3-day Trek in the southern Yatsugatake Mountains, near Tokyo
Yusuke, a JMGA-certified guide, will lead you on this 3-day trek in the beautiful and peaceful southern Yatsugatake Mountains, near Tokyo in Japan, a stunning mountain range known for its awe-inspiring panoramic views and richly diverse and pretty flowers.
Yusuke
Yusuke
Details
Trip Duration
3 days
Mountain Range
Yatsugatake Mountain Range
People per Guide
5 people
Trip Level
Intermediate
Offer Period
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
Type of Trip
Private
Highlights
- Visit the highest onsen (hot spring) in the country!
- See the truly spectacular alpine flowers in bloom
- Encounter some truly epic panoramic views over the valleys
- Hike across 5 peaks on the mountain range
This 3-day trek I will take you on leads us in to the heart of the southern Yatsugatake Mountains, near Tokyo, Japan, a region known throughout the country for its hiking and trekking, its sweeping panoramic views which rival that of Mt Fuji, and the diversity of its flora and fauna, with the blooming of alpine flowers in Summer providing an amazing spectacle.
The Yatsugatake Mountains are located just a 3 hour drive from Tokyo, and local legend has it that they were once higher than the world-famous Mt Fuji, before the goddess of Mt Fuji tore them down in a jealous rage to their current height.
We begin the trip on the first day in Shinjyuku, Tokyo, before heading to the town we will base ourselves in, Yatsugatake. The rest of the first day is spent hiking up to our hut where we will stay the night, Seinengoya, renowned for its high quality food and sake.
The second day is very long, as we arise at 5am to prepare for 8-9 hours of hiking across 5 peaks, providing epic views over the land, before staying at our second hut, Honzawakosen, containing the highest outdoor onsen (hot spring) in the country, ensuring a relaxing and refreshing night.
The final day is spent hiking to Shibuno-yu, also containing a spectacular onsen, before we head back to Tokyo in the afternoon.
Along the way we might be lucky enough to encounter some of the animals that inhabit the area such as flying squirrels, deer, Japanese serows, foxes and bears, and the aforementioned alpine flowers ensure you will be constantly reaching for your camera.
By the end of the trip you will hopefully have fallen in love with this very pleasant region and increased your desire to return.
Trekking through the southern Yatsugatake Mountains is stunning, and so close to Tokyo – book now to experience!
For those who prefer their climbing in Winter, try our trip of Winter Mountaineering on Yatsugatake, here!
Alternatively, for those who strive to reach the highest peak only, try our 2-day Winter climbing trip on Mt Akadake’s main ridge, here!
Price per person
Group of 1
150000 JPY
Group of 2
80000 JPY
Group of 3
60000 JPY
Group of 4
60000 JPY
Group of 5
50000 JPY
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Transportation from your hotel/airport (if in area) to the start of the trip and back
- Mountain guide's expenses (lifts, meals, accommodation, etc)
Price does not include accommodation, meals or gear rental.
Itinerary
- Day 1: Meet and trek
Meet at Shinjyuku, Tokyo. 3 hours drive to the base town of Yatsugatake. Then we take a taxi to the trailhead. It is a good 4 hrs hiking to Seinengoya-hut. The hut is very famous for its foods and variety of good Sake!
- Day 2: Trek
Wake up at 5am, breakfast then start hiking. It is 8-9 hrs hiking connecting 5 peaks. We stay at Honzawakosen-hut. This is a highest onsen-hut in the country.
- Day 3: Trek and finish
Wake up at 5am, breakfast then start hiking. It is 5 hrs hiking to Shibuno-yu which is the main goal of this trip. Shibuno-yu is another beautiful natural onsen. Shower off the sweat and soak in the natural onsen before going back to Tokyo.
Other details
Skill level required
Intermediate
Fitness level required
Fit
Meeting point
Chino Train Station, Nagano
Accommodation
Hut accommodation every night.
More info
All huts are commercial, around 8,000JPY per night /person including dinner and breakfast.
About the Guide
I was born in Tokyo and grew up skiing in Hakuba, Japan. Throughout the years, I have visited Alaska, Peru, Patagonia, New Zealand, Nepal and Canada for winter climbing and backcountry snowboarding.
In 2012, I became the first Japanese person to pass the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides's ski guiding course on a Snowboard. I have been guiding in Japan (Hakuba Nagano and Mt. Fuji), New Zealand and Canada for over 15 years.
Certificates
JMGA Alpine Guide
JMGA Ski Guide
Certificates
JMGA Alpine Guide
JMGA Ski Guide
Languages
English
Japanese
Languages
English
Japanese
Residence
Japan
Residence
Japan
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Need help deciding?
What People are Saying about Yusuke Hirota
This was a trip that was planned at the last minute -- I sent requests on a Friday morning of a long weekend for a climb on Saturday in the off-season. Yusuke was prompt in responding and then helped throughout in planning the trip from renting gear, to picking me up, to the actual climb, the meals in between, and finally the drop-off. He is friendly, a good communicator and very experienced. While allowing short breaks to take pictures he maintained a strong pace to stay on schedule. Overall, it was a great experience. I would recommend Yusuke to anyone thinking of a Mt. Fuji climb, even off-season. I was lucky to have this unplanned climb come together on such short notice, which was largely due to Yusuke responding and guiding me through the planning and climb. Explore-share is a good service, but should allow sharing of phone numbers on their platform before payment esp to be able to plan last-minute trips and so the customer can get comfortable with their guide and gain the confidence necessary before paying.
Read reviewPrakash N
Yuske is very friendly and thanks to his excellent guidance, I was able to complete my hike in wet conditions. He is very knowledgeable with the environment and could assess my ability and chose the right trail for me. Thank you very much!
Read reviewJessie Cheung
I am not going to talk about summiting Mount Fuji, I \'ll let you experience this first hand, but I\'ll tell you that it was an amazing experience which will stick in my memory forever. I will however praise Yuske, the guide, who is one of the most professional guides I have ever met. We agreed and did a one day preparation before on Komagatake where I learned to perform self arrest, practiced climbing with an ice axe and crampons and he has also a lot of other tips about the equipment. The climb was amazing and he always put safety first but in the same time being a very pleasant companion. He could easily become my friend if we where to live in the same country. He has a lot of years of experience and he knows Mount Fuji very well and would find the way probably in his sleep. I am saying this because we had performed the descent in a very dense fog (clouds) and we could barely see a few meters in front of us but he always knew the way. Climbing with him was a real pleasure and we talked a lot and he is a very interesting person. I would follow him on any mountain on this planet because I know he has a lot of experience, he is very professional and know a lot of secrets and not the least he is a very nice companion which you can trust. He also helped me with a lot of tips about my travel to Japan. I highly recommend him as your guide in Japan.
Read reviewCodrut Popescu
I have had an opportunity to take advantage of an brief weather opening to SkiMo Mt Fuji with Yusuke and enjoy some very skiable powder on the way down in spring snow conditions quite typical for the Alps.
The pre-trip communication were spot on and Yusuke proved very efficient in monitoring the rapidly changing forecast to make the call whether we SkiMo up or just do an Alpine ascent.
Even though the ascent doesn\'t present any technical challenges the rapidly changing weather might dictate that the 2000+ vm trip is taken in one day and thus a good pre-trip aclima would be essential. The first part thru the forest along the old pilgrims\' trail is a regular approach hike, however upon entry of the high alpine terrain the gradient stiffens and good kick turns and crampon skills are essential to enjoy the amazing landscapes. The guide\'s choice to switch to bootpacking would generally appears a bit too early for European skiers as terrain could yield itself for at least 400 vm more of skins switchbacks but there was reason for the choice, and is generally down to personal preference.
The way down if VERY varied snow conditions and requires a versatile skill set and appropriate speed management. During our trip there was no significant avalanche traps, however some of exposed terrain is prone to rock falls and thus should be negotiated at a prompt pace.
Night over in a traditional Japanese mountain hut is a fantastic experience in its own right and not to be missed. If one ski toured in France, the hut would appear a luxury accommodation but is slightly below the comparables in Austria and Switzerland. Dinner and b\'fast are served as traditional meals and provide more then sufficient cals of warm homemade food.
A visit to the local shrine followed by a relaxing session at a near by Onsen is the cherry on the cake for the trip and is definitely recommended as a supplement to the trip. If I come to Ski Tour in Japan again would surely contact Yusuke for his availability.
Read reviewAndrey Yakunin
Yuske did a great job. He chose the perfect day and changed to a day tour. Only then could we reach the summit. His quiet and safety-minded nature we liked very much.
Read reviewAxel Schonhardt
Yusuke is a very experienced guide, he was prompt about what time we agreed upon starting the day very professional. although the conditions for that day were not the best . Yusuke made sure that we got the most out of the day. after we found good snow. we decided to call the day a little early, and Yusuke took us to check a few beautiful sites in Hakuba with Yusuke giving us the history of the sites. he took us to a great onset. and after that we had a nice farewell dinner with him. Yusuke is very easy going and knows the mountain , felt very safe with him will definitely rebook with him next year. I highly recommend Yusuke for any one thinking about a guided tour.
Ed & Iris
Read reviewed zinnanti and iris zinnanti
The reviewer did not leave a comment
Denina Hospodsky
This was a trip that was planned at the last minute -- I sent requests on a Friday morning of a long weekend for a climb on Saturday in the off-season. Yusuke was prompt in responding and then helped throughout in planning the trip from renting gear, to picking me up, to the actual climb, the meals in between, and finally the drop-off. He is friendly, a good communicator and very experienced. While allowing short breaks to take pictures he maintained a strong pace to stay on schedule. Overall, it was a great experience. I would recommend Yusuke to anyone thinking of a Mt. Fuji climb, even off-season. I was lucky to have this unplanned climb come together on such short notice, which was largely due to Yusuke responding and guiding me through the planning and climb. Explore-share is a good service, but should allow sharing of phone numbers on their platform before payment esp to be able to plan last-minute trips and so the customer can get comfortable with their guide and gain the confidence necessary before paying.
Read reviewPrakash N
Yuske is very friendly and thanks to his excellent guidance, I was able to complete my hike in wet conditions. He is very knowledgeable with the environment and could assess my ability and chose the right trail for me. Thank you very much!
Read reviewJessie Cheung
I am not going to talk about summiting Mount Fuji, I \'ll let you experience this first hand, but I\'ll tell you that it was an amazing experience which will stick in my memory forever. I will however praise Yuske, the guide, who is one of the most professional guides I have ever met. We agreed and did a one day preparation before on Komagatake where I learned to perform self arrest, practiced climbing with an ice axe and crampons and he has also a lot of other tips about the equipment. The climb was amazing and he always put safety first but in the same time being a very pleasant companion. He could easily become my friend if we where to live in the same country. He has a lot of years of experience and he knows Mount Fuji very well and would find the way probably in his sleep. I am saying this because we had performed the descent in a very dense fog (clouds) and we could barely see a few meters in front of us but he always knew the way. Climbing with him was a real pleasure and we talked a lot and he is a very interesting person. I would follow him on any mountain on this planet because I know he has a lot of experience, he is very professional and know a lot of secrets and not the least he is a very nice companion which you can trust. He also helped me with a lot of tips about my travel to Japan. I highly recommend him as your guide in Japan.
Read reviewCodrut Popescu
I have had an opportunity to take advantage of an brief weather opening to SkiMo Mt Fuji with Yusuke and enjoy some very skiable powder on the way down in spring snow conditions quite typical for the Alps.
The pre-trip communication were spot on and Yusuke proved very efficient in monitoring the rapidly changing forecast to make the call whether we SkiMo up or just do an Alpine ascent.
Even though the ascent doesn\'t present any technical challenges the rapidly changing weather might dictate that the 2000+ vm trip is taken in one day and thus a good pre-trip aclima would be essential. The first part thru the forest along the old pilgrims\' trail is a regular approach hike, however upon entry of the high alpine terrain the gradient stiffens and good kick turns and crampon skills are essential to enjoy the amazing landscapes. The guide\'s choice to switch to bootpacking would generally appears a bit too early for European skiers as terrain could yield itself for at least 400 vm more of skins switchbacks but there was reason for the choice, and is generally down to personal preference.
The way down if VERY varied snow conditions and requires a versatile skill set and appropriate speed management. During our trip there was no significant avalanche traps, however some of exposed terrain is prone to rock falls and thus should be negotiated at a prompt pace.
Night over in a traditional Japanese mountain hut is a fantastic experience in its own right and not to be missed. If one ski toured in France, the hut would appear a luxury accommodation but is slightly below the comparables in Austria and Switzerland. Dinner and b\'fast are served as traditional meals and provide more then sufficient cals of warm homemade food.
A visit to the local shrine followed by a relaxing session at a near by Onsen is the cherry on the cake for the trip and is definitely recommended as a supplement to the trip. If I come to Ski Tour in Japan again would surely contact Yusuke for his availability.
Read reviewAndrey Yakunin
Yuske did a great job. He chose the perfect day and changed to a day tour. Only then could we reach the summit. His quiet and safety-minded nature we liked very much.
Read reviewAxel Schonhardt
Yusuke is a very experienced guide, he was prompt about what time we agreed upon starting the day very professional. although the conditions for that day were not the best . Yusuke made sure that we got the most out of the day. after we found good snow. we decided to call the day a little early, and Yusuke took us to check a few beautiful sites in Hakuba with Yusuke giving us the history of the sites. he took us to a great onset. and after that we had a nice farewell dinner with him. Yusuke is very easy going and knows the mountain , felt very safe with him will definitely rebook with him next year. I highly recommend Yusuke for any one thinking about a guided tour.
Ed & Iris
Read reviewed zinnanti and iris zinnanti
The reviewer did not leave a comment
Denina Hospodsky
This was a trip that was planned at the last minute -- I sent requests on a Friday morning of a long weekend for a climb on Saturday in the off-season. Yusuke was prompt in responding and then helped throughout in planning the trip from renting gear, to picking me up, to the actual climb, the meals in between, and finally the drop-off. He is friendly, a good communicator and very experienced. While allowing short breaks to take pictures he maintained a strong pace to stay on schedule. Overall, it was a great experience. I would recommend Yusuke to anyone thinking of a Mt. Fuji climb, even off-season. I was lucky to have this unplanned climb come together on such short notice, which was largely due to Yusuke responding and guiding me through the planning and climb. Explore-share is a good service, but should allow sharing of phone numbers on their platform before payment esp to be able to plan last-minute trips and so the customer can get comfortable with their guide and gain the confidence necessary before paying.
Read reviewPrakash N
Yuske is very friendly and thanks to his excellent guidance, I was able to complete my hike in wet conditions. He is very knowledgeable with the environment and could assess my ability and chose the right trail for me. Thank you very much!
Read reviewJessie Cheung
I am not going to talk about summiting Mount Fuji, I \'ll let you experience this first hand, but I\'ll tell you that it was an amazing experience which will stick in my memory forever. I will however praise Yuske, the guide, who is one of the most professional guides I have ever met. We agreed and did a one day preparation before on Komagatake where I learned to perform self arrest, practiced climbing with an ice axe and crampons and he has also a lot of other tips about the equipment. The climb was amazing and he always put safety first but in the same time being a very pleasant companion. He could easily become my friend if we where to live in the same country. He has a lot of years of experience and he knows Mount Fuji very well and would find the way probably in his sleep. I am saying this because we had performed the descent in a very dense fog (clouds) and we could barely see a few meters in front of us but he always knew the way. Climbing with him was a real pleasure and we talked a lot and he is a very interesting person. I would follow him on any mountain on this planet because I know he has a lot of experience, he is very professional and know a lot of secrets and not the least he is a very nice companion which you can trust. He also helped me with a lot of tips about my travel to Japan. I highly recommend him as your guide in Japan.
Read reviewCodrut Popescu
I have had an opportunity to take advantage of an brief weather opening to SkiMo Mt Fuji with Yusuke and enjoy some very skiable powder on the way down in spring snow conditions quite typical for the Alps.
The pre-trip communication were spot on and Yusuke proved very efficient in monitoring the rapidly changing forecast to make the call whether we SkiMo up or just do an Alpine ascent.
Even though the ascent doesn\'t present any technical challenges the rapidly changing weather might dictate that the 2000+ vm trip is taken in one day and thus a good pre-trip aclima would be essential. The first part thru the forest along the old pilgrims\' trail is a regular approach hike, however upon entry of the high alpine terrain the gradient stiffens and good kick turns and crampon skills are essential to enjoy the amazing landscapes. The guide\'s choice to switch to bootpacking would generally appears a bit too early for European skiers as terrain could yield itself for at least 400 vm more of skins switchbacks but there was reason for the choice, and is generally down to personal preference.
The way down if VERY varied snow conditions and requires a versatile skill set and appropriate speed management. During our trip there was no significant avalanche traps, however some of exposed terrain is prone to rock falls and thus should be negotiated at a prompt pace.
Night over in a traditional Japanese mountain hut is a fantastic experience in its own right and not to be missed. If one ski toured in France, the hut would appear a luxury accommodation but is slightly below the comparables in Austria and Switzerland. Dinner and b\'fast are served as traditional meals and provide more then sufficient cals of warm homemade food.
A visit to the local shrine followed by a relaxing session at a near by Onsen is the cherry on the cake for the trip and is definitely recommended as a supplement to the trip. If I come to Ski Tour in Japan again would surely contact Yusuke for his availability.
Read reviewAndrey Yakunin
Yuske did a great job. He chose the perfect day and changed to a day tour. Only then could we reach the summit. His quiet and safety-minded nature we liked very much.
Read reviewAxel Schonhardt
Yusuke is a very experienced guide, he was prompt about what time we agreed upon starting the day very professional. although the conditions for that day were not the best . Yusuke made sure that we got the most out of the day. after we found good snow. we decided to call the day a little early, and Yusuke took us to check a few beautiful sites in Hakuba with Yusuke giving us the history of the sites. he took us to a great onset. and after that we had a nice farewell dinner with him. Yusuke is very easy going and knows the mountain , felt very safe with him will definitely rebook with him next year. I highly recommend Yusuke for any one thinking about a guided tour.
Ed & Iris
Read reviewed zinnanti and iris zinnanti
The reviewer did not leave a comment
Denina Hospodsky
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