From the often-trodden trails of Mt. Mitake, the lesser-known Mt. Hinode awaits.
A beacon of natural beauty, Mt. Hinode, standing at 902 m (2,959 ft), offers a contrasting serenity, standing as a tranquil counterpart to its popular neighbor.
Take it from me. While Mt. Mitake echoes with the footsteps of many, Mt. Hinode promises a much more intimate rendezvous with nature, afterall it’s a common pilgrimage route for the Yamabushi as well.
As you ascend its paths, you’ll find that wind and rustling leaves may be the only sounds accompanying your journey, which is something truly magical.
We did Mt. Hinode as part of the Mt. Mitake hike and ending at Tsuru-tsuru Onsen which is one of the best hiking traditions to do in Japan.
How to Get to Mt. Hinode
From Tokyo
Start from Shinjuku Station and board a train bound for Musashi-Itsukaichi Station. From there, you can walk towards the trailhead for Mt. Hinode.
This leg of the journey costs JPY 830.
From Mt. Mitake
From Mt. Mitake’s summit, you can find signs pointing towards Mt. Hinode, just follow the signs and you’ll get there in no time.
The trail is gentle with not much inclines at all, so enjoy a beautiful stroll in silence and in nature.
What to Know About Mt. Hinode
The name “Hinode” translates to “Sunrise” in English and as the name suggests, the mountain is a popular spot for catching breathtaking views of the sunrise and even view of Mt. Fuji if you’re lucky.
On clear days, you can see panoramic views of Tokyo and even Mount Fuji in the distance.
Near the mountain’s peak lies another Shinto shrine marked by a wooden Torii Gate.
The shrine pays homage to the mountain deities and has long been a pilgrimage site for those seeking blessings for safe travels.
At the end of the hike, drop by Tsuru-tsuru Onsen. It’s an unassuming hot spring with a single pool but it’s all you really need to wash away all the fatigue!
Difficulty
Mt. Hinode is around moderate difficulty if you’re starting from the base, it’s around the same height as Mt. Mitake.
The inclines are very manageable. It’s really not that bad and only the beginning of the hike is the most challenging part whether it’s Mt. Mitake or Mt. Hinode.
After passing through the initial inclines, especially if you’re coming from Mt. Mitake, the hike to Mt. Hinode is very pleasant as you’ll see much of the man-made structures get replaced by pure nature.
The overall elevation gain is around 747 m (2,450 ft).
If you’re starting from Mt. Mitake, then it gets much easier as you have already climbed most of the ascending bit at Mt. Mitake’s side. There’s also an option to take the cable car that takes you close to Mt. Mitake’s summit.
Distance
The overall distance covered by the Mt. Mitake – Mt. Hinode hike is around 8.2 km (5 mi).
Duration
The Mt. Mitake – Mt. Hinode hike will take around 4- 5 hours to complete, depending if you’re doing some sightseeing at Mt. Mitake’s side from its shrines and shopping districts, there are plenty of things to do.
Mt. Hinode’s summit will have little to no crowds so if you want a much more solitary summit experience, I recommend having a picnic here instead.
The Mt. Hinode Hike
- Distance: 8.2 km (5 mi)
- Time: 4 – 5 hours
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Summit: 902 m (2,959 ft)
- Best Time to Go: Most well-known for Sunrise, but anytime is good as the trail is covered.
- Crowds: Not much
- GPS & Map: Mt. Mitake – Mt. Hinode Hike
Mt. Hinode Hiking Experience
From Mt. Mitake, Evie (a Couchsurfer I was hosting at that time from Germany) and I then continued on to do another mountain, Mt. Hinode.
It was quieter here with more vegetation and definitely less people, we didn’t encounter anyone else throughout the whole hike as opposed to Mt. Mitake.
On the way, we passed by a graveyard and then we stopped by a house with the weirdest antiques and ornaments. It seemed so out of place, like a witch’s hut right out of a fairy tale.
Curious, we went inside and the owner welcomed us in. We looked around and the attic had some samurai armor, and plenty of really traditional and strange looking objects.
It seems like they also had guests staying over later that night, so I guess it was some kind of mountain ryokan?
We made it all the way up to Mt. Hinode and took in the much-earned views.
It’s called Sunrise mountain for a reason and unfortunately we couldn’t see that today but we can only imagine just how magnificent it would have been.
Afterwards, we started to head down, singing random songs, we were planning on going to Tsuru-tsuru Onsen but time was running short.
We passed by another dilapidated hut tucked inside a bamboo grove and while following the stream, we eventually made it to the hot springs which was Evie’s first time.
In the end, she had a wonderful cultural experience and both of our bodies were fully refreshed and reinvigorated.
It was the perfect way to end the day.
