Mostly Japanese Mountains

Super suteki Kusatsu Shirane. What a view of Yugama!

Yugama

Kusatsu Shirane in Gunma

S'up?

I made a trip to Mt. Kusatsu Shirane the other day. It was great.

The last time I went to the area, I broke all sorts of rules, and probably the law. More on that later in the post so keep reading.

. . . about Mt. Kusatsu Shirane

Kusatsu Shirane is a really cool collection of peaks which make up a stratovolcano. It's one of the 100 Famous Mountains, but the highest peak, Motoshirane (本白根) is off-limits due to danger from the volcano. (I've climbed it. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone.)**

The road is only open from April to mid-November and most of the trails are closed because of the alert levels. Just today (October 13, 2026), and for the next few weeks only, the shortest trail is going to be opened on a trial basis. That trail leads to a platform overlooking the Yugama Lake (湯釜).

This is an automatically translated story about the opening of the trail to that viewpoint. I think I'm happy enough to see it from where I did--and also that there were only 3 other people at the viewpoint I saw it from!

**OK, I'll tell you now. I came across some Japanese person's hiking report of Mt. Motoshirane, which is one of the peaks on Kusatsu Shirane. I think that is the peak Yuya Fukada was thinking of when he included Kusatsu Shirane on his list of 100 Famous Mountains. I thought it looked cool and decided to copy his plan. It was one of the most spectacular hikes of my life. I hiked it in the snow on a gorgeous, clear day and had the mountains all to myself. When I posted my report on YAMAP, the YAMAP people went crazy and even Tsumagoi's village people got really big mad at me. (I can call them village people because the municipality of Tsumagoi is indeed a village. Hee hee.) I had no idea that all the places I went were off-limits or that the locals take that very seriously. I just thought I was alone because it was a weekday. Anyway, you can see that report here. It is another in a long list of things I have done in the mountains that I wouldn't do again--but boy, I am really glad I did!

Area:

This is above Kusatsuonsen in Gunma. Kusatsu's onsens are famous throughout the country. It's also not far from Shiga Kogen and it's snow monkeys.

Location:

Map: ***If you want a link to the latest Yama to Kogen map, comment and I'll get you a link. This link is to a printable topo map of this area.

Starting and stopping point:

Shibu Pass Parking Lot by Mt. Yokote

Beward of Bears (The last report near the mountain was two years ago.)

Bear Information kumamap

Peaks bagged: Yokote (横手山) ~ Ikenoto (池ノ塔) ~ Kusatsu Shirane (草津白根山)

(First-time) peaks # 1,163~1,165

Getting there/getting around:

I drove.

There is bus service from Shiga Kogen or Yudanaka.

Helpful Info

Weather Information:

Tenkura (Japanese)

Mountain-forecast.com

Time and distance

YAMAP's Estimate Time: 2:33 Distance: 8.4

The Caveman did it in: Total Time: 4:20 Break time: :28 Distance: 12 km*

Elevation: Lowest: 2,043 m Highest: 2,307 m Total Ascent: 616 m Total Descent: 616 m

*The YAMAP app wouldn't allow for my side excursion to Mt. Ikenoto or for the portion of the hike from the Shiranesan to the point overlooking Yugama.

Technical considerations/difficulty:

Facilities:

There is nothing near Kusatsu Shirane. I parked near Yokote, a few km away. There is a restaurant and that kind of stuff there.

There's nothing technical or difficult about this hike.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:

This is a great place to go for a drive. There are many small parking lots on the side of the road with great views. It would be nice to take a picnic lunch. You don't have to be into hiking to enjoy this area.

Let's look at some pictures

This is the top of Mt. Yokote. Yokote is at the top of a ski hill and can be accessed by the Shibutoge First Romance (ski) Lift. Or, you could walk up it. It only takes about 10~15 minutes.

After Yokote, I walked along Route 292 for quite a while to get to the trailhead for Kusatsu Shirane. Despite the cars driving by, it was a nice walk because the views are out of this world. It's going to be really hard not to post too many pictures.

At this point, I left Route 292 and headed toward a peak called Ikenoto. This peak has no trail to it on the map, but I could see from my hiking app that some others had hiked to it because their footprints were on the map.

It started out ok, but the bamboo grass got thicker and thicker.

There was also a lot of pine mixed in with the bamboo grass.

It was miserable.

When I finally got to the top, there was no sign and no view. The only way I could get pictures was to hold the smartphone over my head because the bamboo grass was higher than eye leve.

The blue line that starts by the restroom and the "Arrival 9:38" bubble is my path. The big blue dot is my location at the top of Mt. Ikenoto.

Looking back up the hill.

When I escaped the sea of bamboo grass, I was back on Route 292 for a while.

On the trail to Kusatsu Shirane

After the top, there is another 5-10 walk to the point overlooking Yugama.

Looking back to the first peak of the day.

That's Kusatsu Shirane across the street.

Wetland

Yokote from the bottom

On the way home, I dropped into the Sainokawahara Rotenburo (outdoor bath).

It was most excellent.

(Along with all the regular stuff such as maps, headlamps, boots, feet, and brains, . . .) don't forget:

To check the roof before you drive off. I realized when I got to the onsen that I had left my binoculars on the roof when I started out. I drove off the mountain and they didn't fall off! I was lucky.

Before I say goodbye . . .

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Yatto Hyakumeizan Yatsugatake o Yatsukemashita!

S'up?

How's everyone doing? Y'alright? Me? I am A-OK. Firing on all cylinders, cooking with gas and squatting in the tall grass.

When I moved to Nagano in May of 2023, the first thing I did was hop on my bicycle at home (elev. 670 m) and ride 25 km up the Tateshina Skyline to Ogawahara Pass (elev. 2,058m) where I then hiked to the top of Mt. Tateshina (elev. 2531 m).

What a great day that was, and what an auspicious way to start my adventures on the Yatsugatake Range.

Since then, I have hiked all over the Yatsugatake Mountain Range. I can see it from home, and from my office. My colleagues think I am a highly engaged thoughtful employee because they see me so deep in thought about work. What I am most often really doing is scheming about my next adventure on Yatsugatake.

I have ridden my bike from this side of the range to the other and back. Some of the mountains, I've summited 5 or 6 times. I've gone up to Mt. Futago early in the morning to catch the sunrise before work. I've ridden the Skyline on my bike after it's closed for the winter. I have hiked from my home over the range to the other side--and then all the way past Matsumoto Station. (Not all at once, though!)

There were a few peaks in the range that eluded me for the longest time, however. Way on the other side from where I live is Mt. Amigasa. I really wanted to bag that and to knock off the peaks between it and Mt. Akadake to finally consider that I've completed the range.

It was a hard thing to do because it is a longish trek and I needed to overnight. The stars just never seemed to align enough for me to do that hike.

Until last week. I finally got to do it. Hooray.

. . . about Mt. Akadake and the Yatsugatake Range

The Yatsugatake Range is a popular hiking area which runs about 19 miles from Kitasaku, Nagano in the north to Hokuto City, Yamanashi in the south. The highest peak on the northern end is Tateshina (2,531 meters), and the highest peak of the whole range is in the south, Mt. Akadake (2,899 meters). The southern part of the range is higher and is more spicy for hiking.

Although Yatsugatake is beautiful and parts of it are spicy, most of it is accessible year-round and it's possible to enjoy hiking in the snow as well as during the green seasons.

Mt. Tateshina is one of the Hyakumeizan (100 Famous Mountains). Yatsugatake is also on the list. Since Yatsugatake is a whole range, typically, people deem Akadake as being the peak that counts for the Hyakumeizan designation. This was my third time to summit Akadake.

Yatsugatake is home to the country's highest rotenburo (outside hotspring bath). Yatsugatake Honzawa Hotspring . Shirakoma Pond is one of the most beautiful spots in the country to catch fall foliage.

This isn't my video, but I really like it!

Location:

Map: ***If you want a link to the latest Yama to Kogen map, comment and I'll get you a link. This link is to a printable topo map of this area.

Starting and stopping point:

Fujimikogen Tozanshayo Parking Lot 富士見高原登山者用駐車場

Beward of Bears

Bear Information kumamap

Peaks bagged: Amigasa (編み笠) ~ Nishigijiboshi (西ギボシ) ~ Higashigijiboshi (東ギボシ) ~ Asahi (旭日岳) ~ Tsurune (ツルネ) ~ Akadake (赤岳) ~ Nishidake (西岳)

(First-time) peaks # 1,157 ~ 1,162

Getting there/getting around:

I drove. You could get to the trailhead by a twenty-minute taxi ride from either Kobuchisawa or Shinana-Sakai Stations.

Helpful Info:

Weather Information:

Mountain-forecast.com (English)

Tenkura (Japanese)

Time and distance

YAMAP's Estimate Time: 16:19 Distance: 19.3 km

The Caveman did it in: Total Time: 13:17 Break time: :35 Distance: 20 km

Elevation: Lowest: 1,330 m Highest: 2,899 m Total Ascent: 2,636 m Total Descent: 2,636 m

Technical considerations/difficulty:

Lots to consider. This is a significant ascent and is physically taxing. I spread this over two days to ensure I'd be able to finish.

There are a lot of chains, ladders, and ropes you need to negotiate. The col (キレット) has a lot of scree, and you must be careful not to slip on the loose rocks.

Make sure you have a map and GPS. There are a few parts where it is easy to get turned around, especially below the treeline.

Facilities:

I stayed at the Seinen Mountain Cabin 青年小屋. It has a tent site as well as rooms for lodging in. Just off the top of Mt. Akadake is the Akadake Tenboso 赤岳展望荘. Between those two huts are two other huts that have closed. 😢

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:

I think that if I were to do this trek again, I would stay at the Akadake Tenboso. I liked the Seinen Cabin, but distance-wise, staying at the top would have made more sense. Also, seeing sunset and sunrise up there would be a big bonus.

(Along with all the regular stuff such as maps, headlamps, boots, feet, and brains, . . .) don't forget:

A helmet. On the col, occasionally a rock with roll down behind a hiker. I'd hate to get whacked on the head by one.

Let's look at some pictures:

Day One:

Day Two:

Day One:

Day Two:

Starting out

The view is of the first peak (Mt. Amigasa), on the right and the last peak (Nishidake), on the left.

The top of Amigasa

From the top of Amigasa

The Seinen Cabin

青年小屋

Amigasa is behind the swing

This is either Nishigiboshi or Higashigiboshi. I forget which.

This is the ladder.

I wish I took more pictures.

I think it's probably the longest ladder I've ever been on in my life.

The top of Akadake

Akadake means red peak. Makes sense.

Catching the sun setting behind Mt. Ontake was pretty special.

I climbed Ontake just a month or so ago. It's a great mountain.

That is looking up.

I counted the rungs when I climbed.

Later that night, I talked to a man about this ladder. I told him how amazing the ladder was and that it had 76 rungs. He said, "No. It's 62. At least, that's how many there were when I put the ladder there."

I guess I have to take his word for it.