Mt. Ishizuchi

Exceptional hiking on Mt. Ishizuchi!

I hiked up Mt. Ishizuchi on a cool Saturday morning, with low cloud cover. This made the temperature very suitable for hiking. I completed a shorter route, starting from the Tsuchigoya (土小屋) area, nearby the Shiraishi lodge (白石ロッジ). Parking was free. It was a bit difficult to figure out which route to take and how long each one would be, but I'm happy with the route I took. From Tsuchigoya, it took about an hour and a half of near continuous hiking to to reach the top, with some extra time spent on climbing to the peak. The map's estimate is 2 and a half hours, depending on your hiking speed and time set aside for taking photos. The descent took about an hour, though the estimate was 2... and I do not recommend using the chains to descend! It was a bit risky. The final segment of the path to the top breaks into two segments. The way to the right uses metal stairs, and the other goes to the left, where you can use chains to scale a steep cliff. That said, the landscape along the route was scenic and the views from the top were spectacular. Saijo city can easily be seen... and perhaps on a clear day, the islands along the Shimanami Kaido bridges leading to Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture can be viewed. All in all, it was a rewarding day of hiking...!