Mt. Jonen-dake hiking & climbing route

Route Guide

Drive yourself or take a taxi from Toyoshina station of O-ito line to the Mitsumata trailhead parking lot. Pass the gate of the parking lot and start on the trail. Mitsumata trailhead meets with the descending trail from Mt. Mae-jonen-dake. Go straight here. The trail becomes slightly steeper. The trail begins to veer away from the stream and merges into a ridgeline. Coordinate your breathing with your walking tempo. The slope becomes less steep at Mameuchi-daira but becomes a steep slope soon and the trail continues through a coniferous forest. The trail continues to be steep so take a 5 minute break or so as needed. When the trail gets on to the ridgeline, Cho-gatake hut appears in your direction beyond the summit of Mt. Cho-gatake. From this spot, the view becomes clear and a fun ridgeline walk begins. It is recommended you stay at Cho-gatake hut for a night and enjoy the view of the Northern Alps mountains at sunset.

Start early on the next day. After passing a peak of 2,644 m, proceed towards the west of Cho-yari. The trail will be covered by Alpine plants. There are some ups and downs. The trail is a mixture of gravel and rocks. The main ridgeline of the Northern Japan Alps can be admired while walking, which is a reward for climbing the steep slope to Mt. Cho-gatake. Stop to enjoy the moment!

Pass a peak of 2,512 m. Beyond this point, the trail becomes steeper. Be careful walking on loose rocks. The summit of Mt. Jonen-dake is reached at the end of the uphill. Rocks are piled up at the narrow summit. A small shrine stands at the summit. The view is phenomenal. The view of Mt. Yari-gatake and the Hodaka Mountains spreads out right in front of you. If you look carefully, Kiaku-shindo, where Nishi-dake hut stands, can be seen.

Fully appreciate the view then descend to Mitsumata trailhead via Mt. Mae-jonen-dake. The trail is steep so take a break often before you feel tired. The trail goes through Pinus Pumila zones and rocky zones. On the way, the trail to Jonen-koya Mountain hut, which is no longer there, will be found. Do not enter this trail because it’s been a while since it was used last.

Mt. Mae-jonen-dake is reached in an hour. The first-order triangulation point is set at the summit. It is a wild summit with rocks piled up. A rock chamber sits below the summit. You can take a break there. From the summit of Mt.Mae-jonen-dake, descend a slope with big rocks. Be careful hiking down on the graveled trail. Follow the marked stones. After passing a steel ladders, the trail enters a forest zone. This is a long walk through a deep forest. Mitsumata trailhead is close by, after passing the junction of a detour route used when the river water level is high.