Hiking Mount Hirugatake
Mount Hirugatake is the highest mountain in Kanagawa Prefecture with 1673 metres, located in the middle of Tanzawa mountain range, a popular mountain range for casual hiking. The most popular hiked mountains in the range are Mount Tonodake and Mount Oyama, also Mount Nabewari with its udon. Due to its location in the middle of the large mountain range, it is difficult, though possible, to do day trip.
My hike this time, I decided to climb from Yabitsu Pass, stay one night on Mount Hirugatake mountain hut, and return passing Mount Hinokiboramaru to Nishi Tanzawa Visitor Center. A week before this climb, I climbed Mount Oyama, and on the bus, I met with French travelers who did this route. I checked the route and though it looked hard for me, walking 8 hours a day, it looked feasible. The exciting thing about the route is that we can climb several mountains I wanted to climb in one hike, i.e. Mount Tonodake, Mount Tanzawa, Mount Hirugatake and Mount Hinokiboramaru. I was also looking forward to staying in the mountain hut because I read the view of Mount Fuji and the night view of the cities are nice.
With my partner, we started early to catch the few bus to Yabitsu Pass from Shin Matsuda Station. Yabitsu Pass is popular entrance to Mount Oyama and Mount Tonodake. We started the climb to Mount Tonodake with several other groups from the same bus. After getting off the bus, we walked the car road to Terayama Fujimi Public Toilet, the entrance to climb Mount Tonodake.
We had to climb the endless steep steps from the start of mountain path. Passing several names mentioned in our references, one with funny name like "Head of Seijiro", we reached Mount Tonodake about 1 pm, good time to have lunch. Was great to enjoy our hot noodle and hot coffee latte while watching Mount Fuji in front of us.
It looked like only us going forward to Mount Tanzawa, while other climbers went down after Mount Tonodake. Even though the name represents the whole mountain range, Mount Tanzawa itself is not a popular mountain for hiking due to its location and its view, I believe. We continued our seemingly endless hike to the mightiest Mount Hirugatake. Though there are numerous rock and chain climbing, it was not that scary since we were not surrounded by nothing. We stocked our water supply with the snow found on the way.
We reached Mount Hirugatake about 4 pm, ahead the schedule, with relief and happiness. Behind the mountain hut, there is a large and nice resting places with many tables and the pretty view of Mount Fuji behind the mountain range. After checking in the mountain hut, we had our late afternoon coffee while enjoying the mountain view. My partner used up our gas stock boiling up the snow we picked up for drinking supply, that we were unable to make our cup noodle for the next day.
The mountain hut was run by one older man. Due to corona virus prevention, the mountain hut limited only to 10 guests, however, one group of 4 people did not show up. Beside us, there were two other groups. One of other guests looked like a famous alpinist, wrote a book that is also sold in the mountain hut. The mountain hut charged 5000 yen for the stay, 1000 yen each for dinner and breakfast. The dinner was heat-and-eat curry, which was a bit disappointing. The hut master informed that all supply has to be delivered by helicopter, that explained the pricey price tags. Though drinking water was not free, the hot tea was free flowing. There was no clean sheet for our stained futon, regretted not bringing my sleeping bag.
I woke up at 4 in the morning and went out waiting for sunrise. The sun rose from the city below and there was not cloud sea that morning. After the breakfast, we left the mountain hut about 7 am, heading to Mount Hinokiboramaru. There was a warning board saying that the route is hard and dangerous that it might require more time. It was indeed hard and tiring route, passing Mount Hinokiboramaru, then down to Nishi Tanzawa Visitor Center, but the view was nice. The mountain hut in Hinokiboramaru was pretty blue mountain hut with cute ornaments run by two ladies as per website I read. It was closed due to corona virus the day we passed.
The way down from Mount Hinokiboramaru was endless steep paths, but was pretty with azalea trees. At the end of the mountain path, we passed a pretty river, then continued to easy flat nice mountain walk. Though slightly over our plan, we made it getting on the bus from Nishi Tanzawa Visitor Center.
(Climb date: 29 - 30 April 2020)
My hike this time, I decided to climb from Yabitsu Pass, stay one night on Mount Hirugatake mountain hut, and return passing Mount Hinokiboramaru to Nishi Tanzawa Visitor Center. A week before this climb, I climbed Mount Oyama, and on the bus, I met with French travelers who did this route. I checked the route and though it looked hard for me, walking 8 hours a day, it looked feasible. The exciting thing about the route is that we can climb several mountains I wanted to climb in one hike, i.e. Mount Tonodake, Mount Tanzawa, Mount Hirugatake and Mount Hinokiboramaru. I was also looking forward to staying in the mountain hut because I read the view of Mount Fuji and the night view of the cities are nice.
With my partner, we started early to catch the few bus to Yabitsu Pass from Shin Matsuda Station. Yabitsu Pass is popular entrance to Mount Oyama and Mount Tonodake. We started the climb to Mount Tonodake with several other groups from the same bus. After getting off the bus, we walked the car road to Terayama Fujimi Public Toilet, the entrance to climb Mount Tonodake.
We had to climb the endless steep steps from the start of mountain path. Passing several names mentioned in our references, one with funny name like "Head of Seijiro", we reached Mount Tonodake about 1 pm, good time to have lunch. Was great to enjoy our hot noodle and hot coffee latte while watching Mount Fuji in front of us.
It looked like only us going forward to Mount Tanzawa, while other climbers went down after Mount Tonodake. Even though the name represents the whole mountain range, Mount Tanzawa itself is not a popular mountain for hiking due to its location and its view, I believe. We continued our seemingly endless hike to the mightiest Mount Hirugatake. Though there are numerous rock and chain climbing, it was not that scary since we were not surrounded by nothing. We stocked our water supply with the snow found on the way.
We reached Mount Hirugatake about 4 pm, ahead the schedule, with relief and happiness. Behind the mountain hut, there is a large and nice resting places with many tables and the pretty view of Mount Fuji behind the mountain range. After checking in the mountain hut, we had our late afternoon coffee while enjoying the mountain view. My partner used up our gas stock boiling up the snow we picked up for drinking supply, that we were unable to make our cup noodle for the next day.
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| Sunset from Mount Hirugadake |
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| Twilight time at Mount Hirugatake |
I woke up at 4 in the morning and went out waiting for sunrise. The sun rose from the city below and there was not cloud sea that morning. After the breakfast, we left the mountain hut about 7 am, heading to Mount Hinokiboramaru. There was a warning board saying that the route is hard and dangerous that it might require more time. It was indeed hard and tiring route, passing Mount Hinokiboramaru, then down to Nishi Tanzawa Visitor Center, but the view was nice. The mountain hut in Hinokiboramaru was pretty blue mountain hut with cute ornaments run by two ladies as per website I read. It was closed due to corona virus the day we passed.
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| Azalea at Tsutsuji Shinkaido from Mount Hinokiboramaru to Nishi Tanzawa Visitor Center |
The way down from Mount Hinokiboramaru was endless steep paths, but was pretty with azalea trees. At the end of the mountain path, we passed a pretty river, then continued to easy flat nice mountain walk. Though slightly over our plan, we made it getting on the bus from Nishi Tanzawa Visitor Center.
(Climb date: 29 - 30 April 2020)
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