(臼杵山) Mt. Usuki Hike

Figured I should try other trails near Mt. Hinode, so I checked the maps and followed the alternative trail coming from Musashi Itsukaichi Station. Mt. Usuki is a gentle hike that was primarily within tree cover. 

Budget: JPY3,580 (~USD24) from Tokyo

• JPY1,160. Train, Tokyo > Musashi Itsukaichi Station 
• JPY510. Bus, Musashi Itsukaichi Station to trailhead. 
• JPY670. Bus, Imakuma Bus Stop to Hachioji Station.
• JPY1,240. Train, Hachioji Station to Tokyo 

Hike Date / Difficulty (Elevation: 842m / 2,762ft)

• Hike Date : July 6, 2025
• Difficulty: 2 out of 5
• Route below is around 17.5kilometers, with an elevation change of ▲1,694m/ ▽1,766m (8h10m)
• Map Link 

When to Go
Anytime during the year.

Special Notes

• Weather forecast: Japanese. 
• Summits covered, and the signs you have to follow:
• Mt Usuki (臼杵山・Usukiyama)
• Mt. Ichimichi (市道山・Ichimichiyama)
• Mt. Kariyose (刈寄山・Kariyoseyama)
• Mt. Imakuma (今熊山・Imakumayama)
• Trailheads. 
• Musashi Itsukaichi Station (武蔵五日市駅).
• Imakumayama Bus Station (今熊山バス停). Google maps pin. Bus comes once per hour. 
• Motogou (元郷). Google maps pin.
• Train, Tokyo to Musashi-Itsukaichi Station. 
• Bus, Musashi-Itsukaichi Station to Motogou. Plenty of buses from 6am to 9pm, about 1-2x an hour.   Bus schedule here. JPY510 one way. 
• Nitago (荷田子). One of the stops before Motogou above. 
• Juuriki (十里木). One of the stops before Motogou above. 
• Nishitokura (西戸倉). One of the stops before Motogou above. 
• Mountain huts. 
• Paid. None.
• Free. None.
• Camping. None.

Itinerary

• 05:30am. Train, Tokyo to Musashi-Itsukaichi Station. 
• 07:39am. Bus, Musashi-Itsukaichi Station to Motogou.
• 07:58am. ETA: Motogou trailhead. Start hike. 
• I got lazy and took the later bus, and started by hike at 9:20am. 
• 09:30am. ETA. Mt Usuki (臼杵山)
• Arrived at 11:35am.
• 11:00am. ETA. Mt. Ichimichi (市道山)
• Arrived at 01:02pm. 
• 01:50pm. ETA. Mt. Kariyose (刈寄山)
• Arrived at 3:43pm. 
• 04:10pm. ETA. Musashi Itsukaichi Station.
• I learned that there's a bus stop nearby so I took it. Got to the bus stop at 5:49pm, took the bus and headed home. 

Outside the station. Turned left at the exit (only one exit)

Long line, bus stop 1. 

Trailhead is right behind the bus stop. 

Bushy start. 

Soon enough got to the signal center. 

Another. 

Plenty of signs in English. 

Small shrine. 

Just keep following the signs to Mt. Usuki. 

Usuki summit marker. 

One of the many descents and ascents. 

Another marker. 

Plenty of rooty routes. 

After Usuki, follow the signs to Ichimichi. 

Second "summit". 

This time, follow Kiriyose. 

One of the older signs. 

This was a bit tricky, but both of them will go down Kiriyose. 

Surprised to see a bald side of the hike. 

The view of... Tokyo? 

Tokyo???

Had to cross the road. 

And then up at Kiriyose. 

With a hut nearby. 

Now time to head to Imakuma (今熊)

Pretty gentle trail. 

Mt. Imakuma.

Another marker. 

Finally a restroom. 

Tokyo???

Going down the shrine. 

Finally at the trailhead. 

Had to walk at the road. 

And from here I used google maps.