Mt. Hotaka

Mt. Hotaka (武尊山) is a 2,158m peak in the northern Gunma Prefecture. One of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, also called “Joshu Hotaka”. Deep mountain nature covered with beech and Dakekanba virgin forest is the attraction; also selected as one of the 100 Flowering Mountains. Autumn foliage is also magnificent, enjoyable through all four seasons.
The trailheads of Mt. Hotaka are not served by any bus, so a day hike effectively requires a taxi. Take a taxi from Minakami Station on the JR Joetsu Line, or from Jomokogen Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen, to the Urami-no-Taki (Hotaka Shrine) trailhead.

*Timetable last checked: May 22, 2026

1. [Outbound] Minakami / Jomokogen Station → Urami-no-Taki (Hotaka Shrine) trailhead [taxi]

Because no bus reaches the trailheads, a day hike normally means taking a taxi from Minakami Station, or from Jomokogen Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen, to the Urami-no-Taki (Hotaka Shrine) trailhead.
Journey time: approx. 40 min
*Please confirm the fare with the taxi company before boarding.

From the Hotaka Shrine trailhead, the standard course time for the loop over Mt. Kengamine and Okihotaka is about 5 hours 30 minutes.

Taxi: Kan-etsu Kotsu Taxi, Jomokogen office +81-278-62-1511
*To start instead from the Kawaba Campsite on the Kawaba side (Fudodake course), a taxi from Numata Station costs roughly ¥5,100.

2. [Outbound, for the fit / overnight plans] Minakami Station → Hotakabashi [bus]

From Bus Stop Platform 4 in front of Minakami Station, take the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus bound for Takaragawa Onsen / Yu-no-Koya and get off at Hotakabashi.
Journey time: 24 min
Fare: ¥1,000

*From the Hotakabashi bus stop it is about 6 km (roughly 1 hour 30 minutes on foot) along a forest road to the Hotaka Shrine trailhead. As the last bus leaves Hotakabashi at 17:03, a same-day round trip by bus alone is not possible. Plan on an overnight stay (lodging beforehand or a night on the mountain).

Bus TimetableMinakami Station → Hotakabashi Bus Timetable

Minakami Station Dep.	Hotakabashi
8:32	8:56
10:49	11:13
12:00	12:24
13:35	13:59
15:55	16:19
17:43	18:07

Reference: [Kan-etsu Kotsu Co., Ltd.]

3. [Return] Urami-no-Taki (Hotaka Shrine) trailhead → Minakami / Jomokogen Station [taxi]

On the way back, return to Minakami or Jomokogen Station by a taxi reserved in advance. Mobile reception around Hotaka Shrine can be unreliable, so it is wise to book your return taxi when you ride up.
Journey time: approx. 40 min

4. [Return, for the fit / overnight plans] Hotakabashi → Minakami Station [bus]

After descending, walk about 6 km (roughly 1 hour 30 minutes) from the Hotaka Shrine trailhead back to the Hotakabashi bus stop, then take the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus from Hotakabashi to Minakami Station. The last bus leaves Hotakabashi at 17:03 (given the course time, making this bus on a day trip is difficult).
Journey time: 31 min
Fare: ¥1,000

Bus TimetableHotakabashi → Minakami Station Bus Timetable

Hotakabashi	Minakami Station
6:54	7:25
7:39	8:10
7:41	8:12
9:49	10:20
12:08	12:39
13:11	13:42
14:51	15:22
17:03	17:34

Reference: [Kan-etsu Kotsu Co., Ltd.]

Mt. Hotaka Hiking Routes, Difficulty & Best Season

Main routes and course times

Hotaka-jinja loop (Okihotaka & Kengamine) (loop)

Trailhead：Hotaka-jinja shrine (Urami Falls)

Distance・Elevation gain：about 11.7 km / +1,292 m

Course time：about 5 h 30 min〜7 h 20 min（excluding breaks）

Difficulty：advanced

Day trip：requires a taxi (see the article)

Kawaba ski resort lift route (out & back)

Trailhead：Kawaba ski resort (via lift)

Difficulty：snow season (experienced winter hikers)・snow season only

Day trip：depends on snow conditions

Mt. Hotaka (Hotakayama) is a 2,158 m peak in northern Gunma Prefecture and one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains (Nihon Hyakumeizan), also selected among the 100 Famous Mountains for Flowers. The trailhead is Hotaka Shrine (Urami Falls, about 1,000 m elevation), and the mountain is known as an advanced route with continuous chained sections and rocky terrain.

Main routes

• Hotaka Shrine (Urami Falls) → Tekoyazawa Emergency Hut → Mt. Hotaka (Oki-Hotaka) → Mt. Kengamine → back to Hotaka Shrine (loop): Beyond Tekoyazawa Emergency Hut the trail has a continuous series of chained and roped sections, and the descent near Kengamine is especially steep. No public transport reaches the trailhead, so a day trip requires a taxi from Minakami Station or Jomo-Kogen Station (see the access section above for details).
• Kawaba Ski Resort lift route (late-season snow/winter only): roughly from mid-December to around April, the mountain lift at Kawaba Ski Resort can be used to gain elevation before continuing via Mt. Kengamine to Oki-Hotaka and back. Trail time varies greatly with snow conditions, so this route suits hikers with winter mountaineering gear and experience. Operating dates and conditions change every year, so always check the Kawaba Ski Resort official website for the latest information.

Difficulty & fitness
This is an advanced mountain with several sections of chains and fixed ropes in a row, and the long trail time calls for an early start. Since there is no public transport to the trailhead and a taxi is required (see the access section), plan accordingly, avoid hiking alone, and take extra care on the rocky sections and descents after rain.

Best season
The main season runs from early summer, once the lingering snow has settled, through the autumn foliage (roughly June to October). Even in the snow-free season, watch for the chained and rocky sections. In winter and during the late-season snow period, the mountain becomes a backcountry-level climb for advanced mountaineers.

Highlights
Old-growth beech and Erman’s birch forest and abundant alpine flowers befitting a Flower 100 Famous Mountain, plus sweeping views from Oki-Hotaka and Mt. Kengamine over Mt. Tanigawa, Mt. Shibutsu, Mt. Hiuchi, Mt. Aizu-Koma, Nikko-Shirane, and Mt. Akagi. The autumn colours are also spectacular.

Photo by Seth FJT