September Offline Event Report: "The sky, the forest, the water, the trout... everything was amazing. Early Autumn Tohoku Mountain Stream Fishing Journey"

Sunday, September 14, 2025

Written by Yasushi Hisatomi

Mountain climbing and camping are fun, but if you want to feel nature more, if you want to be moved to the core of your soul, then just walking is not enough. You want to run, ski, climb, swim, fish, gather and eat, and fully experience the harshness, kindness and abundance of nature with your whole body.

After more than 30 years of involvement with the mountains, Outdoor Gearzine has finally arrived at this way of enjoying the mountains. The concept of the offline events we deliver is "Let's have the most fun at that time and in that place" (within the limits of what we can do based on our abilities and experience, of course). We hope to be able to help all of you ambitious outdoor enthusiasts who share this feeling, even just a little.

Without further ado, we were worried about what would happen this time as a typhoon was coming just before the event, but miraculously the weather turned out to be perfect on the weekend of the event, so we were in luck! So we traveled all the way from Tokyo, four and a half hours, to a valley in Tohoku with four other participants, including myself, for the September Outdoor Gearzine offline event, "My First Mountain Stream Fishing Overnight Trip"!

When I opened the car door, a cold breeze blew in, and it was more than just cool. Even though it was early in the morning, it was unexpectedly cold. The thermometer read roughly 15°C. In the city, it was still hot and humid day and night, and I was starting to worry whether autumn would ever really arrive, but autumn had already arrived in the mountains, which was somehow reassuring (the heat island effect, I guess...).

However, if this is the case at the trailhead, we wonder what will happen at the campsite. The members were a little nervous, wondering if they had made a mistake in choosing their sleeping bags and warm clothing, but as the sun came out, the temperature rose rapidly. In the end, it seemed that sleeping under the tarp, exposed to the elements, with only Montbell 800#5 and a sleeping bag cover was no problem.

Let's enter the river (actually, we took the wrong route)!

I had visited this valley a few years ago. It's a perfect valley for beginners, with small waterfalls that are easy to climb, pools and pools where you can swim, gorges, and pools all piled up, and the distance is short enough that you can get through it in a day if you hurry. It's also a beautiful valley that seems to have all the great things about a Japanese valley packed into it, with moss-covered rocks and fallen trees, and surrounded by beech and oak forests.

And above all, there are a lot of fish.

At the time, I mainly did stream climbing and only fished when I had time, but even so, I managed to catch a lot of fish. This time, I set aside plenty of time for fishing and tried to go all out with a fishing plan to see how far I could catch. Some of the members had only been tenkara fishing for less than a year and had never caught a trout, so their personal hidden goal was to put their soul into their fishing rod by catching their first tenkara trout.

For this reason, I started casting my fishing rod as soon as I entered the river, and whenever I found a spot where I thought I might be able to catch something, I kept casting my rod.

And sure enough, within just 10 minutes of entering the river, he caught his first fish! This time's ace angler caught his long-awaited first fish! As cool as ever.

Although it is a little small, it has a beautiful wild color.

At this point, I was sure I would win today. I couldn't stop thinking about how many big fish I could catch on the way to the campsite.

We continue to enjoy fishing and the beautiful flow of the stream, and make our way along at a leisurely pace.

It was a pleasant surprise, but we caught more fish than we expected, and while we thought we would reach the campsite by lunchtime, before we knew it, it was already lunchtime and we still had to climb up the big waterfall.

However, the weather, the scenery of the valley, and the fishing were all great, and this trip to the source of the river, with nature all to myself, was one of the best I've ever experienced in my life.

And then there was the main part of the trip, the Otaki waterfall. Since it was almost impossible to climb directly, we decided to go around it.

However, this high climb was unexpectedly tougher... After much bushwhacking, we finally returned to the stream bed. After walking for a while, we finally arrived at today's campsite. It was spacious and flat enough, and even had a stove and a little firewood left behind by the previous party - it was a turnkey property, so we were grateful to be able to use it.

When we arrived at the campsite, there were a ton of things we wanted to do while it was still light out, like setting up the tarp, gathering firewood, lighting the bonfire, and preparing dinner. I actually wanted to arrive at the campsite with plenty of time to relax, but I ended up having too much fun, so it was my own fault lol.

Before we could settle down, everyone started dividing up the work and making a comfortable sleeping place.

Although we released all the smaller trout, we still had more than enough catch to cover the menu we had prepared, and thankfully, we were able to open the luxurious Genryu Bistro tonight. It was worth bringing in all the seasonings and ingredients for this occasion.

I didn't care about how they looked in any way, but I took some photos so I'd like to introduce the dishes I made. First, the basic sashimi.

This is also a basic salt grilled dish.

Trout spice curry (white rice & naan)

Smoked rock trout

Iwana bone sake is made from the bones and heads that remain after salt-grilling.

Trout soup (fish soup rice with rice the next morning)

I also forgot to take a photo of the dish, but there was also grilled char with herbs in a frying pan. It may be hard to tell from the photo, but I can only describe it as delicious. Nothing beats freshly caught fish, no matter what seasoning you have.

It's a trip where you eat what you harvest on the spot, sit by a bonfire you've made on the spot, and immerse yourself in a space where there's no one else around, just you and nature. Of course, mountain stream trips can be tough at times, but more than any other activity, they allow you to come face to face with untouched nature, enjoy it to the fullest, and become one with it. That's why I can't stop. Of course, the premise is that other activities are also noble and wonderful.

With these thoughts in mind, the night quickly drew on and I fell into a deep sleep, ready for the next day.

Tomorrow is the crucial day. In fact, the hidden goal of "every member catching a fish" has not yet been achieved. Will the tenkara beginner members be able to catch their first char?

The next morning we woke up at 6am. As today's course wasn't too tough, we had breakfast and then had some free time to enjoy some fishing. The four of us split into two groups: two tenkara anglers heading upstream, and two bait and lure anglers heading downstream.

This is the so-called "morning twilight" time, when trout become more active. I was hoping to catch a fish over 100cm long, but I was far more worried about the other members. I know very well that catching one fish makes a big difference.

Just as I was muttering to myself, "Please, just catch a fish," the moment came surprisingly quickly. From behind, I heard a voice in a modest tone say, "I caught one!"

I caught a lively, cute, round fish! I'm so happy. It was worth participating in this event, 100 points.

Just when he thought he'd finally had a weight lifted off his shoulders, he started catching a furious number of fish. Two, three, and then more than five in a row in an hour and a half in the morning. Some of them were quite large, and his excitement skyrocketed.

I had been watching calmly for a while, but to be honest, I was a bit worried. But when I dropped my hair hook in a spot that looked like a good spot, they started to bite with ease. I lost a lot of fish, but I kept catching more and more. It was a fierce battle early in the morning.

As a result, they both caught 5 and 7 fish in just that time, setting new records that surprised both of them. It's amazing how many fish there are even this far upstream.

After that, we all met up at the campsite, packed up, and as usual, we headed back up while fishing.

...As usual, we caught a lot of fish today.

There wasn't much difficulty and we left the valley in the afternoon.

This was my first overnight mountain stream fishing event, but it was a very satisfying trip that left me feeling full in both heart and stomach.

Thank you to all the members who participated for a fun journey!

table of contents

[Urgent announcement] We look forward to your participation in our October tent camping event, "Start your autumn tent camping trip with ZEROGRAM tents and gear!"
Members are gathering more slowly than usual. We are still looking for new members! Please apply!
Date and time
Number of participants and number of recruits
Location (Choice)
Participation Fees
Equipment to be prepared
Be careful in advance
To participate, please use this application form

[Urgent announcement] We look forward to your participation in our October tent camping event, "Start your autumn tent camping trip with ZEROGRAM tents and gear!"

As I mentioned at the beginning, Outdoor Gearzine aims to help our readers to enjoy the mountains and nature more deeply throughout the year, not just by focusing on a single genre.

Autumn is a great time to hike in the mountains as the weather cools down, so in October we are collaborating with ZEROGRAM, a company that makes a variety of unique, lightweight, and functional gear, including tents and shelters.We are currently looking for members to join us, including people who have never camped in a tent before, to enjoy hiking in the mountains with like-minded friends!

Members are gathering more slowly than usual. We are still looking for new members! Please apply!

Why not take this opportunity to try out ZEROGRAM tents and other gear you're interested in in the field, and enjoy a refreshing autumn hike with everyone?

Date and time

October 18-19, 2025 (Saturday and Sunday)

*If the weather is expected to be temporary rain, the event will be held and the weather will be cancelled.

In any case, if the event is cancelled due to weather or due to this reason, we will notify you by email by 12:00 on the Friday, just before the event.

↓↓If you would like to participate, please click↓↓

Application form for the offline event "First Tent Camping Challenge October"

Number of participants and number of recruits

Entries are on a first come first served basis for each date. Applications will be closed as soon as the capacity reaches the limit. If a cancellation is made, we will announce it at any time.

Minimum number of participants per date: 2

Maximum number of participants per date: Approximately 8 people

Location (Choice)

*You may not be able to choose the tent location that requires reservations as it is not yet inquired.

If possible, a mountain with beautiful autumn leaves
Aomosou or Takamiishi Hut or Kuroyuri Hutte From the Tent Area (Shirakoma Pond) or Tengu-dake
Olen Hut - Iodake from the tent site
Fujimihira Hut - Mt. Kanemine from the tent site
From Fukuchan-so to Daibosatsu Pass
...and more

The above is current assumptions, and there is a possibility that the route may not be available here. In other words, you will arrive at the tent site without having to walk very much, and the weather and conditions of the tent site are not strict, making it easy for large groups to stay overnight, and the climbing route itself is not that difficult.

Please note that the route may change just before the event depending on the member and the weather.

We are considering giving lectures on location, details, preparations for staying in a tent, and items to bring, etc. at pre-order online meetings with those who have entered.

These people match:

I've been doing day trips and staying at huts, but I'm about to try staying in a tent (but I couldn't take it on my own)
I've been staying in my own style and would like to have experienced people to teach practical tips for staying in a tent, from tips on choosing tools, how to set up a tent, and detailed camp know-how.
Those who want to experience camping or experience in a tent

As usual, the details can be adjusted in any way depending on the members' wishes. You are free to stay in a tarp or hammock (at your own risk). If anyone wants to try a stay like this, we will support you as much as possible, so we welcome anyone who wants to take this opportunity to try their own camp!

Participation Fees

Participation is conditional on joining the "Standard Plan" membership for one month or more (1,000 yen/month)

Once you join, you can join that month's event free of charge no matter how many times you participate, so please take advantage of it.

(Free for those who have already joined. If you are not a member, please join by the day.

Equipment to be prepared

Basically, we would like you to have each individual equipped with tent accommodation equipment for 1 night and 2 days.

However, this time, be able to participate even if you don't have the tent-night equipment yet our partner brand and Outdoor Gearzine , so that even those who don't have the tent-night equipment can participate.

So, as long as you bring one day climbing equipment and food and drinks, including the equipment you can wear Even if you don't have a backpack that is large enough to stay in a tent, please let us know in advance and we will lend you it by the day of the event.

Be careful in advance

Please note that this event is not a guided tour, and participants must participate at their own risk. Outdoor Gearzine and ZEROGRAM Inc. will not be held responsible for any injuries, illnesses, or accidents that occur during the event.

However, of course, you will be able to provide a safe and secure support to help you stay in a tent, so don't worry about this.

To participate, please use this application form

There are some parts that have not yet been decided, but if you are interested, please apply using the entry form below! First come, first served, so hurry!

↓↓If you would like to participate, please click↓↓

Application form for the offline event "First Tent Camping Challenge October"

Of course, if you have any questions or questions, please feel free to contact us.

↓↓For questions, please use the Outdoor Gearzine inquiry form↓↓

Outdoor Gearzine Contact Form

If you would like to take this opportunity to stay in a tent, please feel free to join us!