新潟の桃源郷

関川村は、平成の大合併の際に周辺の市や町と合併せず、独自の道を選んだ村です。山々に囲まれたこの地域は自然が豊かで、平野部からもさほど遠くありません。飯豊連峰から流れる荒川が村を貫き、北には朴坂山、東に光兎山、西には虚空蔵山や高坪山、そして南には夏まで残雪が残る飯豊連峰の朳差岳など、多くの峰々に守られるように存在しています。こうした環境から、関川村は新潟県でも特に豊かな自然景観を誇る地域です。

村の中心を走る国道113号線は山形方面へと続いており、沿線には渓谷や素朴な山村風景が点在しています。また、県境付近からは石転び沢を経由して飯豊連峰へと向かう登山コースもあり、多くの岳人に親しまれています。

少し話題はそれますが、新潟県から他県へ向かう際は、必ず峠道を通ることになります。それぞれの峠道には個性があり、その道の雰囲気と県外への期待感が重なり合い、旅の楽しさを一層盛り上げてくれます。出張などで普段とは違う風景を目にすると、ワクワクした記憶が蘇るものです。

Sekikawa Village is a village that did not merge with surrounding cities and towns during the Heisei Era (Heisei Era) Great Merger, but chose to go its own way. Surrounded by mountains, the area is rich in nature and not far from the plains. The Arakawa River flowing from the Iide mountain range runs through the village, which is protected by many peaks, including Hosaka Mountain to the north, Kousagi Mountain to the east, Kokuzou Mountain and Takatsubo Mountain to the west, and Mount Eburisashi in the Iide mountain range to the south, where snow remains until summer.Because of this environment, Sekikawa Village boasts a particularly rich natural landscape in Niigata Prefecture.

National Route 113, which runs through the center of the village and heads toward Yamagata, is dotted with valleys and rustic mountain villages. There is also a mountain climbing course from near the prefectural border to the Iide mountain range via Ishikorobisawa, which is popular with many mountaineers.

This is a bit off topic, but when traveling from Niigata Prefecture to other prefectures, you will always pass through a mountain pass. Each mountain pass has its own unique character, and the atmosphere of the road combined with the anticipation of going out of the prefecture makes the trip even more enjoyable. Seeing an unusual landscape on a business trip brings back exciting memories.

PENTAX645Z+68mm  1/125秒 f：8

©️photo by Nakamura Osamu