Mt. Yuzuruha

Mt. Yuzuruha (Yuzuruhasan, 608 m) in Minami-Awaji City, Hyōgo Prefecture, is the highest peak of Awaji Island and one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kansai. Together with Mt. Kashiwara and Mt. Sen it is counted among the “Three Mountains of Awaji”.
Yuzuruha Shrine, known as a deity of good fortune, stands on the summit, which looks out over the Seto Inland Sea and the Kii Channel, and as far as Shikoku on a clear day. The front approach from Nada and the rear approach from Ichi, both old pilgrimage paths with stone markers, take about 3 hours 30 minutes each, and the loop from Yuzuruha Dam takes about 3 hours. Public transport can get you near the trailhead by Awaji Kotsu Bus, but services are few, so combine it with a car or taxi.

The main trailheads are Yuzuruha Dam (suited to coming by car) and, on the approaches, Nada to the south (front) and Ichi to the north (rear); from the dam you loop to the summit via Kamikura Shrine.
From late January to February the daffodils near the summit are at their best, and the best season is late autumn to spring. Although it is a low coastal mountain, the views are good, and the old path with its stone distance markers has a quiet feel. It is hot in summer, so beware of pit vipers and hornets. The summit’s Yuzuruha Shrine is an old shrine linked to the Kumano faith, and many climb it together with a visit to the shrine.

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1. [Outbound & return] Sumoto → Ichi (Mt. Yuzuruha rear-approach trailhead)

1. [Outbound & return] Sumoto → Ichi (Mt. Yuzuruha rear-approach trailhead)

By public transport, take a highway bus across the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge to the Sumoto Bus Terminal, then the Awaji Kotsu Bus Jūkan (trunk) Line to the Ichi bus stop. From the Ichi bus stop it is about 1 hour 20 minutes on foot to the rear-approach trailhead, and a taxi is also available near the bus stop; as services are few, always check the operating days and times with Awaji Kotsu. By car, the trailhead car park at Yuzuruha Dam is convenient, and you loop to Kamikura Shrine and the summit from the dam. The Sumoto Bus Terminal is served by highway buses from Sannomiya, Maiko, Shin-Kobe and Shin-Osaka.

Reference: [Awaji Kotsu (official)]

Photo by Pinqui