South Osaka Ultra Trail

This is a record of a challenge I took on in summer Jul 2021, crossing the mountains of the southern Osaka area. we took on this challenge with a friend, just the two of us.We started at Mt.Nijozan, aiming for Misaki-Park as our goal.The distance was 100km, and it was expected to take around 25 hours.

Since it was September, the weather was still hot.There were no convenience stores along the way, so we had to pack all of our food in our backpacks, making them very heavy.
We packed things like dry food and ramen. Along the way, we even boiled water using a lantern.

When dawn broke and it became morning, I felt hungry again, so I ate some of the food. It tasted so good.At the same time, I also started to feel so sleepy.

About 10km before the goal, I was bitten by a venomous snake in the mountains.I was descending some stairs when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my foot.It was more painful than being hit by a rock or a branch—it felt like a nail had pierced my foot.When I looked down foot then I saw snake, and I immediately recognized it as a venomous the “Mamushi”.

I quickly used a poison remover on the bite, repeatedly draining the blood from the wound.
The snake had been hiding in the fallen leaves, and I hadn’t noticed it at all.Afterward, I somehow managed to descend the mountain on my own, but within about 30 minutes, the venom had spread, and I could no longer move.We called an ambulance, and I was rushed to the hospital.Since I had taken a picture of the snake, I showed it to the medical staff, and they confirmed it was indeed the Mamushi.

I was taken to the emergency room and immediately given antivenom.Normally, you would be hospitalized for about two weeks, and your whole body would swell to double its size.Thankfully, I was able to be discharged the next day, likely because I used the poison remover within about 30 seconds of being bitten.

If you plan to hike in the mountains of Japan during the summer, I want to caution you about something:
Be aware that there might be venomous snakes.The Mamushi, a venomous snake, can be found in many of Japan’s mountains, particularly in areas near streams or damp places.It has distinct markings, so it’s important to be familiar with them.If you are bitten, there will always be two fang marks left behind.Even if you’re wearing shoes instead of huarache sandals, the snake’s bite could penetrate them.I’ve heard stories of people being bitten even while wearing shoes.

After I was discharged from the hospital, it took about two weeks for the swelling in my foot to go down.It took about two months before I fully recovered and could run again.

Even so, I continue to run with Huarache Sandals.If you have any questions or need advice, feel free to send me a message.I’d be happy to help you out, and I hope you enjoy your trail trip in Japan!