The are a mountain range in central Honshū, Japan, bordering Nagano, Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures. They are also called the , as they join with the Hida Mountains ("Northern Alps") and the Kiso Mountains ("Central Alps") to form the Japanese Alps.

Origin of the name

There are a lot of red stones (赤石 Aka-Ishi) around the Akaishi River, a tributary of the Ōi River in the southern part of Southern Alps. Then it was said that the mountain of red stone came to be called Mount Akaishi. The mountain represents the mountain range and the name Akaishi is used for the whole range mountain range, Akaishi Mountains.

Major peaks

Almost all major peaks of the Akaishi Mountains are in Minami Alps National Park that was established on June 1, 1964.

The range is the source of two rivers, Ōi River and Tenryū River, which flow to the Pacific Ocean.

thumb|400px|Scenery of Akaishi Mountains seen from [[Mount Ena in early winter]]

thumb|400px|Major Peaks of Akaishi Mountains

{| class="wikitable"

!Image

!Mountain

!Height

!Note

|-

|70px

|Mt. Hō'ō

|

|100 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Nokogiri

|

|200 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Kaikoma

|

|100 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Senjō

|

|100 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Kita

|

|the highest mountain<br/>in Akaishi Mountains<br/>100 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Aino

|

|100 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Nōtori

|

|200 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Shiomi

|

|100 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Warusawa

|

|100 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Akaishi

|

|100 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Hijiri

|

|100 Famous

|-

|70px

|Mt. Tekari

|

|100 Famous

|}

Panorama

Flora and fauna

Alpine plants, such as Siberian dwarf pine can be seen above the tree line. Rock ptarmigan and spotted nutcracker also live in the alpine zone. Japanese serow and sika deer live in the forest belt on the mountain slopes. is endemic to Mount Kita.

<gallery mode="packed">

File:Ptarmigan Raicyou in Arakawadake Mother and child 1994 7 29.jpg|Rock ptarmigan

File:Spotted Nutcracker.jpg|Spotted<br/> nutcracker

File:Cervus nippon Nagoya castle 2010-10-3.JPG|Sika deer

File:Pinus pumila1.JPG|Siberian<br/>dwarf pine

File:Callianthemum hondoense 01.jpg|Callianthemum<br/>hondoense

File:Polemonium caeruleum Miyamahashinobu in Kitadake 2002-9-2.jpg|Polemonium<br/>caeruleum

</gallery>

Walter Weston in the Japanese Alps

Englishman Walter Weston introduced the Western world to the Japanese Alps in his book Mountaineering and Exploring in the Japanese Alps. During his visits to Japan, he climbed Akaishi Mountains. Several monuments in his memory have been set up in several places in the Japanese Alps.

He climbed the following peaks:

  • 1892 Mount Akaishi - The first non-Japanese to climb this mountain
  • 1902 Mount Kita
  • 1903 Mount Kaikoma
  • 1904 Mount Hōō and Mount Senjō

See also

  • Japanese Alps
  • Hida Mountains (Northern Alps)
  • Kiso Mountains (Central Alps)
  • Minami Alps National Park
  • Minami-Alps Biosphere Reserve
  • 100 Famous Japanese Mountains
  • Walter Weston

References

Books

  • Mountaineering and Exploring in the Japanese Alps -by Walter Weston (1896)
  • Yamanashi Nichinichi Newspaper: Minami Alps website