Hiking Mt. Odaigahara

Before the Rainy Season Kicks In…

For anyone who loves hiking, I bet the common sentiment is to get one last climb in before the rainy season officially starts. No exception here! It was going to be my third consecutive week of hiking, and after vaguely staring at maps and weather apps for a while, Mt. Odaigahara, one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains straddling Nara and Mie prefectures, caught my eye.

This mountain is actually known as one of Japan’s rainiest, due to the humid southeasterly winds from the Kuroshio Current hitting its steep terrain. But on this particular day, most weather forecasts predicted clear skies, at least for the morning, so I figured it was a good bet.

My concern wasn’t just the rain, but also getting to the Odaigahara parking lot, which is the trailhead. A Google Maps search from Hamamatsu showed 5 to 6 hours of driving… there’s a highway to Kameyama in Mie, but after that, it’s all local roads, and the Odaigahara Driveway in particular felt like it was going to be quite mountainous. But hey, when in Rome, right? So, I set off at 1:30 AM! LOL

More of a Hike Than a Climb

I considered doing the full 10-hour trek, including West Odaigahara which requires a permit, but factoring in the driving time, it wasn’t really practical. So, this time, I opted for a loop course with relatively less elevation gain and loss: Odaigahara Parking Lot → Mt. Hidegadake (Mt. Odaigahara’s main peak) → Masakigahara → Odajagura → Shiokara Valley → Odaigahara Parking Lot.

Odaigahara Parking Lot ~ Mt. Hidegadake

It took a little over 5 hours to reach the Odaigahara parking lot, and stepping out of the car, the cool air felt amazing. The temperature was 12 degrees Celsius, and various birds, including warblers, were singing. I spotted a few people who seemed to be there for birdwatching or photography. The trail itself was really well maintained, with lots of bamboo grass and sparse trees, allowing just the right amount of sunlight to filter through, which was super pleasant.

Looking at the sign at the summit, it mentioned that this area receives an average of 4800mm of precipitation annually, with records of over 1000mm of rain in a single day during typhoon season, solidifying its reputation as one of Japan’s heaviest rainfall areas. Although the forecast said sunny, clouds were steadily bubbling up from the sea side, including the direction of Kumano-nada, making even today’s weather a bit iffy. The sign also said that on clear days, you could see Mt. Fuji and the Southern Alps, but unfortunately, there was no such view today.

While taking a break on the trail, an old man suddenly asked me, “Are you good with plants? There are a lot of these slightly unusual maple-like trees on this mountain, aren’t there?” It was a plant I’d also been curious about, with leaves that had shallower lobes than typical maples. Later, I looked it up and “Ooitayameigetsu” (Acer sieboldianum) seemed to be a close match, but I wonder if that’s really it.

Mt. Hidegadake ~ Masakigahara ~ Ushiishigahara

It was a pleasant walk on a boardwalk through a bamboo grass field. The trees around here looked like they had been neatly trimmed at a certain height, which made me curious. It turns out this is also due to deer browsing. Apparently, this mountain used to be a very dense forest, but in just a few decades, it transformed into its current state because of deer damage.

It’s surprising to see a landscape reminiscent of Hokkaido’s Todowara suddenly appear deep in these mountains, and it really is beautiful. However, when you’re told this is the result of extensive deer browsing, it feels quite complicated. Even being told that this area was originally a lush forest with dense trees and moss, thriving with heavy rainfall just a few decades ago, it’s hard to truly picture it now.

Descending from Masaki Pass towards Masakigahara, this kind of scenery continues, creating a really mysterious atmosphere. Around this point, fog started rolling in and the clouds thickened quite a bit, making the weather feel like it might rain…

Legend has it that Emperor Jimmu stopped here at Odaigahara to rest during his eastward expedition, which is why this statue was built. But the suddenness of its appearance is quite something!

Odajagura

After walking a bit from Ushiishigahara and taking a left at the fork towards Odajagura, a sheer cliff suddenly appeared on my right. Mist was rising from below, creating quite an impressive scene (it’s hard to convey in photos, I know…).

Odajagura is a rocky outcrop with an atmosphere that might make those afraid of heights a bit hesitant to approach. Indeed, I saw a few people in groups who couldn’t bring themselves to go all the way to the edge. At first, it was completely white with fog, and I couldn’t see anything. But occasionally, gaps like in the photo would appear, giving a glimpse of the atmosphere, but unfortunately, it didn’t clear up during the approximately 15 minutes I was there. A real shame.

Shiokara Valley Suspension Bridge

From Odajagura, it was a short descent. After hearing the sound of a stream for a while, a suspension bridge appeared before me. You can go down to the stream from the side of this bridge, and when I did, the water was incredibly clear and super cold. Later, some kids came down from the opposite route and were playing, looking like they were having a great time.

In places where the current was gentle, there were lots of small, tadpole-like creatures. What could they be…?

After crossing the suspension bridge, it was a pretty steep climb for a while. That said, the trail was very well maintained with stairs, so it felt more like a hike than a strenuous climb. With that pleasant feeling, I passed through a beech forest and arrived back at the parking lot. The weather held up beautifully, and I really enjoyed the hike.

Finishing with Kakinoha Sushi

On the way up, I’d noticed signs for a few shops selling Kakinoha Sushi and planned to stop by on the way back. However, there’s a souvenir shop from Kamikitayama Village right at the Odaigahara parking lot, and I was able to buy some there for an early lunch. I was hoping for one with both trout and mackerel, but the mackerel Kakinoha Sushi I had after a moderately tiring hike was absolutely exquisite!