Hiking Mt. Mitsutōge

Yamanashi Prefecture has a great selection of hiking trails for beginners and veterans alike. From Yamanashi’s mountains, one can enjoy an amazing view of Mt. Fuji, which is my personal favorite benefit. Mt. Mitsutoge (1,786 meters) has a summit well-known for its beautiful panoramic view of both Mt. Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes.

We started our hike around 10:30am, and started a long walk (about 30 minutes) over a concrete path.

At the forest entrance, there is a Daruma stone, a traditional Japanese doll that symbolizes luck and perseverance, and it looks like it is greeting the walkers.

Let’s start our climb up! The forest is dense and the treetops seem to touch the sky. 

The weather is cloudy, but we are keeping our hopes up for the rest of the day!

Unfortunately, Mt. Fuji was hiding behind the clouds on this day, but we were able to see a lot of delicate flowers and mushrooms.

The climb up had a lot of big rocks and steep slopes. At the two-hour mark, we reached the 88 statues of Jizo, the Buddhist deity who watches over travelers and children. The statues merged with the mist in the forest, giving the place a mystical aura.

We decided to have our lunch there, under the benevolent gaze of the Jizo. We used our camp stove to prepare some hot coffee. This was great, because the temperature kept getting colder the further up we went! 

We met a few hikers who told us that it would be at least another hour to the top. It was past noon, so we decided to turn back so we could reach the bottom before dusk.

We learned two lessons from this hike: manage your time and start the hike early in the morning to avoid being surprised by dusk, and bring enough clothes (especially if the weather forecast is cloudy/humid).

Even if we did not have the opportunity to enjoy a nice view on Mount Fuji, we enjoyed the breath of fresh air and the mysterious atmosphere of the forest surrounded with mist. And most of all, hiking is always fun in good company!

Please enjoy the following photos taken by Mr. Tatsuro Sugimoto, a mountain guide who accompanied us during our hike to Mt. Kinpu. We cannot wait to try climbing Mt. Mitsutoge again, and finally be able to gaze at Mt. Fuji from its summit!  

 
▲Photo by Tatsuro Sugimoto

▲Photo by Tatsuro Sugimoto 

▲My team and I took path A, starting from Mitsutoge Station.

More Info

Mt. Mitsutoge map:
http://www.mitsutoge-info.jp/root/rootmap.php