Mt. Kita-dake

It is located in the north of the Southern Japan Alps and is the main peak of the Shirane Three mountains (Mt. Kita-dake, Mt. Aino-dake, Mt. Notori-dake).  It is the second highest peak in Japan, following Mt. Fuji-yama.  When looking from north or south, its shape is a beautiful triangular pyramid.  This mountain is known as the jewel box of alpine plants such as Kita-dake-sou, an endemic spieces.  The view of Mt. Fuji above a sea of clouds can be seen at sunset from the summit, which makes you realize that you are at a high elevation.  It is said that the mountain was reached for the first time by a rower, Naoe Natori in 1871 .  The numbers of hikers increased dramatically after Norokawa logging road was built in 1963.  A rocky cliff on the east slope is called Kita-dake buttress and the 600 M vertical cliff drops from the summit to O-kanba sawa stream.  Many rock climbers long for the buttress.  It is a place, dear to the climber’s heart in the South Japan Alps, where there are quite a few rocky cliff courses.