It's so hard to explain but Japanese crags can not be thought as casual as in Laos or any place in Europe.
The situation is a way more complicated than you think. You can NOT just drop by and climb... you got to know exactly which routes are safe to climb... it is because;
1) Japanese grading is kind of messed up. It can be 5.10b or more, when the topo says, it is 5.9. Since each crags compete each others; Like XX crag people do not want YY crag people to think, oh, crag XX is easy! So they put easier grades on hard routes. It's developer's unspoken ego fights between the crags.
2) Runout. The bolting is messed up too. It is partly because historical reason and our crag developers are elderly people who are taught in the time, aid climbing was norm on more than 5.9, and the bolt were expensive. So you have to understand. For them, risking life is the part of the game. So the easier the grades are, the fewer the bolts are...
1) Japanese grading is kind of messed up. It can be 5.10b or more, when the topo says, it is 5.9. Since each crags compete each others; Like XX crag people do not want YY crag people to think, oh, crag XX is easy! So they put easier grades on hard routes. It's developer's unspoken ego fights between the crags.
2) Runout. The bolting is messed up too. It is partly because historical reason and our crag developers are elderly people who are taught in the time, aid climbing was norm on more than 5.9, and the bolt were expensive. So you have to understand. For them, risking life is the part of the game. So the easier the grades are, the fewer the bolts are...
For example;
Hatsu yume 5.10a B6
Tanukino ana 5.12a/b B9
Ai ha katsu 5.10b B5
SHINBA 5.12b/c B9
In one crag, the routes next to each other can not be so different in length, right?
So for the same amount of length to climb, there is a significant difference in the bolt number, as above. 5.12 received 9 bolts, whereas 5.10a and 5.10b received, only 5 or 6 bolts. So harder the more, you are likely to be safe. The most dangerous zone tend to be under 5.9. Because it's beginner's grade.
So I will recommend to climb here to only someone who has been climbing for a while, so he or she is familiar with these kind of things.
For the one time beginner, I will recommend to hire a local climbing guide.
Please, beware of runout in case you are climbing anything easy.
So use your imagination, and observe closely, before you climb, since we don't want any climbing accidents here in Japan. No accidents, please.
I personally think too much bolts spoils the joy of climbing but, it is largely depending on HOW well it is placed, if it is not placed BEFORE the crux, it can get scary and dangerous but it is up to climbers skills. If you are mentally strong, you might enjoy it.
But overall advice is you need more observation than in Laos. Japanese crags are more scare oriented than safety oriented.
I talked to some non-Japanese who visited Ogawa yama, they all said Ogawa yama is scary.
I think in Kyushu, the most popular place like Ogawayama is Hyugami crag and it has 300 climbs, which is a half size of Ogawayama. So I suppose you can spend a week easily on Hyugami only.
I would think it would be so nice and beautiful if we communicate through Climbing as an common international language.
Hatsu yume 5.10a B6
Tanukino ana 5.12a/b B9
Ai ha katsu 5.10b B5
SHINBA 5.12b/c B9
In one crag, the routes next to each other can not be so different in length, right?
So for the same amount of length to climb, there is a significant difference in the bolt number, as above. 5.12 received 9 bolts, whereas 5.10a and 5.10b received, only 5 or 6 bolts. So harder the more, you are likely to be safe. The most dangerous zone tend to be under 5.9. Because it's beginner's grade.
So I will recommend to climb here to only someone who has been climbing for a while, so he or she is familiar with these kind of things.
For the one time beginner, I will recommend to hire a local climbing guide.
Please, beware of runout in case you are climbing anything easy.
So use your imagination, and observe closely, before you climb, since we don't want any climbing accidents here in Japan. No accidents, please.
I personally think too much bolts spoils the joy of climbing but, it is largely depending on HOW well it is placed, if it is not placed BEFORE the crux, it can get scary and dangerous but it is up to climbers skills. If you are mentally strong, you might enjoy it.
But overall advice is you need more observation than in Laos. Japanese crags are more scare oriented than safety oriented.
I talked to some non-Japanese who visited Ogawa yama, they all said Ogawa yama is scary.
I think in Kyushu, the most popular place like Ogawayama is Hyugami crag and it has 300 climbs, which is a half size of Ogawayama. So I suppose you can spend a week easily on Hyugami only.
I would think it would be so nice and beautiful if we communicate through Climbing as an common international language.
