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This hike is about an hour away from base. The road there is not the worse we have been on, but there are some narrow areas with little visibility so be careful! The mountain itself is not listed on Google maps, but if you zoom in around the area you will find a Shinto Shrine and an observation deck. Here are the coordinates to the parking lot 33.9283918N, 132.2305575E. There is also another parking lot at the base of the shrine, but the road to get there is very narrow, so you choose.
Walking out of the parking lot, you will encounter stairs. Those will take you to the shrine where you will encounter another set of stairs. Take those or follow the road along the shrine and keep heading up.
I would recommend that you take your time. According to a Japanese information booklet, the hike is supposed to take 40 minutes. You will be starting at a higher elevation and though the hike is only 1 km long, the altitude may get to you. I walked slowly and took several small breaks to catch my breath and I got to the summit in 40 min. There is an overlook deck at the summit with breathtaking views in every direction.
From the summit, you can access 3 more peaks: Mt Kano (~ 50 min one way), Mt Genmei (~70 min), and Mt Dake (~ 120 min). However, we decided not to push it today. These other peaks may have to wait until the weather cools off a bit.
I would definitely recommend hiking shoes, pants, and long sleeves for this trail as there were many loose rocks on the way and the path was overgrown in some areas. Also, once you reach the summit it is a lot cooler, so another layer may help reduce thermal shock.
After a nice break at the summit, we headed down the mountain and stopped for a quick lunch at Umi Cafe (m.facebook.com/UmiCafemihata/). This place is adorable and affordable, with beautiful views and a dog-friendly patio. The patio sits 6, maybe 8 people, so plan accordingly. The owner did not really speak English, but she made sure I knew what I ordered. I highly recommend!
Don't forget to bring Fido! Happy trails with tails!
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