(武尊山) Mt. Hotaka Hike

Two Mt. Hotakas in the Hundred Famous Mountains. Different Japanese characters though. In this post, I’m looking at Mt. Hotaka (武尊山), which is not really accessible with public transportation. But let me try.

Budget: JPY8,660 (~USD82)

• JPY3,080. Train, Tokyo area to Minakami Station.
• Local train: JPY3,080 3hours, 34minutes (from Ueno Station).
• Bullet train: JPY6,120, 2hours, 9 minutes (from Tokyo Station)
• JPY1000. Bus, Minakami Station to Hotakabashi Stop.
• ~JPY500. Camping fee per person.
• JPY1000. Bus, Hotakabashi Stop to Minakami Station.
• JPY3,080. Train, Minakami Station to Tokyo area.

Hike Date / Difficulty (Elevation: 2,158m/7,080ft)

• Date: Not yet done.
• Difficulty: 4 out of 5.
• Route below (not including all the trek to trailhead) is around 11.8kilometers, with an elevation elevation change of ▲1,447m/ ▽1,456m (6h55m)
• Map Link.

When to Go
Anytime during the year. Winter is doable with proper equipment.

Special Notes

• Weather check: Japanese
• Trailheads. 
• Hotaka Jinja (武尊神社). The closest point to the trailhead is in this camp area, and from here it’s a 1.9km walk to the trailhead (the Shrine).
• You can actually pitch a tent (~JPY500) or rent a bed (JPY2,900~) so you can leave bright and early the next day. *For 2020, all bed rentals are NOT allowed*. Reservation can be made online here. There is NO public transportation to the camp area, so let’s do the logistics.
• The closest bus stop is 4kms away – Hotakabashi Bus stop (武尊橋バス停), which is accessible via bus from Minakami Station (水上駅). It’s a 24 minute ride, the first bus is at 8:32am, the last bus at 5:43pm (as of June 2020). Check the updated schedule here.
• Another option is to just walk from Hotakabashi Bus Stop to Hotaka Shrine, which is the official trailhead. It’s 5.7kms, and google says it’ll take an hour 7 minutes. I’m gonna put that at 2 hours haha.
• If you contact the number in the Hodaigi Camp Area (宝台樹, phone number: +31278752206), they can pick you up from Hotakabashi Bus Stop. BUT. They are only open until 5pm (not sure if that applies for the pick up time)
• Hotaka Kougen (武尊高原). No public transportation. 
• Hotaka Asahi (武尊旭小屋). No public transportation. 
• Oguna Hotaka Ski (オグナほたかスキー). No public transportation. 
• Hotaka Bokujou (武尊牧場). No public transportation. 
• Mountain huts
• Paid
• Free: 
• Tekoyazawa (手小屋沢避難小屋). Based on the options above, the route below will assume a chill day 1 (getting to the camp area), then leaving early on day 2, or staying at the “emergency hut”. Here are the pictures based on a google search.
• Hotaka-hinangoya (武尊避難小屋). 
• Camping: Hodaigi Camp Area (宝台樹), phone number: +31278752206), they can pick you up from Hotakabashi Bus Stop.

Itinerary
Saturday

• 05:13am. Train from Ueno Station to Minakami Station.
• 08:17am. Arrival at Minakami Station (水上駅).
• 08:32am. Bus from Minakami Station to Hotakabashi Bus Stop (武尊橋バス停)
• Stay and enjoy the camp area.

Sunday

• 03:00am. Start hike.
• 04:30am. ETA: trailhead (shrine parking lot)
• 08:10am. ETA: Summit. One hour lunch. Assess if you will proceed to what they describe as a dangerous Kengamine (剣ケ峰山), but that will add about 4 hours (5km, ▲551m/ ▽551m)
• 11:25am. ETA: Trailhead.
• 01:00pm. ETA: Camp area. Assess if the camp team will send you to the bus stop. If not, start walking.
• 02:51pm. Bus from Hotakabashi to Minakami Station.
• 03:22pm. Arrival at Minakami Station.
• 03:53pm. Train from Minakami Station to Ueno Station.
• 06:48pm. Arrival at Ueno Station.