Mount Yarigatake (3,180 m) is the 5th tallest mountain in Japan, located in the centre of the Northern Japanese Alps. The official climbing season runs from May to the end of September, though mountain huts generally open from mid-July. We hiked in August (2023), which is the most popular month for climbers.
This guide covers a 3-day hike on the Mount Yarigatake – Sugoroku – Shin-Hotaka Circuit, starting in Kamikōchi and finishing at Shin-Hotaka Onsen.
The Night Before
The night before the hike, we stayed at Kazeya – Shin-Hotaka Onsen. Breakfast and free wifi were included and there was access to a relaxing onsen. It was nice to spend the evening soaking in the onsen before climbing up the massive Yarigatake.
Day 1: Kamikōchi Village → Yarigatake Sansō
- Distance: 22-24km
- Elevation gain: ~2000m
- Start elevation: ~1500m at Kamikōchi Village
- Overnight: Yarigatake Sansō lodge (¥15,500 – 1 night with 3 meals, including lunch for the next day; the hut also has a drying room for wet clothes).
The first bus leaves at 7:24 am from Shin-Hotaka Onsen and takes about 1.5 hours to reach Kamikōchi Village. Kamikōchi is well set-up for hikers with shops and cafes, public bathrooms, an information centre, and a hiking registry.
It is recommended to arrive at Yarigatake Sansō Lodge by 3 pm, before weather changes and sunset, so there was a lot of time pressure on day 1. It was the toughest day out of the 3. The early part of the trail is relatively flat and scenic, but the final section before the hut is extremely steep — very vertical, exhausting but beautiful. Fortunately, we stayed in the huts with meals, blankets, and water provided so we could carry lighter packs. If you want to save money, you can camp near the huts. Each campsite is ¥2000 per person.
Dinner was very communal — everyone sat on the floor, as is common in Japan. Since my ex is white, it was very obvious we were foreigners. Hikers were surprised and asked how we managed to plan everything, as most booking websites are in Japanese.
Day 2: Mt. Yari Summit → Sugoroku-goya
- Distance to summit: ~120m of vertical elevation
- Distance to Sugoroku lodge: ~13 km
- Time: ~8–10 hours
- Overnight: Sugoroku-goya lodge (¥15,400 per person, including dinner, breakfast, and a boxed lunch for the next day hike.
Many hikers climbed the summit in the evenings when they arrive to the lodge but we decided to do it early on day 2. There were still queues at the chains and ladder sections but it was much less busy than the evening. ⚠️ Helmets are required for the summit climb due to falling rocks. They are available at the lodge.
The hike to Sugoroku is not technical, but it is serious alpine terrain. It involves long, exposed ridge walking, rocky paths and alpine gravel, narrow sections with chains, and very little shelter.
Day 3: Sugoroku-goya → Shin-Hotaka Onsen
- Distance: ~13 km (mostly descent)
A beautiful and relatively gentle descent to finish the hike. I should have worn the helmet for this section of the circuit because I kept hitting my head on trees (ouch!). We passed several groups heading up from Shin-Hotaka, doing the loop in the opposite direction. With shortness of breaths, each person still greeted us. When hikers let us pass them, we said “Arigatō gozaimas!” and when they wanted us to pass, they said “douzo!”, which means “go ahead!”
Back in Shin-Hotaka, we stayed again at Kazeya Onsen, and treated ourselves with a delicious dinner after three hard days!
Final Thoughts
This hike is best suited for fit and experienced hikers due to huge elevation gain, long and exposed traverse, and serious alpine conditions. Even without carrying camping gear, I found it very challenging, especially Day 1’s 2,000 m climb, but it was absolutely worth it!
