Climb Every Mountain

Posted on 04/19/2022 Last updated on 04/19/2022

I am addicted to mountain climbing. Japan is covered in mountains and hills, and Japanese people love to climb them. In recent years, there has even been a “climbing boom” as more and more take up the hobby. I have climbed 32 of the 100 Famous Mountains of Japan, and plenty of those that make up the next 200-300 most famous. I am determined to reach all the summit of all of the 100 Famous Mountains though!

100 Famous What Now?

Actually, “100 Famous Japanese Mountains” (日本百名山, Nihon Hyaku-meizan) is a book written in 1964 by Kyūya Fukada, a mountaineer who climbed most of the mountains in Japan. Mr. Fukada selected 100 celebrated Japanese mountains based on a combination of grace, history, and individuality.

Moreover, he excluded mountains with an altitude of less than 1,500 meters. In other words, the best of the best! Nowadays, the 100 list has become widely known, and more and more people have chosen mountains from the book to climb. Including yours truly!

Mountain Recommendations

Unlike the famous Himalayas, Japanese mountains are not very difficult to reach the summits of. In general, they are not that big, but there’s plenty of beautiful scenery to enjoy along the way! One of my favorite mountains is Mount Chokai in Yamagata Prefecture. Escaping to Mt.Chokai can be an excellent way to get out amongst nature.

Climbing to the peak and back took me 12 hours. However, you do not have to hike all the way to the peak. Around half-way up the mountain there is Chokai Lake, a great destination for a more casual hike.

I also love Mount Akatake of the Yatsugatake Mountains, which is closer to Tokyo. I stayed at the lodge on the peak and enjoyed a wonderful sunrise. Besides the excellent scenery, the lodge is clean and the food is delicious too.

If you want to explore another mountain near Tokyo, I recommend Mt. Kumotori, which is
the highest peak in the Tokyo area, and Mount Tanzawa in Kanagawa. Both of them take about 4 hours to reach the peak, but the routes are easy to walk.