Mt. Kirishima (霧島山)

Mt. Kirishima (霧島山) is a volcanic group of about 20 cones straddling Kagoshima and Miyazaki Prefectures, including the highest peak Karakuni-dake (1,700 m) and the mythological Takachiho-no-mine (1,574 m), counted among the 100 Famous Mountains of Japan.

The area was Japan’s first designated national park (Kirishima-Kinkōwan National Park, 1934) and is also a Japan Geopark. Highlights include the crater lake Ōnami-no-ike, the Miyamakirishima azalea fields, and the surrounding hot-spring villages. From JR Kirishima-Jingū Station or Kagoshima Airport, Kagoshima Kōtsū buses run to Maruo (Kirishima hot-spring quarter); from Maruo the Kirishima Renzan Scenic Loop Bus connects the two main trailheads: Ebino Kōgen (start of the Karakuni-dake route) and Takachihogawara (start of the Takachiho-no-mine route).

*Timetable last checked: May 20, 2026

How to access the trailheads

1. [Outbound] Kagoshima-Chūō Station / Kagoshima Airport → Kokubu Station / Kirishima-Jingū Station → Maruo (Kagoshima Kōtsū)
2. [Outbound] Maruo → Ebino Kōgen (Kirishima Scenic Loop Bus, Karakuni-dake route)
3. [Outbound] Maruo → Takachihogawara (Kirishima Scenic Loop Bus, Takachiho-no-mine route)
4. [Return] Ebino Kōgen / Takachihogawara → Maruo → Kokubu Station / Kirishima-Jingū Station / Kagoshima Airport

Reference course time (Karakuni-dake & Ōnami-no-ike loop, ~6 h 30 min, 9.7 km)

Ebino Kōgen (1,200 m) → (0:00) → Karakuni-dake trailhead → (1:30) → Karakuni-dake summit (1,700 m) → (0:50) → Karakuni-dake emergency hut → (0:50) → Ōnami-no-ike rest stop (1,239 m) → (1:30) → prefectural-border trailhead → (0:10) → Ebino Kōgen

Reference course time (Takachiho-no-mine return, ~3 h, 6.8 km)

Takachihogawara Visitor Center (970 m) → (1:00) → Ohachi crater rim → (0:30) → Takachiho-no-mine summit (1,574 m, Ame-no-Sakahoko) → (0:30) → Ohachi crater rim → (1:00) → Takachihogawara Visitor Center

1. [Outbound] Kagoshima-Chūō Station / Kagoshima Airport → Kokubu Station / Kirishima-Jingū Station → Maruo (Kagoshima Kōtsū)

The principal gateway to Mt. Kirishima is the Maruo bus stop in the Kirishima hot-spring quarter. From Kagoshima-Chūō Station (Kyushu Shinkansen terminus), take the JR Nippō Main Line to Kokubu or Kirishima-Jingū Station, then transfer to the Kagoshima Kōtsū “Kirishima Iwasaki Hotel – Kirishima-Jingū – Kokubu” bus to Maruo. From Kagoshima Airport, a Kagoshima Kōtsū limousine line also runs directly to Maruo.

JR access summary:
Tokyo → Kagoshima-Chūō Station: Shinkansen, about 6 h 30 min
Osaka → Kagoshima-Chūō Station: Shinkansen, about 4 h
Kagoshima-Chūō → Kokubu Station: JR Nippō Main Line, about 50 min (local) / 35 min (Ltd. Express Kirishima)
Kagoshima-Chūō → Kirishima-Jingū Station: JR Nippō Main Line, about 1 h 10 min (local) / 50 min (Ltd. Express Kirishima)
Kagoshima Airport → Maruo (limousine): Kagoshima Kōtsū, about 30 min

Operating period: Year-round
Travel time: Kokubu Station → Maruo about 55 min; Kirishima-Jingū Station → Maruo about 28 min
Fare: Kokubu → Maruo ¥1,070; Kirishima-Jingū → Maruo ¥530 (revised 1 Oct 2025)
Frequency: 6 trips/day (2 trips suspended on Sat/Sun/holidays)

Kokubu Station → Kirishima-Jingū Station → Maruo (Kagoshima Kōtsū)

Important: The Scenic Loop Bus has only three Maruo departures (8:30, 10:30, 12:30; see below). The 7:25 train/bus from Kokubu (arriving Maruo 8:19) connects to the 8:30 loop bus; the 9:25 train/bus (arriving 10:19) connects to the 10:30 loop bus. The 12:30 Kokubu departure (Maruo 13:24) misses the day’s final loop bus (Maruo 12:30 dep.), so use a morning departure.

References: Kagoshima Kōtsū Bus Routes | JR Kyushu
Contact: Kagoshima Kōtsū Kokubu Office ☎0995-45-6733

2. [Outbound] Maruo → Ebino Kōgen (Scenic Loop Bus, Karakuni-dake route)

The Kirishima Renzan Scenic Loop Bus (Kagoshima Kōtsū) operates daily from Maruo via Ōnami-no-ike Trailhead to Ebino Kōgen (1,200 m, Karakuni-dake & Ōnami-no-ike trailhead) and onward to Takachihogawara (970 m). At Ebino Kōgen, the Ebino Eco-Museum Center (☎0984-33-3002) provides the latest trail and volcanic-alert information — stop in before entering the trail.

Operating period: Year-round (may be suspended in winter snow)
Travel time: Maruo → Ebino Kōgen about 26 min (Ōnami-no-ike Trailhead about 20 min)
Fare: Maruo → Ebino Kōgen ¥560; Maruo → Ōnami-no-ike Trailhead ¥420 (revised 1 Oct 2025)
Frequency: 3 trips/day (2 morning, 1 midday)

Maruo → Ōnami-no-ike Trailhead → Ebino Kōgen (Scenic Loop Bus)

References: Kagoshima Kōtsū “My Plan Kirishima” 1-day pass | Ebino Eco-Museum Center
Contact: Kagoshima Kōtsū Kokubu Office ☎0995-45-6733

3. [Outbound] Maruo → Takachihogawara (Scenic Loop Bus, Takachiho-no-mine route)

The Scenic Loop Bus stops 4 min at Ebino Kōgen, then continues to Takachihogawara (Takachiho-no-mine trailhead). Total travel time from Maruo is about 59 min. Takachihogawara has the Takachihogawara Visitor Center (trail information and the Kirishima-jingū Old Shrine ruin) and a free parking lot.

Operating period: Year-round (may be suspended in winter snow)
Travel time: Maruo → Takachihogawara about 59 min (4 min stop at Ebino Kōgen)
Fare: Maruo → Takachihogawara ¥990 (revised 1 Oct 2025)
Frequency: 3 trips/day (2 morning, 1 midday)

Maruo → Ebino Kōgen → Takachihogawara (Scenic Loop Bus)

4. [Return] Ebino Kōgen / Takachihogawara → Maruo → Kokubu Station / Kirishima-Jingū Station / Kagoshima Airport

The return loop bus runs only once a day (Takachihogawara 15:30 dep. / Ebino Kōgen 16:00 dep.), so plan carefully: a late descent will make same-day return to Kagoshima-Chūō difficult.

Operating period: Year-round (may be suspended in winter snow)
Travel time: Takachihogawara → Maruo about 56 min; Ebino Kōgen → Maruo about 26 min
Fare: Takachihogawara → Maruo ¥990; Ebino Kōgen → Maruo ¥570
Frequency: 1 trip/day

Takachihogawara → Ebino Kōgen → Maruo (Scenic Loop Bus, return, 1 trip only)

Note: The 12:30 Maruo departure also returns the same day (Takachihogawara 13:29 → Maruo ② 14:02), but this is a “short-stay” run that does not allow real hiking. Always use the 15:30 Takachihogawara dep. (or Ebino Kōgen 16:00 dep.) for descent.

From Maruo, the Kagoshima Kōtsū “Kirishima Iwasaki Hotel – Kirishima-Jingū – Kokubu” line returns to Kokubu or Kirishima-Jingū Stations.

Maruo → Kirishima-Jingū Station → Kokubu Station (Kagoshima Kōtsū)

Recommended connection: Ebino Kōgen 16:00 dep. → Maruo ② 16:26 arr. → Maruo ③ 17:03 dep. (Kagoshima Kōtsū) → Kirishima-Jingū 17:31 arr. → Kokubu 17:57 arr. At Kirishima-Jingū, transfer to JR Nippō Main Line (local or Ltd. Express Kirishima) for Kagoshima-Chūō (50 min – 1 h 10 min).

References: Kagoshima Kōtsū Bus Routes
Contact: Kagoshima Kōtsū Kokubu Office ☎0995-45-6733

Trail overview, emergency hut, and regulations

Karakuni-dake & Ōnami-no-ike loop (intermediate, ~6 h 30 min, 9.7 km)
From Ebino Kōgen (1,200 m), climb to Karakuni-dake (1,700 m), descend past the Karakuni-dake emergency hut to Ōnami-no-ike (1,239 m, crater lake), then return via the prefectural-border trailhead. The first 1.9 km / 90 min to the summit is a steep scree ascent; the latter Ōnami-no-ike circumnavigation is gentle and offers spectacular crater-lake views. The Karakuni-dake emergency hut just below the summit is for emergency shelter only — no overnight stay, water, or supplies. Bring all water and food. Toilets are at the Ebino Kōgen Visitor Center and Ōnami-no-ike rest stop only.

Takachiho-no-mine return (beginner – intermediate, ~3 h, 6.8 km)
From the Takachihogawara Visitor Center (970 m), pass the gate and the Kirishima-jingū Old Shrine ruin, climb to the Ohachi crater rim (1 h), and reach the summit of Takachiho-no-mine (1,574 m) where the bronze “Ame-no-Sakahoko” (heavenly inverted spear) stands. The Ohachi scree slope is a 30-min steep ascent / descent, slippery in strong wind or rain. The summit affords sweeping views of Sakurajima and the Kirishima range.

Ōnami-no-ike short loop (beginner, ~3 h 30 min, 6.2 km)
From the Ōnami-no-ike Trailhead bus stop (Scenic Loop Bus), a short loop around Ōnami-no-ike with ~480 m elevation gain. Suitable for beginners and families.

Volcanic alert status (as of May 2026)

• Shinmoedake: Alert Level 2 (crater-rim restriction, downgraded 17 Oct 2025). Approx. 2 km radius around the crater is closed — the Shinmoedake / Naka-dake / Shishido-dake routes (Hijimori-dake – Ōhata-ike – Shishido-dake – Karakuni-dake) are closed.
• Ohachi (Takachiho-no-mine crater): Alert Level 1 (active-volcano awareness). The Takachiho route is open, but beware of volcanic gas and sudden eruption.
• Iōyama (Ebino Kōgen, southern flank of Karakuni-dake): Alert Level 1 (downgraded 6 Dec 2023). Prefectural Road 1 around the crater is provisionally open on Sat/Sun daytimes only.
• The three main routes — Karakuni-dake, Ōnami-no-ike, and Takachiho-no-mine — are open. Always confirm the latest restrictions on the Ebino City trail-restriction page, Kirishima City trail-restriction page, and the JMA volcanic warning bulletin before climbing.

Emergency contacts

• Ebino Eco-Museum Center (trail info / latest alerts): ☎0984-33-3002 (9:00 – 17:00, year-round)
• Ebino City Tourism Division: ☎0984-35-1114
• Kirishima City Tourism PR Section: ☎0995-64-0705
• Kirishima Police Station (mountain rescue): ☎0995-46-0110
• Ebino Police Station: ☎0984-33-0110

Recommended day plans

• Karakuni-dake day hike: Kagoshima-Chūō 6:30 → Kokubu Stn 7:25 dep. → Maruo 8:30 (Loop Bus) → Ebino Kōgen 8:56 → Karakuni-dake round trip (~4 h) → Ebino Kōgen 16:00 dep. (descent).
• Takachiho-no-mine day hike: Kagoshima-Chūō 6:30 → Kokubu Stn 7:25 dep. → Maruo 8:30 (Loop Bus) → Takachihogawara 9:29 → Takachiho-no-mine round trip (~3 h) → Takachihogawara 15:30 dep. (descent).

References: Kirishima-Kinkōwan National Park (MoE) | Kirishima Geopark | Takachihogawara Visitor Center

Photo by Ray go