Mt. Tsubonegatake

Mt. Tsubonegatake (局ヶ岳, 1,029 m) is a mountain in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, and one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kansai as well as one of the Three Mountains of Ise. Its sharp pyramid shape has earned it the nickname “the Yarigatake of Ise.” The trailhead is at Tsubonegatake Shrine, and a popular loop links the steep old trail with the well-graded zigzag new trail; the summit opens to a broad view over Ōdaigahara and Ise Bay.
The Tsubonegatake Shrine trailhead is realistically reached by car or taxi from Matsusaka Station; using public transport, take a Mie Kotsu bus to Horide and then walk.

Mt. Tsubonegatake is one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Kansai and one of the Three Mountains of Ise. The trailhead is Tsubonegatake Shrine, reached by heading north from the hamlet of Horide, with parking for several dozen cars. A car or taxi from Matsusaka Station is the most realistic option. By public transport, take the Mie Kotsu “Inan-Hase line” bus from JR/Kintetsu Matsusaka Station and alight at Horide (about 50 minutes), then walk about 40 minutes (old trail) to 60 minutes (new trail) to the shrine. The usual loop climbs the steep old trail and descends the graded new trail.

*Timetable last checked: unverified

1. [Outbound] Matsusaka Station → Tsubonegatake Shrine (taxi/car / bus + walk) → Tsubonegatake
2. [Return] Tsubonegatake → Tsubonegatake Shrine → Matsusaka Station
3. Recommended plan & area info

1. [Outbound] Matsusaka Station → Tsubonegatake Shrine (taxi/car / bus + walk) → Tsubonegatake

The start is Tsubonegatake Shrine (north from Horide on Route 166; parking and toilets available). From Matsusaka Station, a car or taxi (e.g. Kintetsu Taxi Matsusaka 0598-50-1321) is the most reliable way. By public transport, take the Mie Kotsu “Inan-Hase line” bus (bound for Michi-no-Eki Iidaka or Smile) from JR/Kintetsu Matsusaka Station and alight at Horide (about 50 minutes), then walk about 40 minutes along the road to the shrine. From the shrine, the steep old trail reaches the summit of Tsubonegatake in about 1 hour 40 minutes.

Reference: Mie Kotsu — Matsusaka Station, Inan-Hase line timetable

2. [Return] Tsubonegatake → Tsubonegatake Shrine → Matsusaka Station

To descend, the usual loop takes the zigzag new trail back down to Tsubonegatake Shrine (old trail up, summit, new trail down — about 3–4 hours in all). From the shrine, return to Matsusaka Station by car or taxi. By bus, walk back to the Horide stop and take the Inan-Hase line to Matsusaka Station (note the infrequent service when planning your descent). There are no shops or water sources on the mountain, so prepare food and water around Matsusaka Station.

Reference: Matsusaka Tourism Information — Tsubonegatake

3. Recommended plan & area info

Loop plan: Tsubonegatake Shrine → old trail (steep) → Tsubonegatake → new trail (graded) → Tsubonegatake Shrine (about 3–4 hours in all). The old trail is a sustained steep climb, while the new trail’s switchbacks are easy to walk, making for a varied loop.
Best season: fresh greenery (April–May) and autumn colour (November) are ideal. Though a low mountain, the climb is steep, so guard against heat in summer and watch for snow and ice in winter.

Photo by Alpsdake / CC BY-SA 4.0