Mt. Arashima is an unexpectedly challenging enough hike, with gorgeous views of Hakusan on one side, and Mt. Ibuki on another.
Budget: JPY16,000 (~USD135) from Tokyo Station
- JPY1,720. Train, Fukui Station <> Kadohara Station (JPY860 one way)
- or JPY5,000, share in car rental etc.
- JPY8,000. Night bus, Tokyo < > Fukui Station
- JPY3,000. Hostel near Fukui Station.
Hike Date / Difficulty (Elevation: 1,523m / 4,997ft)
- April 17, 2022
- Difficulty: 3 out of 5.
- Route below is around 8.6kilometers, with an elevation change of ▲1,272m/ ▽1,272m
- Map Link
When to GoThroughout the year, but prepare for snow during winter.
We went in April where there was still plenty of snow, though some parts had none, so I had to put on and take off my crampons a couple of times.
Special Notes- This is a "piston hike", meaning one straight ascent. There's a brief descent from Shakunage-daira (シャクナゲ平), but other than that it was a consistently steep hike up to reach the summit (at least from Kadohara Station trailhead).
- Weather forecast: Japanese.
- Trailheads. There are three main trailheads, all of them I'm going to refer to by the name of the closest train station.
- The first access point is to get to Fukui area. I took an overnight bus from Tokyo to Kanazawa Station, as there are more buses going to Kanazawa than Fukui.
- The buses normally leave Tokyo around 10pm to midnight, while the return bus arrives around 6am. It costs JPY4,000~ one way. I used this site to search for the cheapest bus and booked from there.
- Kadohara Station (勝原駅). It's 1.1kms to the trailhead (google maps pin), which is around 20 minute walk.
- Train from Fukui Station is JPY860 one way.
- Car navigation wise, I inputted "Kadohara Station". There are two parking spots at the trailhead, one at the side of the mountain and the other right across for overflows.
- Shimoyuino Station (柿ヶ島駅). It's 2.8kms to the trailhead (google maps pin), which is around 50minute walk.
- Train from Fukui Station is JPY860 one way.
- Echizen-shimoyama Station (越前下山). Right at the trailhead.
- Train from Fukui Station is JPY990 one way.
Train schedule, Fukui Station <> Trailheads above![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LzsbEWMxya-CMLwXQc57aB5B5kOmVwNkhy0IrSG2DhLnJFw_nLo6c0tnYyr9mKI3EqWuR79vz9VyJS4RBoZwCLdL9F_VAwLSPf-axpiu3nulJdZ4Uv6XyzkpNmnGflM2Vm6F5hp3wvg/w567-h308/image.png)
- Mountain huts.
- Paid: None.
- Free: None.
- Camping: There is a camping spot near the trailhead - 勝原園地 (maps pin). This is 750meters away (10minute walk) from Kadohara Station.
- Wild camping wise, Shakunage-daira (シャクナゲ平) halfway up Kadohara trailhead and the summit might be a decent spot.
Itinerary - via car rental Hike seems to take
6-7 hours during summer, and one log for winter took them 7.5hours
Friday
- 10:20pm. Bus, Tokyo to Fukui Station
Saturday
- 06:25am. ETA: Fukui Station
- Explore Noto Peninsula
Sunday
- Drive from Fukui Station to Kadohara Station (one hour ish)
- Hike Mt. Arashima (6 hrs ish?)
- 09:30pm. Bus, Fukui Station to Tokyo.
Monday
- 06:30am. ETA: Shinjuku Station.
Actual Log - via car rental
Friday
- 11:00pm. Bus, Tokyo to Kanazawa Station. I wanted a bus to Fukui, but the buses were full when I booked. The bus was NOT a nice bus, just a normal 4 seater one.
Saturday
- 07:35am. Arrived at Kanazawa Station.
- Explored Noto Peninsula, drove to Fukui Station.
Sunday
- 07:30am. Started driving from Fukui Station to Kadohara Station trailhead.
- 08:30am. Arrived at trailhead, geared up and started hiking. It started with a short, steep walk up the concrete path, then some switchbacks up a gravel? rocky? trail up.
- 09:13am. Arrived at the official trailhead, which was the top of a the old ski lift.
- 11:04am. Arrived at the fork - Shakunage-daira (シャクナゲ平). It was covered in snow, but given the "平 part of the fork, I assume it's a flat enough spot for people camping. From here I turned left, looking at the summit. (spoiler alert : it was not the summit). I had to go down a bit, and then it was back to the steep ascent.
- 12:27pm. Arrived at the summit with gorgeous views of Hakusan.
- 01:04pm. Started the descent.
- 04:31pm. Back at the car, tidied up, and drove back to Kanazawa Station to catch our bus.
- 10:30pm. Bus, Fukui Station to Tokyo.
Monday
- 06:30am. Arrived at Tokyo Station. Went to work, where I slept in and missed Monday morning work (my boss called my personal phone asking me if I did not fall off a mountain! T.T)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcAoqIcz6SgsJCOAWE4ljf88YBl393mVaqToB_Qv7whKW7mkHJDJ-LMJSStINuAKlIF6BBEwNr3IgpU4bBIXy1LqwotEas2yRWIDKlN9T3MkryV61AcNigN7OJPO7rvJzFCAmNfBp9zahygJ9m7ZzJfDL2NKrkuq9NqH-yPYWyzQEPTEy-Cj4VPHwlA/w640-h360/20220416_074458.jpg) |
Kanazawa Station on a dreary morning. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5IfE3bqzXs5KwJjoMsACvwJUebaa7GAUFAPyDn2oKUQL-ycMzI9c_TfOcpb7VjH1bJd4LRa_iJqJZNJHBV8T8NyqJJZbvMNNO2KrrkhcXVs5pdTGE8QJkDo--V37RPbKr98XSUhg8mPdaiNTQ5tzkHNNXzfA8B3dNi9FS0zfR-sgSGAIdNeYIF8ISQ/w640-h360/20220417_221035.jpg) |
Kanazawa Station on a clear night. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ynaLl2S98s8D4N0EJgMdZT7leGsNO_We1V1C3Lh3HBgCborOc51CCe-YCwiIP6-zECqjFTbIWraKdH69cn93f066QG-Z9AeRc6xp-PcH7o0lq6sdwoYmEuyU_rJFxcBaBnTBlQhXqXB1iZWsp1_urRDkrRD1RHrYNFHhfyBhIMHZmXn5BnKikvV3Iw/w640-h360/20220417_082844.jpg) |
The trailhead near Kadohara Station. There's a toilet that's closed in winter, a "phone booth" where hikers should register their hikes, and a huge parking lot (maybe for 40 cars?) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMBw_3b3SnQxaC9KuLbajH3y_6wM8T4o1DmCkaWPYW392LmDhVGbrhz_UuillNC9aB8ObPC0-vVl6arG1iTYGM-F1anqsUivxjhhoPoTCKttg3W67zcNY_kmVg8BHr9zYHzpCXKk4HMCKTlP6XmOuEo0ytu1YMgztVDO6kveKsvbyCVjuWWHkHh9hcYA/w640-h360/20220417_164014.jpg) |
Supposedly open at April, but we got there April 18 and it was closed. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiNtyrdH83VuGJ2pRZUofAtNS9f2HGSjWo8OU1sco8O7GSE0s4yUatEChGvjsG4xD_Oz5GKoAGoe4pIJraqAJfZf0OQBWj5PIr7_KE-mubYzlXHBNy8UHFFaM_htR-SD96K2dGN1JdlST3paAOwGgDREyoqO9M1q1iDwLJBIAiSHuB5rCpuc00Zo6Sg/w640-h360/20220417_082849.jpg) |
The parking lot. I see 10 ish cars here, then 4 rows, so 4x10 maybe 40 slots? There is an "overflow" parking right across though. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBOmYWEAS6uv4DpGI4reEXl2h5rPOpH76oKw03sQrSG6yc4Za4jVJFYSn5uVPYgpGnf35QV1UVGMoKO41f33ESysFEf6qYkk_Sr2gmpwRrYreRYqmpKtx-4APXKWLZBqe0pt_NA91NW-d9J0pW2qZFcsNcfu_dlqQXEd1Su1bNkMnj5WLAUdv4PvQXw/w640-h360/20220417_083059.jpg) |
The first part of the hike is going up this concrete. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcT2zNwoPxUhFDyV3IDYg9UAK42-PqH2ACrxGi8qR4jKBKS2q8qBbqx9Lu7hBvExlTMeCEcFaYB_tNyFEe1POa9RiqQZCM2qIQzDMfnr3Q7jeVAWlqpWixXgSsuGI9yua-iTXMJyz6PnXnfsJr8mu1sa2mzKLgLP_PQsqqcw7fIF89JPXCC2bUE1efaA/w640-h360/20220417_083937.jpg) |
Then some switchbacks up here. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabyTdvI6PzHUNQkGcQqa4lDKrwv0d5Hf2G7TaA19GHq5H3xmWa9foBKqe-tVydfkhPN_TuIyRKCuD98cqK9-spFWgkLp53LqbGOUZizp9Xz3Sb7C7b2dJVmIF6sVpJVIAz0jCkYAQg-s5BZPxyXL4sLBUvDZUEE3UO-3JqiNYXUxg5vusLo3XzDYTXA/w640-h360/20220417_085126.jpg) |
Gravelly / rocky (?) trail? |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMU440cO5VdiAQeeHsqD3z3dA0YWUjUFOTwIfMnRYsmqCxOe4spIl86Zmw2xJozHodEnl5Q3t5NqPAf-njHgVt5ybulwioknJ_BaRFTzbnhKMkQjONzunGaaKOTlOUEm7bBfi1fN_dnpDoBDz1ApEtl8DILT2BkDhc3QMbebwlyktNQxKfb3mEM_jtqg/w640-h360/20220417_091352.jpg) |
The top of an old lift, which is the official trailhead. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigwBmCkONTtsUeHh2bahRWhLPev8amrWBwnMkHkzUULxvYB682KIjLzXx79_8me5QLlDMYgUzDPgqd92buY_e3Sgyrl1kSArXWDZuXx_b6NfhxSTbzkTwxGtdHit0BHM600BZVp35EzxTvBGVU1RjyZDoOvIKQuYr-iH_9oT4zHTZ9CALYRCwaCTs6w/w640-h360/20220417_091708.jpg) |
The sign that says this is the trailhead. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZKYkuoiOpPf0AsOpiGJl5U3qUvyLIROKEddwfgtgpIYt28ItQdg8U1LYzgfW9LB8ltsgwlz87gs8kwAHEfqCPuTLKZ7lhmEJg1vSPR7QIrW_gVC7-REFxo-JLKDQtp1P3AMy7fB_iNmmn6sOluRbIbK5Y7lfJomsVI2lpp6j5GCc5eMw4DjqsFT6Jg/w640-h360/20220417_100849.jpg) |
Pretty pretty trees in the hike. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1rjIiXGxApwm77b0GoK2VZZ42zZozyXfVYvPGdFJjB3Y8562d0tShdrztLbOAi90X0HrdanWsvEUODTwjkGN_ZBXPk_n8LzUElEOPL2Zf1Yd4PNNwHXaPlpsWUkMjuz_O2nP2vCVjm8IJHEiCwCCLhasMKbBrNXgDi-Wd1v0NPRo0a3Gjq5y09KoLQ/w640-h360/20220417_102221.jpg) |
2km to the summit!!! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Fa4nyl-CdtF1eOvY5_7nD2HrrlQQeTJoW4J8wnFDmL3_oz7i1vYqkAFh4f-GL3Z_mC7kQJB0RoW7UpcaLsBKX3zQng-irLu8k-j_UaFQ57z60XWzxtL2hLU_Fcfr06eDiejwyQVBg84VgKLZ93SuvhMQjjxNEQDZYokJWOLxffBVKSpRx63MEPTvVQ/w640-h360/20220417_104846.jpg) |
Soon got into the snowy section of the trail, and we had to put our crampons on. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmDfrdZjwD403QUWX2gDbFP9MzLkKma-Pa7Mb4pU0oidaVgGqEPqR_8bPPXnc_IkXFrRDnkk5CwuBYKP2ntHFe7JFVCY8zQI1yJMIC5A4IjkmJ9wXlmxuMlvbRx2LfiBODwWSF8YGtmV0K_kvyGfJ2RpJTNt_Yj73jG0sLOtnhBq5AIKeYLJR8gaA9Q/w640-h360/20220417_110421.jpg) |
Shakunage-daira (シャクナゲ平). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFEPoJ8hvC1ltNNCcM1OjoiDu1TQYbOb1P4mfIa3-Zh4VkOvByefDgcGNt3X7ceVRNipNRf32ylHDivBnZLYQXmuZz6mfTatsUPBRrjLbysAICHRwlOEEWl3hDuhJ-cZOvjv9mMWkwox5gMO-FNPoJ_ZsI5F3PThytX4rVczvuw8Sqzn90Yy1i32q6Q/w640-h360/20220417_110634.jpg) |
Summit from Shakunage-daira (シャクナゲ平). Spoiler alert - it was not. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNF1Kw8Deov_c5e1tb9pNH5ixUQYxZAbQe08OYM41lhf7jAZxQoNQcmT3BI4TvdCW0Hgzu1ljmQkXeT1DDdQt1US748xDC1gRbPSG7_pUN60Cpq-g_rPf4BYyJWzzLmUXeMsbZcbw_LNnhg4MwZgSNt9XE3VGrd_75-wB7VP_BNgY32H4gegcQLeX-Q/w640-h360/20220417_120019.jpg) |
The 前荒島岳. Like a pre-summit. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw31fdFGlAKv5mlKX_yj94y5_WuC5lHeE_-BOhCQU5E4acSMUfzJ8wTZMnxWWrTNWbZi8YXtdLhDzR2XeemCEDHf0NLPr6SGFuiBYlG3AvOkmWk9MRnyvLaHSUZE1ULgKwfXv8ZX7oWdJlQtlnVapJ__yPX0HfxmUqVV512TYKlXKaLADZ4WUSo0UvvA/w640-h360/20220417_120030.jpg) |
Or a baby Arashima?
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2P-Tamg1iQlP7KAaCzQZs26mkZ3CxmO2OuqU-TPv-SY4pTYd5Qd1Dz0rgVKqEUPzJxcktVjII4czF_r41iyJAFNWwm56N4SnYeEoqICCwS4vulfBEZYs7c0D-_6NzQTyuB_NsnJ7Ygi7GkC6-Q3ZPXUJXMlD0U2rQ8uQQ-cmx36NNXcejsSs9LB1QQ/w640-h360/20220417_120100.jpg) |
Ugh. See that trail in the snow? It was easy enough to go up, but going down I slid 2/3 of the way. Should have taken my ice axe so I could have had self arrested. But this is the only section I felt like I needed to use an ice axe. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHBsxyaxoyRl7ETlNtYIzqmIL5S3KLS-u42SE_AVOjatvPFBdI_cqYctPXlsIK8jAzkkxI8BmyFc43eM91m4GQguEU0ahJTHAdJNy6LOFR7n9TMAIW8ZlQT7L1jx47UbGEuOWCkBnjeTNjxi2FmOABUM_HwEl6SkVd6ENfesAUl4U7EK-SyBZedtvrQ/w640-h360/20220417_121147.jpg) |
It was a gentle slope from there on, except for a short push to the summit. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHJMiPCFpSSAG2OZhSbBOaMYuITqpDGWV4kVAwRA4_bsP0R-XopaCBaCa2urkQQuue2rC34-Fuhp3qHsGpZDk_AeykhHSagJ67b9olCqR1iKaJQRfuCLdCgnDd8vK5LgBHIcduFZiz-XQ7EG8KWshKRECytmElUwcNk7G8JXoc1lMdfXvMz1lAi8aUg/w640-h360/20220417_121705.jpg) |
Yes, gentle slope. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5eFIhZF0g5Sxw6kQOrA9ZuoUbaLbRJSPkbvw-7HmajKDR6upYGnm5y9-Lw0z8nVZYN_qoyhbTK4cIdHPXwUm8HBu7TZBFWklt1-VZ2hPK5Z917abIiav6JaS_clT6SgDfwACqgt4bgg8lsPxHJENeW1JvJnKkIgKIxon1UeOY6i70EMthxVJEtGGvQ/w640-h360/20220417_130421.jpg) |
Summit!!! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiUJ-jTuhkjRI4CyagSaOeUNHtaY5rwqaNpWqnLWMlbVWH1sh3OxgM91jRQbYknPsXTkEt4K13TKoh9LMBnqQsNEyjDNFaFSP5MZeDIR4fuLQDLMhP5FlMHlXjT3_RGDA1CEX9qLNaSMvyI8Hfzwsuhuz94XtSxeuY4lil4oEtO2XpSuxu1WXhL_OUw/w640-h360/20220417_131119.jpg) |
Going back down. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC5XwMSeI078-101LAj2-IJ72lCi3AIlNOt3_HQJEd37zBiuR6eJny6ExxNc4hV6KbVmBnyJqlWpmyAx-Tn2MG89MmnliWsDX5ynh9zbKEOG6anNLCzHl-C6X8ubNRUjzNbjwSnmObbwPaEkyXV6Own5P9hH_7HOFopKLxu_0MTomx02KcG1Bjidp2g/w640-h360/20220417_132216.jpg) |
My friend sliding down. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1gfz5k1xvJpCwonvtm7gAZ0xNUQrYXZs2rhr04DHznYLw6FUEmAtpzXt_E5zMrvP8tWGE7rAdMi5Lr4iryU02wxI1xKjfPj18lRAnX5Q67helEmTMbMjV461o5bArzFys3CAfnqd95vdGwrvnXB8N5-xZ065xYp-YY7ejUErrMEER36eF29j2j0LtQ/w640-h360/20220417_160834.jpg) |
Almost back to the car. This is the gravelly / rocky trail I'm saying. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RxlhZO6KNs_nwS4gSOkUhV1XovMpUbvgk2TBGjvoYWJ1cjpce-XqBRVwWAkbYOG2vWDWSeIL9QFowGbRWB9b6iHYJoR7ZeoXzzXYpkitPyfmBWUBO3qEeLHAxOqqP9WrO7C084KGGiUX2clXfa9M-jTUCmnvFrp1jEY2J25cN1T3HbcpD3bxY-r3Hw/w640-h360/20220417_162735.jpg) |
Aaaaaalmost! Yey! |
Itinerary (via public transport from Fukui Station)
ReplyDelete- 09:08am. Train, Fukui Station to Kadohara Station.
- 10:37am. ETA: Kadohara Station. Walk to trailhead.
- 11:00am. ETA: Trailhead. Start hike.
- 03:00pm. ETA: Summit.
- 06:30pm. ETA: Trailhead. Run to the train station.
- 06:47pm. Train, Kadohara Station to Fukui Station.