I climbed these two mountains almost 7 years ago. Back then, the weather had been overcast and so I was hoping to get some better views this time. With a starting point above 1500 meters, it seemed like the ideal place to escape the relentless summer heat. Finally, I was betting that the long access via a winding mountain road would thin the holiday crowds. Since it was on the short side, I decided to combine it with a pre-hike soba lunch at Kamikoji and a post-hike hot spring bath at Hakusan Onsen.
To get to the start of the hike, I’d ride the Chuo line limited express from Shinjuku to Kofu, and then drive a share car to the parking lot near the trail entrance. The weather was supposed to be sunny, turning cloudy in the afternoon; temperatures would be over 30° in the Kofu basin but about 20° in the mountains. I hoped I’d be able to do everything I’d planned for the day and that I’d get a view of Mt Fuji, although my chances were slim according to the When to See Mt Fuji site.
Walkway near the Summit (left) Trail past Mt Amari (right)
Near the End of the Hike (left) Blue Sky at the End of the Day (right)
Thankfully it was a short walk, mostly in the shade, from the Station to the share car. After a one-hour drive, I arrived at Kojiro (上小路) at 1pm, where I enjoyed a delicious zaru-soba with a side of tempura. The onsen for the return was right next to the soba restaurant so it’d be easy to find. At 2pm, I got back behind the wheel, and half an hour later, pulled into the Hirogawara parking lot (広河原駐車場 1643m). I saw few cars meaning I could expect few people on the trail. It felt hot under the sun while I got ready, perhaps another reason for the nearly deserted parking area.
View of the Kofu Basin and Mt Fuji from the Start of the Hike
Trail past the Open Shelter
I felt more comfortable once I started up the trail, tall trees providing welcome shade. Very soon, I arrived at an open shelter, “azumaya“, with a view of the Kofu basin to the north; on the east side was the summit of Mt Fuji poking through the clouds. It was a pleasant surprise since being far away had actually increased my chances of seeing Japan’s most famous mountain. It was already past 3pm so after enjoying the view, I set off again. A short, easy climb up some log steps brought me to a plateau with wooden walkways, a spot famous for its pink Rhododendron (“tsutsuji“) in June. However in mid-July, I found myself walking through green bushes, another reason for the lack of people.
Log Steps leading to the Rhododendron Plateau
Just Green Bushes in this Season
I suddenly felt a cool breeze in this open space. Directly ahead was Mt Houou, a hundred famous mountain, dark clouds appearing from behind and threatening to invade the whole sky. I stepped up the pace, wondering if rain might follow. After another short climb, I arrived at the top of Mt Amari (甘利山 あまりやま amari-yama), a 100 famous mountain of Yamanashi, my second time there. I had a wide view of the Kofu Basin surrounded by the Oku-Chichibu mountains. In the foreground was the plateau I had just crossed, neatly divided in two by the walkway. After a short break, I continued my hike. A little descending, brought me to the start of a switchback trail leading up the steep mountain side.
View of the Plateau and its Walkway
Blue Sky on the Trail for Mt Okuamari
As I gained altitude, I often turned around to admire the views to the south, now including the rounded top of Mt Amari, its north side covered in forest, as well as Mt Kushigata. Here and there, I spotted the pale trunk of an Erman birch, “dakekanba“, which mostly grows above 1500 meters. Looking up, I was glad to see mostly blue sky, the thick grey clouds seemingly confined to the nearby South Alps. Just before 4pm, I turned right at in a fork in the trail, and a few minutes later, arrived at the top of Mt Okuamari (奥甘利山 おくあまりやま okuamari-yama) for the second time. It was surrounded by trees except on the southeast side where I had a view of Mt Fuji, almost completely hidden by clouds.
The Gentle Outline of Mt Kushigata
Mt Fuji Disappearing behind the Clouds
After observing a ladybug toddle along the top of a log seat, I headed back to the fork: the left branch continues t0 the next peak, Mt Sentoboshi (千頭星山 2138m), also a 100 famous mountain of Japan, about an hour uphill. I had climbed it back in 2015, and had no desire to visit it again, since it was completely in the trees. Thirty minutes later, just before the summit of Mt Amari, I turned left onto an alternative trail back to the parking. I headed down a grassy path, stopping once to observe a daddy long-legs spider sitting upside down on a tree branch and a second time to check out some bright green “old man’s beard” lichen hanging from the branches of a larch. At 5pm, I arrived back at the parking after a satisfying two hour and a half hike.
Looking back at Mt Amari
Trail near the End of the Hike
I was tempted to hang around to enjoy the now cool mountain air and see the night view of the Kofu basin but I felt it would be wiser to head back while there was still daylight. Half an hour later, I reached Hakusan Onsen (白山温泉). After a relaxing bath, I drove back to Kofu where I boarded the limited express for the 90-minute ride back to Shinjuku. It’d be nice to return one day to see the tsutsuji in full bloom, especially since a seasonal jumbo taxi runs from Nirasaki station to the parking lot. I’d also like to stay in at the Mt Amari Green Lodge (甘利山グリーンロッジ) to see the night view.
Watch a Video of the Hike
See More Pictures of the Hike
Hiking Around Tokyo 