Love trail running? The latest documentary from British outdoors brand Rab is here, and it's not one to miss.
Set in Japan's spectacular Northern Alps, 'In the footsteps of Banryu' follows a team of expert trail runners retracing the routes established by the 18th-century monk known as 'the father of Japanese alpinism'.
British film-maker and trail running enthusiast Jake Baggaley leads the 37 mile (60km) journey over the sharp ridgelines and cliffside paths of the Kamikochi, Yarigatake, and Hotaka Circuit routes, which culminates in a record time attempt of Mount Yake-dake, an active volcano.
Jake's joined on his journey by a combination of trail runners, mountain guides, and filmmakers, to follow the routes established by Banryu.
"Ever since my first visit to Japan, nearly a decade ago, I've been captivated by these mountains," explains Jake in the documentary.
"The tales of the infamous Daikiretto ridge and Mount Yari, first climbed by the monk Banryu from Kamikochi, have captured my imagination. They're the origin stories of alpinism in Japan, and the idea of following in Banryu’s footsteps is what's inspired this adventure."
The father of Japanese alpinism
Banryu Shonin was an 18th-century monk and pioneering Japanese alpinist, well-known for his historic ascents in Japan's Northern Alps.
In 1828, he became the first person to successfully climb Mount Yargatei, a 10,433ft (3,180m) peak in the southern part of the mountains, home to plenty of exposed ridges and steep scrambling sections.
Banryu returned to climb the mountain on multiple occasions after his initial ascent and attached ropes and iron chains to challenging sections, so others could follow in his footsteps.
"Mount Yarigatake, towering over Kamikochi, was first climbed by the ascetic priest Banryu," explains the documentary.
"He is known as a pioneering mountaineer and lived and trained in a cave deep in the mountains. Banryu is called the father of Japanese alpinism."
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