Mt. Izugatake

Mt. Izugatake (伊豆ヶ岳, 851 m) is a mountain in Hannō, Saitama Prefecture, and one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kantō. A flagship ridge hike of the Okumusashi hills, it offers a chained rock pitch (“Otokozaka”) just below the summit and fine ridge views that make it surprisingly rewarding for a low mountain. It is climbed on foot from Shōmaru Station on the Seibu Chichibu Line, and the classic outing traverses on via Ne-no-Gongen to Agano Station along the “Kantō Fureai-no-Michi” trail.
The nearest station is Shōmaru Station (Seibu Chichibu Line); the trailhead is right by the station (toward Shōmaru Pass / Nagaiwa Pass).

Mt. Izugatake is one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kantō. Everything is within walking distance of Shōmaru Station: about 1 hour 20 minutes from Ikebukuro via a Seibu Ikebukuro Line limited express and a local train. Just below the summit the path splits into the chained “Otokozaka” and the bypass “Onnazaka”.

*Timetable last checked: unverified

1. [Outbound] Shōmaru Station → Izugatake summit (Nagaiwa Pass route)
2. [Traverse] Izugatake → Ne-no-Gongen → Agano Station
3. [Return] Descent → Shōmaru / Agano Station
4. Recommended plans & area info

1. [Outbound] Shōmaru Station → Izugatake summit (Nagaiwa Pass route)

Get off at Shōmaru Station on the Seibu Chichibu Line and follow the road to Nagaiwa Pass. From the pass, climb the ridge over Gorin-yama to the summit of Izugatake in about 1 hour 40 minutes from the station. Just below the top the path divides into Otokozaka (a steep chained rock wall) and Onnazaka (a bypass). Otokozaka is a run of exposed chains; beginners and anyone hiking in the rain should take Onnazaka. A branch route also goes via Shōmaru Pass.

Reference: Seibu Railway — Izugatake hiking course

2. [Traverse] Izugatake → Ne-no-Gongen → Agano Station

From the summit, continue over Komitake and Amazashi Pass to Ne-no-Gongen (Tenryū-ji), a temple famous as the guardian of legs and lower back, then descend the approach to Agano Station on the Seibu Chichibu Line. This “Kantō Fureai-no-Michi” route — Shōmaru Station → Izugatake → Ne-no-Gongen → Agano Station — is about 10 km and roughly 5 hours of walking, an undulating ridge walk through the woods typical of Okumusashi.

Reference: Saitama Pref. — Kantō Fureai-no-Michi “Crossing Izugatake”

3. [Return] Descent → Shōmaru / Agano Station

For an out-and-back, descend via Nagaiwa Pass to Shōmaru Station (about 1 hour 20 minutes). If you traverse, descend from Ne-no-Gongen to Agano Station and ride the Seibu Chichibu Line back toward Hannō and Ikebukuro. Both Shōmaru and Agano stations are on the same line, so either descent links directly to Ikebukuro. There are no shops on the mountain, so prepare food and water in advance.

Reference: Seibu Railway

4. Recommended plans & area info

Loop plan: Shōmaru Station → Nagaiwa Pass → Izugatake (Onnazaka) → Shōmaru Pass → Shōmaru Station (about 4 hours, avoiding the chains). For beginners.
Traverse plan: Shōmaru Station → Izugatake → Ne-no-Gongen → Agano Station (about 5 hours). A rewarding walk through the heart of Okumusashi.

Featured image: SpringField1967 / CC BY-SA 3.0