Mt. Hinakura

Mt. Hinakura (日名倉山, Hinakurayama, 1,047 m) is a mountain on the border of Shisō and Sayō in Hyōgo Prefecture and Mimasaka in Okayama Prefecture, and one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kansai. Part of the Chūgoku Mountains, its well-balanced cone has earned it the nickname Mimasaka-Fuji (Sakushū-Fuji). It lies within the Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park, and on the Hyōgo side the Chikusa Highlands hold Belpiel Nature Park, known for the “Bell of Libera,” from which the summit is a short climb. The grassy summit gives fine views, making it a mountain for families and fit hikers alike.
There is no direct public transport to the trailheads (Belpiel Nature Park / Onemi-goe); access is by car or taxi.

Mt. Hinakura is one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kansai. The easiest route starts from Belpiel Nature Park (car park at about 860 m) on the Hyōgo side in the Chikusa Highlands, reaching the summit in about 30 minutes one way. For fit hikers there is also an out-and-back from Onemi-goe. No local bus serves either trailhead, so access is by car or taxi.

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1. [Getting there] To the Chikusa Highlands / Belpiel Nature Park (car & taxi)
2. [Hike] Belpiel → Mt. Hinakura summit
3. [Alternative] Out-and-back from Onemi-goe (for fit hikers)
4. Recommended plans & area info

1. [Getting there] To the Chikusa Highlands / Belpiel Nature Park (car & taxi)

Mt. Hinakura sits in a remote highland, and no local bus runs directly to the trailheads. By public transport, take a taxi from a station on the Kishin Line or the Chizu Express, or come by car. The easiest option is to drive into the Chikusa Highlands on the Hyōgo side and start from the Belpiel Nature Park car park (about 860 m). From the Okayama (Mimasaka) side, the Onemi-goe trailhead is reached by a forest road.

Reference: YAMAP — Mt. Hinakura

2. [Hike] Belpiel → Mt. Hinakura summit

From the Belpiel Nature Park car park, pass the viewpoint plaza with the “Bell of Libera” and join the trail. Following the grassy ridge, it is about 30 minutes one way from the car park to the summit (about 1 hour 20 minutes round trip) — a short course easy enough for families and beginners. The open, grassy summit looks out over Mt. Ushiro, Mt. Nagi and other peaks of the Chūgoku Mountains. With the car park at about 860 m, the climb to the 1,047 m summit is gentle, more like a highland walk.

Reference: Mt. Hinakura — climb record from Belpiel

3. [Alternative] Out-and-back from Onemi-goe (for fit hikers)

For a fuller walk, an out-and-back from Onemi-goe on the Sayō / Okayama side is recommended. The route from Onemi-goe to Mt. Hinakura and back is about 8.8 km, with around 768 m of cumulative ascent and a standard time of about 4 hours 50 minutes. It is an intermediate-level ridge walk through woodland and bamboo grass, and this trailhead is also reached by car. Plan to return to the trailhead you started from rather than combining it with the Belpiel route.

Reference: YAMAP — Onemi-goe / Mt. Hinakura out-and-back

4. Recommended plans & area info

Family plan: Belpiel Nature Park car park → viewpoint plaza (Bell of Libera) → summit and back (about 1 hour 20 minutes), a light hike enjoying the highland scenery and the bell.
Fit-hiker plan: an out-and-back to Mt. Hinakura from Onemi-goe (about 8.8 km, around 4 hours 50 minutes), a quiet ridge walk. Both assume travel by car; the Chikusa Highlands are also known for autumn foliage and seas of cloud.

Featured image: Yama0904 / CC BY-SA 4.0