Mt. Nokogiri (鋸山, 329m) is a low peak on the border of Kyonan Town in Awa District and Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture. Famous since the Edo period for the cliffs of the “Boshu Stone” quarry and for Nihonji Temple‘s “Jigoku-nozoki (Peering into Hell)” and “Japan’s largest cliff-carved Buddha (Daibutsu),” it is one of the Kanto region’s premier mountains that combines tourism and climbing. The trailhead is a 5-minute walk from JR Uchibo Line Hama-Kanaya Station; the Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway reaches the summit station in about 4 minutes.
*Timetable last checked: May 17, 2026
How to access the trailheads
- [Going] Tokyo / Yokohama → Hama-Kanaya Station (JR Uchibo Line)
- [Going] Hama-Kanaya Station → Mt. Nokogiri summit (Sharikido Course / Ropeway)
- [Return] Mt. Nokogiri summit → Hama-Kanaya Station (Sharikido Course / Ropeway)
Hiking Course Details — Mt. Nokogiri (鋸山)
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Map & Recommended Route — Mt. Nokogiri (鋸山)
Course Time (Sharikido Course out-and-back, beginner, about 3 hours)
Hama-Kanaya Station → (0:10) → Sharikido entrance → (0:50) → Kangetsu-dai junction → (0:30) → summit observation deck (329m) → (1:00) → Ropeway Sanroku Station → (0:10) → Hama-Kanaya Station
1. [Going] Tokyo / Yokohama → Hama-Kanaya Station (JR Uchibo Line)
To reach Hama-Kanaya Station, the starting point for Mt. Nokogiri, take the JR Keiyo Line + Uchibo Line from Tokyo Station — about 2 hours (Tokyo Station → Soga Station → Hama-Kanaya Station; about 1 hour 40 minutes via the Limited Express “Sazanami”). From the Yokohama side, the Tokyo Bay Ferry is convenient: take the JR Yokosuka Line to Kurihama Station → Keikyu Kurihama Station → about 12 minutes by bus to Kurihama Port, then about 40 minutes by ferry to Kanaya Port; from Kanaya Port, walk about 5 minutes to Hama-Kanaya Station.
JR / ferry access reference:
Tokyo Station → Hama-Kanaya Station: JR Keiyo Line + Uchibo Line about 2 hours, ¥1,980 (local) / Limited Express Sazanami about 1 hour 40 minutes, ¥3,840
Yokohama side → Kanaya Port: Tokyo Bay Ferry (Kurihama ⇔ Kanaya) about 40 minutes, adult ¥900 (one way); vehicles from ¥6,300
Kanaya Port → Hama-Kanaya Station: about 5 minutes on foot
Reference: JR East — Hama-Kanaya Station | Tokyo Bay Ferry
Inquiries: JR Hama-Kanaya Station ☎0439-69-2030 / Tokyo Bay Ferry ☎046-835-8855
2. [Going] Hama-Kanaya Station → Mt. Nokogiri summit (Sharikido Course / Ropeway)
From Hama-Kanaya Station there are two routes to the Mt. Nokogiri summit: (1) the Sharikido Course (about 1 hour 30 minutes on foot, beginner; 5-minute walk from the station to the trailhead; an Edo-period stone-haulage road combining history and views), and (2) the Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway (about 4 minutes; 8-minute walk from the station to the Ropeway Sanroku Station). The front approach (Nihonji side) is closed, so the Sharikido Course is currently the only self-powered climbing route.
Operating period and fare (Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway): Year-round (annual inspection closure in January–February; in 2026 fully closed 1/13–2/13)
Travel time: about 4 minutes
Fare: adult one-way ¥650 / round-trip ¥1,200
Service interval: about every 15 minutes (9:00–17:00, varies seasonally)
Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway Sanroku Station → Summit Station (for climbers, year-round, every 15 minutes)
| Sanroku Station Dep. | Summit Station Arr. |
|---|---|
| 9:00 (first) | 9:04 |
| 9:15 | 9:19 |
| 9:30 | 9:34 |
| … operating every 15 minutes … | |
| 16:45 | 16:49 |
| 17:00 (last) | 17:04 |
Reference: Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway Official | Nihonji Temple Official
Inquiries: Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway ☎0439-69-2314 / Nihonji Temple ☎0470-55-1103
3. [Return] Mt. Nokogiri summit → Hama-Kanaya Station (Sharikido Course / Ropeway)
The descent uses either the Sharikido Course (about 1 hour 10 minutes) or the Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway (Summit Station → Sanroku Station, about 4 minutes; same fare, round-trip ticket usable). A traverse-descent toward Hota Station is impossible due to the forest road closure (as of May 2026), so an out-and-back to Hama-Kanaya Station is standard. If you miss the last ropeway around 17:00, you must descend on foot via the Sharikido Course — beware of sunset.
Travel time and fares:
Sharikido Course descent: about 1 hour 10 minutes
Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway Summit Station → Sanroku Station: about 4 minutes, fare as above
Sanroku Station → Hama-Kanaya Station: about 8 minutes on foot
Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway Summit Station → Sanroku Station (return, year-round, every 15 minutes)
| Summit Station Dep. | Sanroku Station Arr. |
|---|---|
| 9:15 (after first up-run) | 9:19 |
| … operating every 15 minutes … | |
| 17:00 (last, please verify) | 17:04 |
Note: The last ropeway service varies seasonally — always check the day’s first-car timetable. A traverse toward Hota Station is currently impossible due to the Kanaya-Genna Forest Road closure; check the latest information at Futtsu City Official.
Reference: Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway Official
Inquiries: Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway ☎0439-69-2314 / Futtsu City Hall ☎0439-80-1230
4. Mt. Nokogiri — climbing overview, recommended plans, emergency contacts
About Mt. Nokogiri
A 329m low peak on the border of Kyonan Town in Awa District and Futtsu City, southern Boso, Chiba Prefecture. The sharp cliffs left by the Edo-period “Boshu Stone” quarry create a silhouette resembling a saw’s teeth, the source of the mountain’s name. The Nihonji Temple precincts on the summit area concentrate highlights including “Jigoku-nozoki” (a vertical-cliff observation platform projecting from a rock wall), Japan’s largest cliff-carved Buddha (Daibutsu, 31m tall), and the 1,500 Rakan stone statues. From the summit observation deck, fine views of Tokyo Bay, Mt. Fuji, and the Miura Peninsula make it one of the Kanto region’s premier sightseeing-climbing routes.
Trail overview (2 routes currently available)
- Sharikido Course (beginner, about 1 hour 30 minutes, 5-minute walk from the station): an Edo-period stone-haulage road, passing historic quarry remains; varied terrain.
- Kanto Fureai-no-Michi Course (beginner, about 2 hours, via Kangetsu-dai): a maintained promenade, suitable for beginners.
- Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway (about 4 minutes; 8-minute walk to Ropeway Sanroku Station): for sightseers, annual inspection closure in January–February.
- ※ Front approach (Nihonji side): closed to foot traffic due to rockfall (as of May 2026).
- ※ Kyonan Town side (toward Hota Station): closed due to the Kanaya-Genna Forest Road landslide; traverse not possible.
Nihonji Temple visit information
– Visiting hours: 9:00–17:00 (seasonal variation)
– Visit fee: adult ¥700 / elementary–junior-high ¥400 (visit fee required to pass through the summit area)
– Official ☎0470-55-1103
Climbing season and seasonal information: Year-round climbing is possible; especially spring (cherry blossoms in March–April), autumn (foliage in November), and winter (clear air, Mt. Fuji views) are the best seasons. High summer can be humid on this low mountain — early-morning start recommended. In winter, except during the ropeway inspection (January–February), the Sharikido Course remains climbable.
Cautions
– Front approach and forest road closed: an out-and-back to Hama-Kanaya Station is the only safe route at present
– Ropeway annual inspection January–February: 15-minute intervals are convenient outside that window; during the closure only the Sharikido Course is available on foot
– Nihonji Temple visit fee required: ¥700 needed for the summit observation area; on an out-and-back descent, a walking detour avoids the fee
– Tokyo Bay Ferry use: Kurihama Port ⇔ Kanaya Port about 40 minutes, vehicles can be loaded; efficient from the Kanagawa side
Emergency and inquiry contacts
- Futtsu City Tourist Association: ☎0439-80-1230 / Kyonan Town Office: ☎0470-55-2111
- Futtsu Police Station (climbing plan / rescue): ☎0439-87-0110
- Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway: ☎0439-69-2314 / Nihonji Temple: ☎0470-55-1103
Recommended plans
- Day-hike on the Sharikido Course + Nihonji Temple sightseeing (recommended, beginner-friendly): Tokyo Station 6:30 → Hama-Kanaya Station 8:30 → Sharikido trailhead 8:40 → summit 10:10 → Nihonji sightseeing (Jigoku-nozoki, Daibutsu) → ropeway descent 14:00 → Hama-Kanaya Station 14:15 → Tokyo Station 16:30.
- Using the Tokyo Bay Ferry (recommended from the Yokohama side): Yokohama → Kurihama Port → ferry → Kanaya Port → Hama-Kanaya Station → Sharikido → summit → Nihonji sightseeing → ropeway → Kanaya Port → ferry → return to Yokohama (one-day round trip, vehicles can be loaded).
Reference: Futtsu City — Mt. Nokogiri climbing information | Nihonji Temple Official | Mt. Nokogiri Ropeway
Photo by Saigen Jiro (Wikimedia Commons)
