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Tsukubasan for Beginners | How to Choose Between the Miyukigahara and Hakuunkyo Routes

2025.01.24

"Everyone says Tsukubasan is a good first mountain — but there are several trails, so which one am I supposed to take?" I got stuck at exactly the same point the first time I went. There are multiple trails, plus a cable car and a ropeway, and looking at the map it's genuinely hard to tell which combination is the sensible one.

Tsukubasan (877 m) in Ibaraki Prefecture is one of Japan's 100 Famous Mountains and also one of the kindest to beginners. This post narrows the question down to what actually matters: which route suits which person. The difference between the Miyukigahara route, the Hakuunkyo route and the trails from Tsutsujigaoka; how to use the cable car and the ropeway well; and what not to miss on the two summits. By the end you should know how you want to climb it.

Tsukubasan in brief

• Location: Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture
• Height: a twin-peaked mountain — Nyotaisan at 877 m and Nantaisan at 871 m
• Status: one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, and among the lowest on that list, which takes nothing away from its presence
• Access: about 40 minutes by Tsukubasan shuttle bus from Tsukuba Station on the Tsukuba Express. Get off at Tsukubasan Jinja Iriguchi (the shrine) or Tsutsujigaoka
• Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆, beginner. That said, there's a lot of rock and exposed tree root, and low mountains punish carelessness underfoot

The old saying pairs it with Japan's most famous peak — "Fuji in the west, Tsukuba in the east" — and the mountain itself has been an object of worship for centuries. It's easy to reach from Tokyo, and because the cable car and ropeway are there as a safety net, it's a mountain I can recommend without hesitation to people just starting out and to families.

Get the layout straight first

The reason route choice on Tsukubasan feels confusing is simple: there are two trailheads and two summits. Sort that out and the rest of the planning falls into place.

• Trailheads
• The Tsukubasan Shrine side (Miyawaki) — the start of both the Miyukigahara and Hakuunkyo routes, and where the cable car boards
• The Tsutsujigaoka side — the start of the Otatsuishi route, and where the ropeway boards
• The two summits
• Nantaisan (871 m) and Nyotaisan (877 m). The saddle between them is Miyukigahara, where the shops and toilets are and where everyone stops

So the trick is to decide in advance which trailhead you start from, which summits you stand on, and how you come down. Here are the three main routes.

The Miyukigahara route — the straightforward one

This runs directly from Tsukubasan Shrine to Miyukigahara and is the standard choice. It climbs more or less alongside the cable car, so there's little chance of losing the trail — a good first route.

The path climbs through cedar, gently at first, then steepens into a long stretch of tree roots, steps and loose stone that gives you the honest feeling of having climbed something. Reckon on about an hour and a half. The advantage of arriving at Miyukigahara is that both summits are then a short walk away.

And if your legs aren't feeling it, or you're worried about your knees on the descent, the cable car runs along this same line (Miyawaki to Tsukubasanchō), so you can ride down. That's the reassurance this route carries.

The Hakuunkyo route — strange rocks and more variety

If you want the walk itself to be interesting, this is the one I'd choose: Tsukubasan Shrine → Hakuunkyo → the old Benkei teahouse site → Nyotaisan.

Its appeal is the sheer number of named rock formations. You duck under a boulder that looks ready to drop on you (Benkei Nanamodori, "where even Benkei turned back seven times"), squeeze through a cleft called Haha no Tainai Kuguri — a passage through "the mother's womb" — and pass the leaning Hokuto-iwa and Defune-Irifune. They keep coming, and it never gets dull.

The trade-off is more rock and more big steps, so it's a bit more work than the Miyukigahara route. There are places where you'll use your hands, which means shoes with real grip and a pack that leaves both hands free. Past the Benkei teahouse site the trail joins the Otatsuishi route from Tsutsujigaoka and continues to Nyotaisan.

The Otatsuishi route from Tsutsujigaoka — let the ropeway help

If what you want is the shortest possible climb with the summit view intact, start at Tsutsujigaoka instead.

Tsutsujigaoka → the Otatsuishi route → Nyotaisan gets you to the high summit in relatively little time. The ropeway (Tsutsujigaoka to Nyotaisan) runs here too, so you can walk up and ride down, or the reverse. With small children along, or if it's been a while since you last walked, using the lifts deliberately is one of the smartest planning decisions available to you.

What not to miss

Choosing the right route matters, and so does not walking past the things Tsukubasan is known for.

• The summit of Nyotaisan (877 m): the high point. Stand on the rock and the Kanto plain opens right out; on a clear day you can see a very long way. This is the best view on the mountain
• Gama-ishi (Toad Rock): a landmark on the ridge between Nyotaisan and Miyukigahara, shaped like a toad with its mouth open. Tradition says that if you toss a pebble into the mouth and it stays there, your wish is granted
• The summit of Nantaisan (871 m): a different view again, and only a short climb from Miyukigahara — worth standing on both while you're there
• Miyukigahara: the saddle between the two summits, and the natural place to stop. Shops, toilets and somewhere to eat, which is a real comfort on a day out

Difficulty, kit and a few cautions

It's a beginner mountain, but a few things make the day safer and more comfortable.

• Wear proper hiking shoes: people do this in trainers, but with that much rock, root and damp ground, ankle support is worth having
• Don't underestimate a low mountain: summer is hotter than you'd expect and there are plenty of insects; in winter the trail can ice up. Dress for the season
• Carry your own water and snacks: there are shops at the summits and at Miyukigahara, but between them you're on what you brought. Keep drinking and eating regularly
• Take the descent seriously: slips and turned ankles on rock and steps happen far more often on the way down. If you're tired, switching to the cable car or ropeway is a good decision, not a failure

So which route should a beginner take?

That was a lot of detail, so here are the three combinations I'd actually suggest.

• If you want everything: up the Hakuunkyo route for the rock formations → Nyotaisan → along the ridge past Gama-ishi to Miyukigahara → Nantaisan → down the Miyukigahara route (or the cable car). Both summits, the strange rocks and the big view in one loop
• If you mainly want to not get lost: the Miyukigahara route out and back. It follows the cable car line, it's easy to read, and the lift is there if you need it
• If fitness is a concern, or you're with family: start at Tsutsujigaoka and combine the Otatsuishi route with the ropeway. The view from Nyotaisan without the effort that usually buys it

Tsukubasan gives you a way out in the form of the lifts while still offering a climb with substance and the view a famous mountain ought to have. Match the route to your fitness and your goal and it's very likely to be a day you're glad you spent. I hope your first hike turns into a good memory.

🛒 See the gear from the video as a list → A packing list for your first low-mountain hike

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