Mt. Kinunuma (鬼怒沼山)

Mt. Kinunuma (鬼怒沼山) is a 2,141m peak in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture.
Kinunuma, spread to the north of the summit, is a high-elevation wetland at about 2,020m, with over 50 ponds dotted in this secluded place. Known as a rare wetland higher than Oze, the autumn-foliage scenery is especially breathtaking. This is a remote area for fit climbers.
The standard route is by local bus from Kinugawa-Onsen Station to Meotobuchi.

The main public-transport approaches are the following two:
Oku-Kinu (Meotobuchi) side: From Tobu Kinugawa-Onsen Station by local bus to Meotobuchi (walking start / Oku-Kinu Onsenkyo direction)
Oze (Oshimizu) side: From Jomokogen Station / Numata Station by local bus to Togura / Oshimizu (Oze-numa direction or for traverses)

*Timetable last checked: May 17, 2026

How to access the trailheads

1. [Going] Kinugawa-Onsen Station → Meotobuchi
2. [Going] Jomokogen Station / Numata Station → Oshimizu
3. [Return] Meotobuchi → Kinugawa-Onsen Station
4. [Return] Oshimizu → Numata Station / Jomokogen Station

1. [Going] Kinugawa-Onsen Station → Meotobuchi

From Tobu Railway Kinugawa-Onsen Station, take the “Kinugawa-Onsen Meotobuchi Line (shared bus)” and get off at the terminus, Meotobuchi.

Operating period: year-round
Fare: ¥1,570
Travel time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Bus TimetableBus Timetable bound for Meotobuchi

Reference: [Nikko City]

2. [Going] Jomokogen Station / Numata Station → Oshimizu

From Joetsu Shinkansen Jomokogen Station or JR Joetsu Line Numata Station, take Kan-etsu Kotsu “Kamata Line (Jomokogen / Numata – Togura – Oshimizu)”.
Because services departing from Jomokogen are infrequent, if using the Shinkansen, transferring from Takasaki Station to the Joetsu Line and going to Numata Station is recommended.

Travel time: about 2 hours 30 minutes (from Numata Station)
Fare: ¥3,000
Operating period: April 26 – November 3, 2025

Bus Timetable Bus Timetable bound for Oshimizu

Reference: [Kan-etsu Kotsu Jomokogen / Numata Station – Togura]

3. [Return] Meotobuchi → Kinugawa-Onsen Station

From Meotobuchi, take the “Kinugawa-Onsen – Meotobuchi Line (shared bus)” to Kinugawa-Onsen Station.

Operating period: year-round
Fare: ¥1,570
Travel time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Bus TimetableBus Timetable bound for Kinugawa-Onsen Station

Reference: [Nikko City]

4. [Return] Oshimizu → Numata Station / Jomokogen Station

From Oshimizu, take Kan-etsu Kotsu‘s Kamata Line (bound for Numata Station / Jomokogen Station).
Travel time: about 1 hour 40 minutes to Numata Station (fare ¥2,600) / about 2 hours to Jomokogen Station (fare ¥3,000)
Operating period: April 26 – November 3, 2025

Bus TimetableBus Timetable from Oshimizu bound for Numata Station / Jomokogen

Reference: [Kan-etsu Kotsu Jomokogen / Numata Station – Togura]

Photo by wikipedia