Mt. Chōzukeyama

Mt. Chōzukeyama (帳付山, 1,619 m) is a mountain on the border of Ueno Village (Gunma) and Chichibu (Saitama), and one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kantō. A quiet, demanding peak emblematic of the craggy Nishi-Jōshū area, its name is said to come from officials surveying the mountain and recording the forest in a ledger. The rocky ridge linking Tenmaruyama and Ōyama is well known, but it is a “dashed-line” route with rope sections, rock and faint paths — an advanced mountain requiring map-reading and experience.
The trailhead is on a Ueno Village forest road (near Tenmaru Bridge on the Ueno-Ōtaki line); with no public transport, access is by car or taxi.

Mt. Chōzukeyama is one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kantō. There is no bus to the Tenmaru Bridge trailhead, which is also far from central Ueno Village, so a car or a pre-booked taxi is assumed. It is an advanced dashed-line route requiring full gear and experience.

*Timetable last checked: unverified

1. [Outbound] Ueno Village → Tenmaru Bridge trailhead (car / taxi)
2. [Climb] Tenmaru Bridge → Tenmaruyama → Chōzukeyama (Nishi-Jōshū rocky ridge, dashed-line route)
3. [Return] Descent → Ueno Village / nearest station
4. Recommended plans & area info

1. [Outbound] Ueno Village → Tenmaru Bridge trailhead (car / taxi)

The climb starts from the parking space near Tenmaru Bridge in Ueno Village (along the Ueno-Ōtaki forest road). There is no bus here, so a car or taxi is assumed. Ueno Village can be reached by village shared-bus services from Shimonita Station (Jōshin Dentetsu), but the Tenmaru Bridge trailhead is far with no service, so in practice you need a car. The forest road can be closed by rockfall, so check road conditions in advance.

Reference: Ueno Village official

2. [Climb] Tenmaru Bridge → Tenmaruyama → Chōzukeyama (Nishi-Jōshū rocky ridge, dashed-line route)

The classic outing is a rocky-ridge loop from Tenmaru Bridge over Ōyama and Tenmaruyama to Chōzukeyama, descending to Shadan-nokkoshi pass. Just below the Tenmaruyama summit is a long rope section, and the ridge continues with knife-edges, rock and faint paths — a dashed-line route. The loop takes about 6–8 hours and is an advanced course demanding map-reading, rock-scrambling skill and stamina. Signposts are scarce, so a topo map, GPS and ample experience are essential. Escape is difficult, so plan with margin for weather and time.

Reference: Kantō 100 single-stroke traverse — Chōzukeyama

3. [Return] Descent → Ueno Village / nearest station

Descend via Shadan-nokkoshi or back the way you came to the Tenmaru Bridge parking. Because of the long day, plan to be down before dark and drive back toward Ueno Village. If using a taxi, book it in advance for your planned descent time. From Ueno Village, drive toward Shimonita and head home from Shimonita Station on the Jōshin Dentetsu line.

Reference: Ueno Village — Hiking

4. Recommended plans & area info

Loop plan (advanced, experienced only): Tenmaru Bridge → Ōyama → Tenmaruyama → Chōzukeyama → Shadan-nokkoshi → Tenmaru Bridge (about 6–8 hours). Lovely in fresh green and autumn foliage, but a dashed-line route throughout, so prepare thoroughly.
Planning points: carry a topo map, GPS and helmet, start early and allow margin; check whether the forest road is open and be ready to turn back.

Featured image: takeshi yagi / CC BY-SA 3.0