Mount Hakkoda is featured with its gentle slope, but is also famous as the place where the worst accident in Japanese Army history occurred. Military leaders of the Japanese Army planned a training exercise against Russia troops during the Meiji Era, about 100 years ago. The plan was to go over the mountain pass at midwinter. Mount Hakkoda is famous for its abundant snow in winter. Over 90% of the soldiers missed the right route and died from the cold. The picture below shows the monument for them. After this alpine accident, the Japanese Army started the ski training under the instruction of the Norway Army. The roots of skiing in Japan comes from this.
(KW: 八甲田山 死の行進 冬山 遭難 雪中行軍)
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