Mt. Mayoi

Mt. Mayoi (Mayoidake, 1,309 m), on the border of Iitaka in Matsusaka City and Ōdai Town in Mie Prefecture, is a peak of the Daikō Range and one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kansai.
It is higher than Mt. Takami, the main peak of the Takami mountains, and second only to Mt. Ikegoya; its ridges and valleys interlock so intricately that, true to its name (“Lost Peak”), it is easy to lose the way. It is usually climbed by the Iimori course from the Karatani trailhead above Kahadakyō Onsen Smale, a long round trip of about 7 hours. It is a mountain for experienced hikers with almost no signposts; carry a map and compass (or GPS), and avoid going alone or as beginners only.

The trailhead is the hikers’ car park above Kahadakyō Onsen Smale, from where you head for the summit by the rocky Iimori ridge course or the route along the Karatani valley.
The summit triangulation point is buried in deep forest and hard to find, and the complex terrain makes it dangerous in bad weather or near dusk. The best seasons are spring to autumn, with fresh greenery and autumn colour, and there are narrow ridges, steep slopes and stream crossings. There is also a course along the Ōkumadani valley on the Miyagawa side, but it is rough, so this article describes the course from Smale on the Iitaka side.

*Information last checked: unverified

1. [Outbound & return] Matsusaka Station → Smale (Mt. Mayoi trailhead)

1. [Outbound & return] Matsusaka Station → Smale (Mt. Mayoi trailhead)

The Karatani trailhead is reached from Kahadakyō Onsen Smale: by car, the hikers’ car park above Smale is the sure option, and you can also stay the night before at Kahadakyō Onsen Smale. By public transport, take the Mie Kotsu Bus from in front of Matsusaka Station (bound for Smale via Michi-no-Eki Iitaka), about 1 hour 30 minutes and a fare of 1,650 yen, but services are few and arrive late, so it is hard to use for a roughly 7-hour day hike. For a day hike, take a taxi to the trailhead from Matsusaka Station, or check the operating days and times with Mie Kotsu and use an early service. Matsusaka Station is reached by Kintetsu and JR from the Nagoya and Osaka directions.

Reference: [Mie Kotsu (official)]

Photo by Alpsdake