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Hirugatake Day Hike | Kanagawa's Highest Peak from the Aone Trailhead in Late Snow

2025.04.04

"One day I'll climb Hirugatake." I'd been thinking that ever since I started hiking. Hirugatake (1,673 m) is the highest point in Kanagawa Prefecture and the highest peak in the Tanzawa massif.

Most people picture Hirugatake as an overnight trip. But when I looked into it, the route from the Aone trailhead, though long, has comparatively modest elevation gain for the distance — making it a realistic target in a day. This is the record of walking it in mid-March, with snow still lying, covering the route, the timings, the kit and what there is to see.

The short version: unexpected snow made it hard work, and the summit was a complete whiteout. And yet, between the beauty of a snow trail walked in chain spikes for the first time, and the excellent curry at the hut on the summit, I came down genuinely glad I'd gone. I hope it's useful if you're considering Hirugatake from Aone.

Route summary (out and back from Aone, day hike)

• Area: Tanzawa massif, Kanagawa Prefecture
• High point: Hirugatake, 1,673 m — highest in Kanagawa and in Tanzawa
• Route: Aone trailhead → Tokai Nature Trail → Hatchozaka-no-Kashira → Himetsugi → Haragoyadaira → Hirugatake, returning the same way
• Distance and time: about 19 km round trip, roughly 10 hours
• What we actually did: started 7:30 a.m., summit at 12:40 p.m., back at the trailhead at 4:50 p.m. (about 5 hours up, 3.5 hours down)
• Access: free parking in the village of Aone. There's a toilet beside the shrine near the trailhead
• Difficulty: 3/5. There's little rock or chain, so few technical difficulties — but it's long, and it's a test of stamina. Chain spikes are essential while snow remains

Starting at Aone — a quiet village and the Tokai Nature Trail

The start is the trailhead in the village of Aone. There's free parking nearby and a toilet beside the shrine, so you can get yourself sorted before setting off. We started at 7:30 a.m. With 19 km and ten hours ahead, I wanted to keep an eye on the schedule so we'd be back before evening.

It's about 15 minutes to the first junction. As on my last hike, I kept checking whether we were running behind or ahead of plan. The early part follows a section of the Tokai Nature Trail and later merges with the path coming up from Yakiyama. Nothing dangerous so far — just quiet mountain air and steady height gain.

Snow I hadn't planned for, and my first time in chain spikes

Mid-March. I'd assumed the snow would be gone, but the higher we went the whiter the trail became. Almost nothing had settled in the Kanto region that winter, so this was the first proper snow I'd seen all season. Which meant putting on the Montbell chain spikes — Montbell is the Japanese outdoor brand most hikers here start with — that I'd bought and never used.

They go on about as easily as a pair of socks, and were on in moments. The first step told me everything: the grip was in a different category. Once the fear of slipping is gone, you strangely start wanting more snow trail. Along the way we saw what I think was a serow, and animal tracks dotted across the snow. Following prints laid down by animals before any human had passed was a quiet, rather luxurious thing.

That said, snow you're not used to takes far more out of you than you'd expect. We weren't even halfway and my calves were solid. "The descent is going to be frightening," I thought, more than once — simply walking on snow was draining my legs. Markers are harder to read on snow, so I checked the map more often than usual and picked the line carefully.

Hatchozaka-no-Kashira to Himetsugi — a glittering snow ridge

After the steep section we came out onto the ridge at the Hatchozaka-no-Kashira junction. A little further on is Himetsugi at 1,433 m. The white ridge appeared and disappeared between the trees, and melting snow fell glittering from the branches — beautiful enough that I stopped to watch.

When the sun broke through, the snow surface was dazzling, and it slowly sank in that we'd made it up here. Tired, but enjoying it, over and over, and gradually getting closer to the top. Past Himetsugi you cross Haragoyadaira and head for the body of the mountain itself.

Over Haragoyadaira to a white summit

It's about 3.2 km from Himetsugi to the summit, and that's the last real effort. The weather was deteriorating: the blue sky of the morning turned to sleet and then snow, and everything went white. The nearer we got to the top the more the visibility closed in, until we were essentially in whiteout.

My legs were done, and my hip was hurting — I'd probably twisted something on snow I wasn't used to. We climbed on through a white world where the only sound was the wind. We were supposedly high up, and all we could see was snow and mist. Step by step, we reached the summit of Hirugatake, the highest point in Kanagawa, at 1,673 m. It was 12:40 p.m., about 25 minutes behind plan, and the relief at having got there was something else.

There was no view at all, unfortunately. The famous panorama stayed hidden — but that's the honest face of a mountain in winter. It just means there's now a reason to come back on a clear day.

Recovering over curry at Hirugatake Sanso

Hirugatake Sanso, the hut on the summit, is open year-round and takes overnight guests. The thing I'd been most looking forward to was their curry. Lunch service has a cut-off time, and part of what got me up the mountain was wanting to make it.

Hot curry through a body that had gone completely cold. One mouthful in, I said "this is seriously good" out loud. It's remarkable how quickly a proper meal brings a tired body back. Food in the mountains isn't only about the taste; it's the energy that carries the rest of the day. Cold and tired and running low on will, I needed that bowl.

The descent, and what the timings taught me

We started down at 1:20 p.m. The temperature near the summit was 2°C and the snow was still falling. I'd hoped to fly the drone for some aerials, but with that weather and my legs in that state it wasn't the day to push. Safety first, and full concentration on getting down.

We took a slightly different loop back down. Once we were descending, my legs moved as though the struggle on the way up had never happened, and we passed Himetsugi and Hatchozaka-no-Kashira roughly on schedule, gaining a little time in places. We were back at the trailhead at 4:50 p.m., then walked another 40 minutes to the parking in Aone village, and the day was done.

What this hike confirmed for me is a pattern in my own pace: on the ascent I'm on time or slightly behind, and on the descent I claw time back and get down early. That's a genuinely useful thing to know when planning future routes. We stopped at an onsen on the way home to thaw out.

Difficulty, best season, and access notes

• Technically it isn't hard, but it is long. About 19 km and 10 hours. Less about rock and chains, more about whether you can keep walking to the end.
• Chain spikes are essential while snow remains. Even in mid-March there was solid snow once we gained height. Don't assume spring means bare ground — carry light crampons or chain spikes.
• Early spring is the sweet spot. Honestly, I was slightly too early: the snow was in an awkward half-melted state. The easiest walking is once the snow has gone but before the land leeches appear — which, given that *hiru* in Hirugatake means leech, feels appropriate.
• The weather changes fast. Sun to sleet to snow to whiteout, all near the summit. Bring insulation, wind protection and waterproofs, and check the map often.
• Access: free parking in Aone village, toilet beside the shrine near the trailhead. If you want Hirugatake in a day, Aone is the realistic starting point.

Conclusion: Kanagawa's highest peak, in a day

Hirugatake was a mountain I'd wanted since I started hiking. I'd assumed it needed an overnight, but choosing the Aone trailhead — long, with gentler gradient — made a day trip possible.

Between the snow I hadn't planned for and the whiteout on top, it wasn't an easy day. But the glittering snow trail on my first outing in chain spikes, the curry at the hut, and standing on the highest point in Kanagawa left me, by the time we got down, satisfied enough to laugh about it.

If you're planning Hirugatake in a day, or you're a beginner looking at Kanagawa's high point, put the Aone route on your list. It's a long day, but with a conservative plan, the right kit and some fitness in reserve, it will stay with you. Go carefully, and go and see the main peak of Tanzawa for yourself.

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