Ojuhacha (162m), Mt Tanuki (139m) & Mt Kitsune (153m), Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, Sunday, January 26, 2025

I was looking for an easily accessible hike in Chiba. Looking at my map, I found a suitable loop hike inside Yonezawa Forest, in the northern half of the Bozo peninsula. It was a short walk from Kazusa-Ushiku station on the Kominato line, as well as a short drive from Mobara station. I chose to go by car to take advantage of the Sotobo line limited express. The route included 3 minor peaks, Mt Fuji apparently visible from the first one on clear weather days.

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Hiking on the Boso Peninsula 房総半島

To get to the start of the hike, I’d ride the Wakashio Limited Express from Tokyo station to Mobara station, and there, switch to a share car; for the return, I’d use the Wakashio bound for Shinjuku station. Before the hike, I’d stop by Nagara Chosei An for an early Soba Lunch. The weather was supposed to be sunny all day and I was looking forward to visiting a new spot on the Boso Peninsula, as well as getting my first proper view of Fuji of the year.

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Start of the Hike (left) Entering the Bamboo Grove (right)

Inside the Bamboo Grove (left) Walking through Ferns (right)

It was another perfect winter day as I rode the limited express from Tokyo Station, arriving at Mobara around 11am. After finding my share car, I drove to Nagara Taiyo Farm, situated on a tableland, also the location of the soba restaurant. After lunch, I walked a short way to the nearby Nagaiki Observation Deck (長生き展望台 meaning long life), perched at the edge of a steep incline; from a modest elevation of about 100 meters, I had a stunning view to the east of the forested coastal plain extending north to south.

Looking East from the Nagaiki Observation Deck

Looking North from the Nagaiki Observation Deck

Cold gusts soon forced me to retreat to my car, and after a short drive, I reached the Yonezawa-no-mori #3 parking lot, along the Uguisu line (meaning Japanese Nightingale), one of the entrances to Yonezawa forest (米沢の森). After getting ready, I set off just after 1pm, up a gentle incline. I soon arrived at a junction on a ridge where I turned right. After following a pleasant path through the forest, I got to another junction where I turned right again. Here and there, helpful hand drawn signs along the trail kept me on the right track. At 1h30, I arrived at Ojuhacha (御十八夜おじゅうはっちゃ ojuuhaccha), the highest point of today’s hike, also the location of a relay station, with a wide view on the west side.

Sun Filtering through the Foliage

Approaching the Turnoff for Mt Kitsune

I was delighted by the view of white-capped Fuji, visible through the haze, on the other side of Tokyo Bay, with the Hakone mountains to its right, and Southwest, I spotted the prominent plateau of Mt Kano, also the location of Mother Farm, with the outline of the Miura peninsula on its right side; further south were the countless low mountains of Minamiboso. Looking northwest, I could make out the skyscrapers of Tokyo. I was tempted by a bench next to the relay building but it was too soon for a break. I headed downhill, glimpses of a golf course on my left side, and after a short while, reached the Uguisu line, but soon rejoined another hiking trail on the other side.

View west towards Tokyo Bay from Ojuhacha

Looking up the Bamboo Stalks

It was great to be walking through the evergreen trees that cover most of the Boso peninsula; some leaves were bright green, turning winter into a distant memory. After some ups and downs, I reached the top of Mt Tanuki (たぬき山たぬきやま tanuki-yama meaning Mt Raccoon); it was completely in the trees, and despite the tanuki’s reputation for possessing people, I didn’t feel compelled to stick around.

Path Leading into the Bamboo Grove

Walking Through the Bamboo

At 2h30, after some more ups and downs, typical of hiking in Boso, I arrived at the third and last peak of the day, Mt Kitsune (きつね山きつねやま kitsune-yama meaning Mt Fox), slyly tucked away down a side path off the main trail, also surrounded by trees. I resumed my hike, following a slightly descending ridgeline straight through the forest, ignoring several tracks on the left side, and at 3pm, arrived at the edge of a bamboo grove.

An Easy to Walk Trail

A Level Trail Through an Evergreen Forest

I was excited to be walking through bamboo, the tall stalks swaying and cracking in the breeze. After exiting the grove, I descended a fern-lined path ending at some houses along a road; here I turned left and soon crossed the Uguisu line again. After a short walk under the afternoon sun through the Yonezawa locality, I turned right, up a road leading back into the forest. The road leveled and turned into a path, in the shade of tall cedars. I passed a wooden “torii” (Shinto gate) on the right side, the entrance to Awasu Shrine. I continued straight ahead, thick vegetation crowding in on both sides, blue sky now reappearing above.

Mt Fuji & Hakone from Ojuhacha

Mt Tanuki from above the Uguisu Parking Lot

I had an unexpected view of Mt Tanuki through a break in the vegetation on the right, the rounded tree-covered summit area bathed in the late afternoon light. Shortly after, I arrived at the turn-off for the parking lot, and by 4pm I was back at my car. I felt I had only walked a small part of the network of trails through Yonezawa forest but felt happy to have finally seen the full shape of Mt Fuji for the first time of the year. I returned the car at 5pm and then boarded the limited express; after enjoying the sunset from my seat, I settled in for the one hour ride back to Tokyo.