Mt. Ena (恵那山)

Mt. Ena (恵那山, 2,191 m) straddles Nakatsugawa in Gifu and Achi in Nagano Prefecture, at the southern end of the Central Alps, and is counted among the 100 Famous Mountains of Japan.

The name is said to derive from the legend that “the placenta (ena) of Amaterasu-Ōmikami was buried here” in the Kojiki; the gently rounded form gave rise to the alternate name “Funafuse-yama” (Upturned-boat Mountain). On the summit ridge are the Mt. Ena Emergency Shelter (unstaffed) and the Mt. Ena Shrine, while the ridge offers sweeping views of the Central Alps, Southern Alps, Mt. Ontake, and Mt. Norikura.

There are four trailheads — Hirogawara (Nagano side, shortest, beginner), Misaka-tōge Pass (best views), Mae-miya (Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae bus stop, accessible by Kita-Ena Kōtsū bus, long route for experienced hikers), and Kuroizawa (currently closed). The Hirogawara and Misaka-tōge routes need private car or taxi access.

*Timetable last checked: May 20, 2026

How to access the trailheads

1. [Outbound] Nagoya / Tokyo → Nakatsugawa Station → Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae (Mae-miya trailhead, Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line)
2. [Outbound] Nagoya / Iida → Hirogawara Trailhead / Misaka-tōge (taxi / private car)
3. [Return] Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae → Nakatsugawa Station (Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line)

Reference course time (Hirogawara route, ~6 h 30 min, 8.2 km round, ~990 m gain, most popular, beginner)

Hirogawara Parking (1,200 m) → (0:30) → Hirogawara Trailhead → (3:30) → Mt. Ena summit (2,191 m) → (0:15) → Mt. Ena emergency shelter → (0:25) → Mt. Ena summit → (2:00) → Hirogawara Trailhead → (0:30) → Hirogawara Parking

Reference course time (Misaka-tōge route, ~7 h 30 min, 13 km round, ridge walk, intermediate)

Misaka-tōge (1,580 m) → (1:00) → Mt. Senryō → (0:30) → Torigoe-tōge → (1:30) → Mt. Daibanya (1,696 m) → (2:00) → Mt. Ena summit → (3:30) → Misaka-tōge

Reference course time (Mae-miya route, recommended 2-day overnight, ~11 h, 6.7 km one way, advanced)

Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae (530 m) → (0:30) → Mae-miya Trailhead → (6:30) → Mt. Ena summit (2,191 m, overnight at emergency shelter) → next day → (4:00) → Mae-miya Trailhead

1. [Outbound] Nagoya / Tokyo → Nakatsugawa Station → Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae (Mae-miya trailhead, Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line)

From JR Chūō Main Line Nakatsugawa Station, take the Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line bus to Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae (the Mae-miya trailhead) in about 23 min. The Mae-miya route is the ancient pilgrimage path via Ena Shrine and the Weston Park; it is a long route (~6.7 km, 6 h 30 min ascent), so a 2-day overnight (sleeping at the summit emergency shelter) is standard.

JR access summary:
Nagoya → Nakatsugawa: JR Chūō Main Line Shinano Ltd. Express, about 1 h 20 min, ¥3,000 (reserved)
Nagoya → Nakatsugawa: JR Chūō Main Line local, about 1 h 40 min, ¥1,520
Tokyo → Nakatsugawa: Tōkaidō Shinkansen via Nagoya, about 3 h 20 min, ¥10,560

Operating period: Year-round (revised 1 October 2025)
Travel time: Nakatsugawa → Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae about 23 min
Fare: Nakatsugawa → Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae approx. ¥640 (zone fare)
Frequency: weekdays 8 trips/day, weekends/holidays 3 trips/day

Nakatsugawa Station → Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae (Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line, weekday)

Nakatsugawa Station → Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae (Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line, weekend / holiday)

Note: The Mae-miya route’s 6 h 30 min ascent makes a day trip impractical; combine with an emergency-shelter overnight (unstaffed, no bedding or water) or a Hirogawara-route descent (taxi).

References: Kita-Ena Kōtsū timetable | Nakatsugawa City trails
Contact: Kita-Ena Kōtsū ☎0573-65-2511

2. [Outbound] Nagoya / Iida → Hirogawara Trailhead / Misaka-tōge (taxi / private car)

The most popular Hirogawara route (Nagano side, shortest, beginner) and the Misaka-tōge ridge route (best views, intermediate) have no scheduled bus service — private car, or taxi from Iida Station (Hirogawara) / Nakatsugawa Station (Misaka-tōge) is required.

Hirogawara Trailhead (peak-pass forest-road gate, Achi Village, Nagano):
Travel time: about 1 h taxi from Iida Station (~¥10,000 one way); about 30 min by car from Chūō Expressway Sonohara IC
Parking: Hirogawara parking (free, ~30 spaces, fills up on weekends/holidays)
Note: 30 min on foot from the parking lot to the trailhead along the forest road

Misaka-tōge (1,580 m, on the Gifu / Nagano boundary):
Travel time: about 50 min taxi from Nakatsugawa Station (~¥8,000 one way); about 1 h by car from Chūō Expressway Nakatsugawa IC
Parking: Misaka-tōge parking (free, ~20 spaces) and Misaka-tōge emergency shelter
Note: The forest road to Misaka-tōge (Ōtani-Kirigahara Line) is closed in winter (typically December – mid-April); 2025 opening was 18 April. For the 2026 opening date, check the Nakatsugawa Tourism Association.

Via Heavens Sonohara Ski Resort (near Misaka-tōge, summer only):
From Nagoya, the Meitetsu Bus Chūō Expressway service runs to Heavens Sonohara Ski Resort, from where the ropeway and a summer shuttle bus continue near Misaka-tōge. See the Heavens Sonohara official site.

Contact: Shinnan Kōtsū (Iida taxi) ☎0265-22-4477 / Nakatsugawa Combined Taxi ☎0573-65-2151

3. [Return] Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae → Nakatsugawa Station (Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line)

After the Mae-miya descent, board the Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line at Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae for Nakatsugawa. Weekdays 6 trips/day, weekends/holidays 3 trips/day; the last bus is 17:25 weekdays / 17:10 weekends (Nakatsugawa arr. 17:49 / 17:34). Time your descent from the summit shelter accordingly.

Operating period: Year-round (revised 1 October 2025)
Travel time: Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae → Nakatsugawa about 24 min
Fare: Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae → Nakatsugawa approx. ¥640
Frequency: weekdays 6 trips/day, weekends/holidays 3 trips/day

Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae → Nakatsugawa Station (Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line, weekday)

Mt. Ena Weston Park-mae → Nakatsugawa Station (Kita-Ena Kōtsū Kawakami Line, weekend / holiday)

References: Kita-Ena Kōtsū timetable
Contact: Kita-Ena Kōtsū ☎0573-65-2511

Routes & Emergency Shelter Info

Main Routes
– Hirokōgen route (beginner-intermediate, ~8h round trip): Hirokōgen trailhead → Mt. Ena summit (2,191m). Standard day-hike
– Misaka Pass route (intermediate, ~9h round trip, longer distance): Misaka Pass → Torigoshi Pass → Mt. Ena summit

Emergency Shelter
– Mt. Ena Emergency Hut (near summit): unstaffed year-round, emergency use only, capacity ~20

Regulations
– Hiking season: May – November
– Winter: forest road closed, residual snow, advanced only
– Summit is forested, no views

Emergency Contacts
– Achi Village Tourism Assoc.: 0265-43-3001
– Iida Police (mountain rescue): 0265-22-0110

Reference: Achi Village Hirugami Onsen Tourism

Photo by Alpsdake