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Nabewariyama to Tonodake Along the Ridge | The Nabewari Ridge, Down the Okura Ridge, and a Descent Far Longer Than Expected

2024.09.07

Nabewariyama and Tonodake, two of the popular peaks in Tanzawa. I've written about each of them on its own before; this time I linked them along the ridge. From the summit of Nabewariyama, where we'd eaten the famous nabeyaki udon, we followed the Nabewari ridge toward Tonodake, reached the junction at Kanabirashi, and then went down the Okura ridge — known to everyone as *Baka-one*, the "Fool's Ridge" — in one long descent, closing a loop that starts and finishes at Okura.

The conclusion first: the ridge walking is as good as anything in Tanzawa. But honestly, the descent was far longer than I expected, and we finished it in the dark with headtorches. Here's what makes the ridge between Nabewariyama and Tonodake worth walking, what the long descent down the Okura ridge taught me, and how to stay safe in Tanzawa — all from actually walking it. Useful, I hope, if you've thought about linking the two peaks, or about using the Okura ridge as a descent.

The route in outline (Nabewariyama to Tonodake, a loop from Okura)

• Area: the Tanzawa range (Hadano, Kanagawa Prefecture; starting from Okura)
• Main peaks: Nabewariyama (1,272 m) and Tonodake (1,491 m — we turned back short of the summit this time)
• Full route: Okura bus stop → Nabewariyama (climbed in the first part, with the nabeyaki udon) → Nabewari ridge → Kanabirashi → Okura ridge → Okura bus stop
• The section in this video (part two): summit of Nabewariyama → the Nabewari ridge → Kanabirashi → down the Okura ridge → Okura bus stop
• Access: the Okura bus stop is reached by bus from Shibusawa Station on the Odakyu Line. Stopping at Tsurumaki Onsen afterwards is the standard way to finish
• Difficulty: ★★★☆☆. Little dangerous rock and the paths are well maintained, but the distance is long and the descent of the Okura ridge in particular is a test of stamina. Plan with plenty of time in hand

What makes this route appealing is that it links two popular peaks in one continuous line along the ridge, rather than going out and back from a summit. Because you don't retrace your steps, the scenery keeps changing right to the end.

Nabewariyama to Kanabirashi — a "gentle ridge" that turns out to go up and down

Refuelled by a large bowl of nabeyaki udon, we left the summit of Nabewariyama at around 1:50 p.m., heading along the Nabewari ridge toward Tonodake and the junction at Kanabirashi. I'd heard that the walk to Kanabirashi was ridge walking on a beautifully made path, so I was expecting something easy and pleasant.

Straight away a cool wind came through and I actually said out loud how good it felt. But having pictured a gentle ridge, what appeared instead was a properly steep climb. The Nabewari ridge goes up and over a series of small tops, and walking it just after lunch sends your heart rate up quickly. If you're imagining a flat ridge, expect to be surprised — in a good way.

In summer the greenery is thick and the side views are somewhat blocked. Even so, the glimpses through gaps in the trees were lovely enough to stop me in my tracks. Unlike the morning, when I'd hurried up worrying about the udon hours, being able to take this ridge in without a deadline was the real luxury of the day. In the distance we could see Oyama, the symbol of Tanzawa, and I said "I'm glad we came" more than once.

The Kanabirashi junction — the summit of Tonodake had to wait

Eventually we reached Kanabirashi, where the Nabewari ridge meets the Okura ridge. North from here takes you to the summit of Tonodake; south takes you down to Okura. It's the hinge of the whole route.

Honestly: we didn't go on to the summit of Tonodake. We'd taken our time on Nabewariyama, and looking at my watch it was clear the descent would take about three hours. Rather than force the summit and then be chased down by nightfall, we chose to complete the loop safely. Tonodake is as popular as it is because the view from the top is genuinely superb — which is exactly why I decided to come back and give it the time it deserves, as the main objective rather than an addition. Leaving a mountain with a reason to return isn't something I mind at all.

The long descent of the Okura ridge — Hanatate Sanso and Horiyama-no-Ie

From Kanabirashi it's the Okura ridge all the way down: roughly 1,000 m of descent in one go, on the ridge everyone calls *Baka-one*. It earned that nickname by being long and monotonous, and going down it is no reason to switch off.

The first part is a run of steep steps you could reasonably call brutal, but the boardwalk and wooden steps are well maintained, so the footing is easier than expected. After a while the blue roof of Hanatate Sanso appears — the landmark I'd been aiming for. I'd been looking forward to the shaved ice there, but it was a weekday, and the hut mainly opens at weekends, so that had to wait. If you're planning the same thing, check the hut's opening days in advance.

Further down is Horiyama-no-Ie. What struck me there was the local defence against yamabiru — the land leeches Tanzawa is known for. The hut keeps repellent on hand, and salt is left out for anyone to use. Tanzawa gets leeches after rain and through the summer, so carry salt or a repellent spray and check around your boots at every stop.

An unexpectedly long descent — nightfall, headtorches, and a lesson

The difficulty of the Okura ridge is its length. Looking at the distance markers I ended up laughing at myself: 6.4 km a moment ago, still 6.2 km now — it barely moves. Trail runners passed lightly, and while I admired their speed I went on losing height one step at a time.

Partway down the long descent I noticed something about how I was using my body. Because I'd been watching my feet the whole way, my neck and shoulders had stiffened up and the pack on my back felt heavier and heavier. My posture had clearly collapsed, and simply being conscious of keeping my back straight, going up as well as down, seemed enough to stop the strain concentrating in one place. A descent isn't just going down; posture and gait have a large say in how tired you get.

Past Miharashi Chaya and on to the junction toward Okura Kogen. The toilet there, which cost ¥100 to use, was spotless, and I'm grateful to whoever maintains it. Somewhere in all this the light went completely. What saved us was a Montbell headtorch, which lit the ground well enough to keep walking a dark trail with confidence. In a season with early sunset, or on a day when the descent may run long, a headtorch isn't a "just in case" item — it's essential kit.

We reached the Okura bus stop at about 6:45 p.m., far later than planned, having spent a very long time simply descending. Even so, the relief of stepping back onto tarmac was its own reward, and "that was fun" came out unprompted. We stopped at Tsurumaki Onsen afterwards and washed the day off.

Staying safe in Tanzawa

The things this route reminded me matter.

• Leave time in hand: linking Nabewariyama and Tonodake makes for a long day, and the descent takes longer than you'd imagine. Use "off the mountain by 3 p.m." as a guide, and decide early if you're going to be late
• Carry a headtorch: assume you might be caught out by nightfall, and carry a bright headtorch and spare batteries
• Deal with leeches: Tanzawa has yamabiru in season. Bring salt or repellent and check your feet regularly
• Check hut opening days: for treats like the shaved ice at Hanatate Sanso, confirm the days and hours in advance
• Posture on the descent: consciously not hunching over to watch your feet takes a lot of load off your neck, shoulders and legs

What I've settled on: a long Tanzawa route that only works as a continuous line

Linking Nabewariyama and Tonodake along the ridge gave me both the changing views you don't get from an out-and-back, and the Okura ridge, one of the great long trails in Tanzawa, in a single day. The summit of Tonodake had to be carried over to next time, but the green ridge seen from the Nabewari side, and the wide views appearing between the trees, felt like something reserved for people who take the time to walk it.

The length of the descent, though, went beyond what I'd imagined. The last time I walked this ridge, the descent alone took four and a half hours and left me aching for five days. It isn't a gentle mountain. But that's also why it offers so many choices of route, works so well for training, and keeps pulling you back in different seasons — that's the depth of Tanzawa. Next time, in clear autumn or winter air and with rather stronger legs, I want to walk the whole thing through to the summit of Tonodake properly. I finished the loop with that piece of homework in mind.

If you take this route on, please go with time and energy to spare. Safety first — and enjoy the Tanzawa ridges for as long as you want to.

Related posts

Nabewariyama Day Hike | Walking from Okura to the Famous Nabeyaki Udon — An Honest Guide to a Tanzawa Favourite

Myojogatake and Myojingatake Day Hike | A Beginner's Guide to the Hakone Outer Rim Loop from Gora

The Jinbasan to Takaosan Traverse | A Complete Guide to 18 km of Ridge Walking

The 5 Mountains That Stayed With Me This Year | Nokogiriyama, Bukosan, Akadake, Hirugatake and Mount Fuji

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