(笠ヶ岳) Kasagatake Hike

This is a big mountain! A definite 2,000+ elevation gain, but stands alone (amongst the hyakumeizan) in this side of the mountain range with three of them right across it. 

Budget: JPY10,180 (~USD97)

• JPY8,000. Roundtrip bus, Tokyo < > Hirayu Onsen (using JBL bus pass), JPY4,000 one way.
• JPY1,380. Roundtrip bus, Hirayu Onsen < > Shinhotaka Ropeway, JPY690 one way.
• JPY800. Tent fee, per person.

OR

• JPY24,800. Maitabi bus from Tokyo.  
• JPY15,000. Mountain hut, 2 meals included

Hike Date / Difficulty (Elevation: 2,898m / 9,508ft)

• Hike Date : July 12-13, 2025
• Difficulty: 5 out of 5 because I took the wrong route. 
• Taking the right route is 4 out of 5. Gentle slope, but long. 
• Route below is around 17.5kilometers, with an elevation change of ▲2,440m/ ▽2,294m
• Map Link 

When to Go
Buses run throughout the year, but based on the logs, November to April are no-nos, so I'd avoid those. 

Special Notes

• Trailheads. Two mains ones, both of which is utilized in the itinerary below. 
• Shin-hotaka Onsen (新穂高温泉). This is bus stop H065 in the schedule below. Take note that you would want to stop at the last stop - Shihotaka Ropeway, NOT Shinhotaka Onsen. 
• Bus, Tokyo to Hirayu Onsen (平湯温泉). JPY4,000 one way, using JBL bus pass. Otherwise, JPY6,200 one way, reserve here.
• Bus, Hirayu Onsen to Shin-Hotaka Onsen. JPY690 one way. Bus schedule here. 
• Nakaokogen (中尾高原口). This is bus stop HO58 in the schedule below. As of July 2025, this trail is closed. Go to Shinhotaka Ropeway instead. 

Bus, Tokyo < > Hirayu Onsen

Bus, Hirayu Onsen to Shinhotaka Ropeway

• Mountain huts.
• Paid. 笠ヶ岳山荘. Right next to the summit, and for 2020, was open from mid July to mid October. Their business days depend on the helicopter delivery, so it's not fixed. JPY7,000, no meals. 
• Free. None. 
• Camping. There's one right next to the summit, facilitated by the paid hut.  There's another one about an hour and a half walk away from Shinhotaka Onsen trailhead. 

Itinerary
Actual Log :  YAMAP

Friday

• 10:30pm. Bus, Tokyo to Nakaokogen.

Saturday

• 06:15am. ETA: Nakaokogen-guchi
• 06:30am. Start hike. 
• 04:00pm. ETA: Summit

Sunday

• 06:00am. Start hike. 
• 12:00pm. ETA: Shinhotaka Onsen. Adjust itinerary as needed, based on onsen time. 
• 01:50pm. Bus, Shinhotaka Onsen to Tokyo.

I chose the bus with 3 seats, which are rather comfortable. 

Dropped off here. 

There's an open onsen nearby. 

Zooming in at the onsen. 

Trailhead is to the left. 

Official trailhead. I had to submit a hiking notification because there's a sign saying that if I don't submit for a certain area, there's a JPY50,000 fine. 

Gorgeous start of the hike. 

Waterfall hike!

Some river crossings. DO NOT do this trail when raining. 

Continuing on. 

Getting bushier. 

Freshly cut trail. 

Looking up at the surrounding mountains. 

Trail is slowly disappearing. 

Another waterfall - would be perfect for a dip. 

WHERE IS THE TRAIL?!

A.... leech?

The trail started looking like this and basically continued for a couple of hours. 

Theme of the day - where is the trail???

Well, the signs at least clearly show I am in the right path. 

Plenty of these flowers in the area. 

...

The point that I transitioned from bushwacking... bushes... to pushing off tree branches. 

Looking back. 

Taking a break facing this piece of rock. 

Looking towards the rest of the trail that is practically covered in trees. 

A break from bushwacking. Is that a word?

Looking back. Look at the trail - it IS covered in trees. 

Moving forward to a cloud covered summit. 

Beautiful alps behind me. 

Looking back/down again. Coz why not? It's pretty. 

The mountain ridge for tomorrow and a snow field to frame the picture. 

Summit is hidden by the clouds to the left. 

ALMOST THERE. 

The rest of the ascent is over these plates of rocks. 

A bit more...

More...

Kinda looks like the Iron Throne, no? Except it's not iron, and it's not a throne. So maybe not. 

Looking down to tomorrow's hike. 

Summit!

A shrine near the summit. Coz Japan. 

Starting my descent.

Mountain hut to the left. 

Mountain hut!

Fees for 2025. 

My room for the night. I'm at the upper right. 

Other rooms look like this... so I would say I got very very lucky. 

View the next morning outside my bed. 

Shared toilet. 

Dinner. 

Breakfast. 

The dining area. 

Starting my hike down.

But first, water (水). 

Water source. 

Continuing on my descent. 

Enjoying Yari in the background. 

Looking around me. 

It was a nice ridge hike. 

Looking back at Kasagatake. 

A fork - turn right. 

An extra summit with a marker that is practically blank. 

Descending now. 

Last view of Kasagatake. 

Most of the trail down is like this - big rocks. 

Looking back up - Kasagatake is the peak to the left. 

Continuing down. 

Bye, Kasagatake!

Much better bushes. 

Looking back at the marker, turn right. 

Down at the trailhead! With a nice water source in it. 

Rest of the "hike" to ShinHotaka Ropeway. 

Another water source on the way. 

Almost there!

Kinda like Kamikochi, but not as nice. 

Information center. With free wifi. 

Lunch at onsen. 

ShinHotaka ropeway. Bus stops to the left in front of it.  

That golden bus is my ride home. 

Beautiful view back. Then I fell asleep.