a cumulative elevation of 28,300 m, and more than 90% of it is made up of mountain paths and dirt forest roads. Although the elevation itself is relatively low at around 1,000 m, it also includes unclear paths, so a certain level of route-finding ability and mountaineering experience is required. In addition, the trail passes through areas with a lot of history, such as old roads and mountain castle ruins, so it is also a great attraction to be able to feel traces of Japanese culture and people's lives along with beautiful scenery.
This equipment plan
Actual Action: Day 1 (April 20, 2025)
AM8:20 Departure from Otsu Port
I had heard in advance that it was going to be very hot, so I was thinking of changing my T-shirt from Teton's merino to a STATIC Hive, but it was chillier than I expected on the day, so I ended up choosing a merino T-shirt.
The goal for the day was Yono Park, about 69km away. The cumulative elevation was about 3,300m. It was a long distance, but there were few extreme ups and downs. That's why I could keep going. I kept going, being conscious of how I could keep my speed down and maintain my own pace.
Even if it's just a normal distance in trail running, walking or jogging with a load of 6-8kg on your back will cause damage to accumulate somewhere in your body. I basically walked the whole way except for the downhill, focusing on keeping the damage to a minimum.
The Tokai Nature Trail runs from Otsu Port to Yono Park, connecting well-maintained trails, satoyama, villages, and farmland. As you walk, the scenery and culture of each area emerges. It's easy to walk, and the signs are well-marked, so you feel at ease. It's a long trail route that makes you want to walk it all the way from start to finish someday.
We arrived at Yono Park after midnight. It was later than planned, but the weather was good so we didn't use the tent and just wrapped ourselves in the Escape Bivy and took a nap. We slept for about four hours.
00:30 AM Arrival at Yono Park｜Distance: 69km｜Cumulative altitude: 3,300m
Day 2 (April 21, 2025)
AM5:10 Depart from Yono Park
After taking a 4-hour nap, my body felt fresher than I expected. My legs felt light, and I began to walk in high spirits. From here, I entered the Suzuka Mountains. The 100km long Suzuka traverse began.
The early stages, such as Mt. Aburahi, Mt. Ninja, Mt. Mikuni, and Mt. Nasugahara, were a succession of narrow ridges, rocky areas, and gravel. It was impossible to move forward. Both the ascent and descent took time. There were endless stretches where we had to pass slowly using three-point support. It was mentally and physically exhausting.
On the way, we left the route at Suzuka Pass to resupply. It took longer than expected to refuel there. From Suzuka Pass to Mt. Gozaisho, there were almost no water sources, so it was important to manage our pace and water consumption.
There were some places where the route overlapped with the Tokai Nature Trail, but other than that, it was a series of steep climbs and steep descents. It took a long time. When it got dark and the temperature started to drop, it started to rain. Fog came out and I couldn't see in front of me. The time I spent searching for the route kept getting longer and longer.
This section is characterized by not only dangerous terrain such as rocky areas and narrow ridges, but also many climbs and descents on unstable gravel. Every time I put my footing here, I lose strength and energy. It's only the second day. I was terrified to think that there will be more terrain like this in the future.
Initially, they had planned to continue to Gozaisho on the same day, but they were significantly delayed by time lost for supplies, poor visibility, and difficult terrain. As a result, they decided to bivouac around the time they crossed Mt. Sengatake.
I set up a tent beside the hiking trail. The wind was strong, and the tent shook repeatedly. Perhaps because I was half asleep, I mistook the sound and swaying of the wind for a raccoon attack. I still had in my head the story of a friend who had had the food in his tent stolen by a raccoon a few days earlier, and I had seen raccoons many times during my nighttime activities. Because of this, every time the tent moved in the wind, I thought it was a raccoon attack, and I tried to bounce it off with my backpack, but I was half asleep and in a dreamlike state.
The thing I regret about this day is the timing of my resupply. There were many steep sections, so I kept putting it off and thinking, "I'll eat when it's easier to walk," and before I knew it, I wasn't taking enough food. I should have stopped and taken more food than I should have, instead of focusing on resupplying while walking.
11:50 PM Arrived at bivouac point | Distance: 29km (total 98km) | Cumulative elevation: 3,200m (total 6,500m)
Day 3 (April 22, 2025)
5:30AM Depart from bivouac
A light rain continues to fall. I slept soundly. I set off with the hope that I would be able to get to Mt. Gozaisho and have something warm to eat.
However, from this point onwards, we made no progress at all. In any case, it was tough all the way to Kamagadake. The footing was poor, and the wet rocks were slippery. We had very little water left, so we were trying to conserve it. We had food close by, but putting it in our mouths made us thirsty, so we just couldn't bring ourselves to eat. We knew that chewing dry food would take away moisture, so we naturally ate less. It wasn't like yesterday, when we "missed the timing to refuel," but rather, we were "unable to eat due to lack of water," so this was a different kind of lack of supplies.
I tried to drink a few drops of raindrops that were running down the leaves to see if I could get some water. But it was too inefficient and I gave up quickly. It not only affects your physical strength, but also your mental state. I realized how much a lack of water can affect your actions.
Still, the section from Mt. Kamagadake to Mt. Gozaisho is a well-maintained mountain trail and easy to walk on. I passed many climbers, and finally the time of day when I felt the presence of people returned. Just exchanging greetings gave me energy. I had hardly met anyone for the past two days, and it had been quiet, so the presence of climbers felt strangely reassuring.
We arrived at Mt. Gozaisho at 10:30 AM. It had been almost half a day since I last had a signal on my iPhone. My wife contacted me and told me that my grandmother had passed away. I was overcome with shock and loneliness, but I was glad that I was at Gozaisho. The signal was stable, and if I took the ropeway down the mountain, I could return to my home by public transportation.
I ate some hot curry udon at a shop on the mountain. The taste was so good it warmed my body. I quietly put my chopsticks down, headed to the ropeway station, and continued down the mountain.
10:30AM Arrived at Mt. Gozaisho | Distance: 14km (total 112km) | Cumulative elevation gain: 1,450m (total 7,950m)
Reflections and successes
Resupply
Although he had sufficient supplies, the actual amount he took in was less than half of what he had expected, which resulted in him feeling hungry at times in the second half of the race.
Initially, I had planned to replenish my supplies while I was on the move, so I would put off eating when there were sections of climbing or rocky areas, thinking, "I'll eat when things calm down a bit." However, there weren't as many "easy-to-walk" sections as I had expected, and as a result, I missed the opportunity to ingest.
In the future, I will assume that there will be terrain where I cannot eat while moving, and will be conscious of stopping to secure supplies. In particular, when there are many steep climbs, I felt that it is necessary to plan ahead and stop and say "I'm going to eat here," and to ensure that I get energy even for a short time.
Also, this time I mainly brought solid food, but it becomes difficult to eat when there is not enough water. My mouth gets dry and I want to drink water, but if there is not enough water I can't do that, and as a result I eat less. In sections where there is a risk of running out of water, I want to hedge the risk by adding gels that are easy to take without water.
Furthermore, if you eat a well-balanced meal before going to bed, you will recover faster the next day. Because I felt this strongly this time, I will increase the amount of freeze-dried food a little more so that I can eat something warm and nutritious before going to bed. I also want to find a way to eat something warm before leaving.
About the wear
Overall, the equipment configuration was well thought out and I have no major complaints. There are some parts that could be made lighter, but for this hike, some functions would be lost by reducing the weight, so I would like to prioritize equipment that allows me to move around comfortably.
This time, the nighttime temperature was about 5 to 10 degrees Celsius, and it was warm inside the tent. You can reduce the number of active insulation pants.
I was really glad I had back-up socks and gloves, as they helped me avoid injury, wetness and cold that could have caused major problems without them.
I wear a hat-type "Enough Hat." I often choose a hat-type hat when I'm climbing a serious mountain. The reason is that it not only protects me from the sun, but also protects my ears and face from branches and bushes, because the brim of the hat protects them well. I feel that such protective hats are very useful, especially on adventurous mountain climbs.
About Zac
The backpack I used this time didn't cause any stress even when I was jogging as long as the total weight was around 7-8kg. However, when it was close to 10kg, it felt like it was digging into my shoulders for a long time. However, there aren't many other backpacks in this weight range that I could carry stably, and they didn't shake much. I feel that this is close to the optimal solution for a backpack of around 30L for fast packing.
Bedding
The "Zent 1" we used was small, but it had good insulation and was able to withstand the rain. Condensation did occur, but by sleeping with the Escape Bivy and rainwear on, our clothes and body did not get wet. Also, because we put our clothes inside the pack liner, our other equipment did not get wet either. We didn't expect a luxurious sleeping experience from the start, and we think that camping in a zent is useful in situations like this, as it is lightweight, easy to set up, and can be used in emergencies.
This time's featured items
The 2025 update has made it even better. It feels a little more moisturized to the touch than before, which is nice. The thin material made it comfortable even during hot times, and even when it got cold during the night, I actually felt the coldness was minimal.
The most surprising thing about this experience was how quickly it dried. Although it is made of 40% polyester, I think its odor-preventing performance is almost the same as that of a 100% polyester blend. Even though I wore it all the time, including on the way to and from work, I actually got my family to check the smell when I got home and there was no problem.
Another update is that it is less see-through. With the previous model, we received feedback from female customers, especially, that they wanted to wear it but were worried about it being see-through. I think it has become a base layer that can be worn with confidence in terms of style.
I think it's a top-notch product in every respect: comfortable to wear, odor-resistant, quick-drying, and has a great silhouette. It's a great piece to wear for a day trip or an overnight stay.
TIPS for this issue
I especially want to take care of foot problems such as blisters and chafing, because they are a one-hit wonder. I want to keep my feet as dry as possible, not only in the rain but also in the sweat to avoid them getting steamy. I used thin socks mainly because I realized how useful they were when I completed the 180km midsummer race, Kurondo Rondo, in 2024.
Used socks
・finetrack Ramie Spin Socks Crew 44g
(Lightweight, well-balanced durability, dries quickly)
・T8 Air Socks 30g
(Ultra-lightweight)
・finetrack Dry Layer Inner Socks Crew 23g
(It is originally an inner layer, but can also be used alone when wet.)
・Woolpower Socks 400 70g
(Very fluffy socks)
Total weight 167g (one pair worn)
Socks If your socks get wet, wrap them in wool power socks. Let the wool absorb the moisture and dry the wet socks. If you want to dry your shoes, wear wool socks to absorb the moisture. The above combination is tricky when walking long trails, but I think it is useful for fast packing that also includes speed hiking. Also, it can be used to protect the soles of your feet during ultra-long distance hikes in the summer.
Future direction
So far, I have covered 112km of the Great Shigaichi with a cumulative elevation gain of 7,950m. There are about 320km left, which is 100 miles x 2, so there is still a long way to go.
From now on, I will switch to a challenge divided into sections, but even in sections where the terrain allows me to run, I will not switch to a trail running style, but will continue with the fastpacking style as originally planned. For me, it is more meaningful to "carry my luggage and continue moving forward on my own two feet" than to simply run fast.
However, through this experience, I will review my equipment, remove unnecessary items, and replace necessary items to ensure more reliable progress.
PROFILE
