Oze National Park — High-Altitude Wetland Hiking

**Standard route:** Most people hike Hatomachi Pass to Ozegahara Marsh (90 minutes downhill through beech forest), loop the boardwalks around the marsh (2-3 hours of flat walking), then climb back to Hatomachi Pass (2 hours uphill). Total time: 7-9 hours including breaks. You can day-hike this if you start early — leave Tokyo at 6:00am, catch buses to the trailhead, hike, then reverse the process to arrive back around 20:00. It's a long day. Easier option: book a mountain hut like Yamanohana-goya (¥9,000 with dinner and breakfast), stay overnight, hike out the next morning. Huts need reservations 1-2 months ahead during bloom season, less advance notice off-season. **Mizubasho timing:** The white flowers bloom late May through mid-June, with peak lasting about two weeks. Exact timing shifts a week either way depending on when the snow melts. Check the Oze Preservation Foundation website (oze-fnd.or.jp) for real-time bloom updates starting in early May. Weekends during peak bloom see 1,000+ hikers; weekdays cut that number in half. The huts fill completely during bloom — if you miss the booking window, you're day-hiking. **Summer flowers:** After the mizubasho fade, nikko-kisuge (yellow day lilies) bloom in July and August, turning the marsh from white to golden. August brings smaller flowers — kinkouge (marsh marigold), alpine asters, gentians. Summer weather is warm (20-25°C) but afternoon thunderstorms roll in after 14:00 most days. Start hiking by 7:00-8:00 to finish the loop before the lightning starts. **What to bring:** Hiking boots are essential — the boardwalks get slick when wet and some sections are uneven. Pack rain gear (weather changes in 20 minutes up here), sun protection (no shade on the marsh), 1-2 liters of water, snacks, and lunch. There's no food for sale once you enter the park; the last shop is at the trailhead. Bear bells are recommended because black bears live here, though encounters are rare. Cell service is nonexistent. Toilets exist at major trail junctions (¥100 fee, bring coins). The park has strict pack-in pack-out rules — no trash cans anywhere, carry everything out.