Trip reports
Sagamihara Hiking Excursion: Explore Kanagawa's Tallest Peak
In early November, I embarked on an unforgettable hiking adventure to Mt. Hirugatake in Kanagawa Prefecture. Mt. Hirugatake is the tallest mountain in the Tanzawa Mountains and is Kanagawa’s tallest peak. It has an impressive height of 1,673 meters! On the mountain’s summit, I spent the night at Hirugatake Hut, a charming lodge where I rested and refueled amidst tranquil nature.
Overall, my roundtrip hike to and from Mt. Hirugatake proved to be an exhilarating, physically demanding, and visually stunning experience. If you are interested in exploring Japan’s grand nature along a lesser known trail, I highly recommend making the journey to Mt. Hirugatake. Please note that this hike is considered an intermediate to advanced one.
Let’s talk logistics
The hike to Mt. Hirugatake can be divided into three sections:
- Okura Bus Stop → Mt. Tonodake (7.0km / 4.35 miles)
- Mt. Tonodake → Mt. Tanzawa (2.5km / 1.55 miles)
- Mt. Tanzawa → Mt. Hirugatake (3.3km / 2.05 miles)
A one-way hike from Okura Bus Stop to Mt. Hirugatake is about 12.8km (7.95 miles) and can take anywhere between 6.5 to eight hours to complete. The longest stretch of the hike is from Okura Bus Stop to Mt. Tonodake, which is roughly 7.0km (4.35 miles). The trail in its entirety is incredibly well maintained and provides numerous resting points with seating. I recommend that you start the hike early so you have plenty of daylight to complete the trek.
Elevation-wise, the mountains are as follows:
- Mt. Tonodake: 1,491 meters
- Mt. Tanzawa: 1,567.1 meters
- Mt. Hirugatake: 1,673 meters
Okura Bus Stop has an elevation of roughly 292 meters, so expect a lot of uphill during your trek! Luckily, the high elevations result in more than just sweat. They also provide magnificent views.
Important notes
Since Mt. Hirugatake is a challenging hike, please make sure you dress appropriately, pack plenty of fluids and energizing snacks, and rest accordingly. On the mountain, mornings and evenings can be significantly cooler than midday, so pack some warm clothes as well.
Cell service can be spotty or nonexistent during the hike, so we recommend that you download a hiking app beforehand that allows you to access GPS and maps without service. Also, given the lack of electricity on the mountain, please bring a portable charger to ensure that your phone stays sufficiently charged.
Pre-hike: Access to Okura Bus Stop
The trailhead to Mt. Tonodake is most easily accessible from Okura Bus Stop (大倉), which is a roughly 15-minute bus ride from Shibusawa Station. Shibusawa Station, located in Hadano, is serviced by the Odakyu Line and is a roughly one hour and ten minutes train ride from Shinjuku Station.
Local buses bound for Okura Bus Stop—typically marked as 渋０２—depart every 30 minutes. We highly recommend catching a bus between 7am and 8am. Given the early hour, we also suggest that you spend the night in the surrounding area the day before.
Okura Bus Stop is located near Hadano Visitor Center, which provides information about the surrounding natural environment. However, since the facility is open from 9am–4pm, it may still be closed when you arrive. The area also has public restrooms and a vending machine so you can stock up on some last minute drinks.
Now, let’s start hiking!
Okura Bus Stop → Mt. Tonodake
Luckily for me, sunny skies illuminated the start of my outdoor excursion, and autumn’s chill provided the perfect trekking weather. From Okura Bus Stop, I followed a quiet residential road to Mt. Tonodake’s trailhead (about 10 minutes).
As I continued along the path, the concrete ground gave way to earthen trails and a verdant forest unfolded around me. Early morning sunlight filtered through the canopy above, providing an enchanting touch to the woodsy adventure. The trail had periodic signage in English and Japanese that helped guide me throughout the hike.
Since the elevation gain between the trailhead and Mt. Tonodake is quite steep, this portion of the hike is largely uphill and filled with well-maintained stairs. As I trekked upwards, heart pounding, the surrounding mountains started to reveal themselves through the trees. During my periods of rest, I was truly captured by the natural beauty.
The trek to Mt. Tonodake also granted me numerous opportunities to view Mt. Fuji! My breath escaped me as I admired the iconic mountain rising above Kanagawa’s rolling mountainscape.
Once I neared Mt. Tonodake’s summit, I was treated to aerial views of Kanagawa’s urban areas and Sagami Bay—creating a contrasting view of natural and man-made wonders.
With a sweat-drenched face (and a slight disdain for stairs), I finally arrived at Mt. Tonodake. Here, I was greeted by another impressive shot of Mt. Fuji before a few clouds rolled in. However, the clouds added to the ambience, and I could almost imagine I was living in the sky.
Entertained by this natural show, I rested on one of the seating platforms and ate lunch before resuming my journey to Mt. Tanzawa.
Additionally, Mt. Tonodake has a lodging facility that offers accommodation plans, drinks (sports drinks, soda, tea, beer, etc.), and cup noodles! It opens at 8am. The summit also has public restrooms.
Mt. Tonodake → Mt. Tanzawa
From Mt. Tonodake, my upwards trek continued to Mt. Tanzawa. Along this mountain path, the concentration of trees and overhead foliage thinned, providing me captivating views of the forest-clad mountains all around me. The trail was lined with thick vegetation and oftentimes spindly trees, making me feel as though I was in a fantastical realm.
Once I reached Mt. Tanzawa, I again rested my tired legs at the provided seating areas. Mt. Hirugatake was almost within my reach!
Mt. Tanzawa is also home to a lodging facility called Miyama Hut.
Mt. Tanzawa → Mt. Hirugatake
The path from Mt. Tanzawa to Mt. Hirugatake was similar to the previous trail—providing elevated, unobscured views of the striking landscapes. There were even less trees along this portion of the hike. Also, unlike the largely uphill trend of the hike thus far, this part featured a lot of up and down, giving my legs a much needed break from climbing stairs.
The crisp mountain breeze, coupled with the open atmosphere and ubiquitous mountain panoramas, energized my inner adventurer.
After my multi-hour trek, I finally reached my destination—Mt. Hirugatake!
Hirugatake Hut
For my outdoor adventure, I opted to spend the night at Hirugatake Hut, located on the mountain’s summit. This quaint lodge is well equipped for a comfortable stay after a day of hiking and is open year-round. You can make a reservation via email (kitatanzawa@kib.biglobe.ne.jp). Please refer to the homepage for more details.
Upon entering, the owner was incredibly friendly and provided helpful information about my stay, including the times for dinner and breakfast, the exact time for sunrise, and the temperature/weather the following morning.
The hut itself has a communal tatami seating area, a wooden room with benches and tables, toilets, and a tatami sleeping area. Please note that the facility does not have showers or electrical outlets. You must bring a portable charger to charge your cellphone. The lodge also offers Wi-Fi for 600 yen per 24 hours and purchasable beverages, such as water, sports drinks, soda, tea, and beer. You can also buy some souvenirs to remember your trip, including t-shirts, stickers, keychains, and even a small certificate that notates the date you climbed Mt. Hirugatake.
After acquainting myself with the facility, I decided to snuggle into my futon and read a book until dinnertime. The surrounding area’s quiet ambience was only disturbed by birdsong and the wind, adding to its peaceful vibes.
Dinner and breakfast at Hirugatake Hut
Hirugatake Hut offers plans with no meals, one meal, or two meals. I chose two meals, and thus was treated to dinner and breakfast.
For dinner, the hut’s owner made a delicious batch of Japanese curry paired with salad, pickled garlic, pineapple, a soybean side dish, endless rice refills, and fukujinzuke—a type of Japanese pickle with a sweet flavor profile. The curry was savory and warm, making for a perfect meal in the chilly evening. The hut also provided steaming cups of tea.
Lights off was at 8pm. So after the satisfying meal, I prepared my backpack for the early morning and let the day’s activities lull me into a deep and restful slumber.
The hut’s owner served breakfast at 5:30am, so my fellow hikers and I were nourished before the sunrise, which occurred at 6:04am on the day of my visit.
Breakfast included rice with furikake seasoning, bite-sized pieces of nori (dried seaweed), miso soup, tea, seasoned canned tuna, and an assortment of tsukemono (Japanese pickles), such as takuan (pickled daikon radish), umeboshi (salted Japanese plums), and shibazuke (vegetables picked in salt and shiso leaves). The contrasting textures, flavors, and temperatures created a delicious meal that helped chase away my early morning haze.
Unfortunately, during my stay, clouds obscured the sunrise. However, Hirugatake Hut kindly provided me with some photos that illustrate how majestic the sunrise is from Mt. Hirugatake. If you time your visit well, you may even catch a glimpse of the breathtaking Diamond Fuji, which is when the sun’s ascent or descent perfectly aligns with Mt. Fuji’s peak. Of course, watching the sunrise in the presence of Japan’s most iconic mountain is always a treasured sight regardless.
Return hike
My return to Okura Bus Stop followed the same path, so I once again lost myself in the scenic views. However, on my descent, the landscapes were bathed in a mystical veil of clouds and fog, adding an ethereal element to the visual delights.
Final thoughts
The hike to Mt. Hirugatake was a spectacular experience. The natural beauty, quiet moments of introspection, off-the-grid lodging experience, and sense of accomplishment made the journey one I will not soon forget. Also, the mountain’s access from Tokyo is extremely easy via public transportation.
If you enjoy hiking and want to witness some awe-inspiring mountain landscapes from the path less traveled, be sure to add Mt. Hirugatake to your Japan bucket list!
