Mt. Miune

Mt. Miune (三嶺, 1,894 m), on the border of Kami (Kochi) and Miyoshi (Tokushima), is one of the 200 Famous Japanese Mountains.
On the spine of the Shikoku Mountains, its charm is the dwarf-bamboo grassland and ponds around the summit, the sweeping ridge that runs on to Mt. Tsurugi, and the Komet azaleas of summer. It is usually climbed from Nagoro on the Tokushima side, and a day trip from the Nagoro trailhead to Mt. Miune and back is the classic outing.
For public transport, reach Nagoro from JR Awa-Ikeda Station by changing between the Shikoku Kotsu bus and the Miyoshi City bus.

The trailhead is Nagoro (about 900 m), with a free car park (about 50 spaces) and toilets. The main route is the Nagoro trailhead → Dakemomi-no-oka → Mt. Miune and back, an intermediate route of about 5–6 hours. Just below the summit are a pond and the Miune Hut (emergency shelter), and from the top there is a grand view of the grassland ridge running to Mt. Tsurugi and Mt. Tengu.
The bus to Nagoro involves two changes from Awa-Ikeda Station — at “Kazurabashi Yumebutai” and at “Kubo”. The Kubo–Nagoro leg is a seasonal service, so always confirm the running days and latest times in advance. The season is spring to autumn (roughly May to November).

*Information last checked: Jun 13, 2026

1. [Outbound] Awa-Ikeda Station → Kazurabashi Yumebutai → Kubo → Nagoro

The base is JR Tokushima Line Awa-Ikeda Station (Awa-Ikeda Bus Terminal). Take the Shikoku Kotsu bus via Kazurabashi Yumebutai to Kubo, then change to the Miyoshi City bus (toward Nagoro) at Kubo. For a day trip the morning connection below is realistic, reaching the Nagoro trailhead at 10:45.

Bus timetable ①: Awa-Ikeda Station → Nagoro (Shikoku Kotsu + Miyoshi City bus, full connection)

Running days of Kubo→Nagoro: the Nagoro-bound seasonal bus leaving Kubo at 10:20 runs on weekends and holidays from April 4 to November 23, and daily during April 18–May 6, July 4–August 31 and October 1–November 3 (the Mt. Tsurugi / Oku-Iya Kazurabashi service). On other days the Kubo–Nagoro buses are limited, so a taxi (Miune Taxi 0883-88-2420) is the reliable backup.
Later Shikoku Kotsu buses: Awa-Ikeda BT 11:15 → Kubo 13:16 and 14:10 → Kubo 16:15 also run, but for a day hike use the morning service.

Reference: [Shikoku Kotsu — route buses] / [Miyoshi City Tourism — bus timetable PDF]

2. [Return] Nagoro → Kubo → Kazurabashi Yumebutai → Awa-Ikeda Station

After descending, take the Miyoshi City bus from Nagoro back to Kubo, then change to the Shikoku Kotsu bus at Kubo (via Kazurabashi Yumebutai) for Awa-Ikeda Station. Services from Nagoro are few, so check the last bus against your descent time.

Bus timetable ②: Nagoro → Awa-Ikeda Station (Miyoshi City bus + Shikoku Kotsu, full connection)

Taxi: as services are few and involve changes, a taxi straight to the trailhead is reliable (Miune Taxi 0883-88-2420 / Miyoshi City bus enquiries 0883-72-7607).
By car: the Nagoro trailhead has a free car park (about 50 spaces).

Reference: [Shikoku Kotsu — route buses] / [Miyoshi City Tourism — bus timetable PDF]

Route and safety notes

Route: Nagoro trailhead → Dakemomi-no-oka → Miune Hut → Mt. Miune (1,894 m) and back. The standard time is about 5–6 hours, an intermediate route. From the summit there is a grand view over the Shikoku Mountains toward Mt. Tsurugi, Mt. Jiro and Mt. Tengu.

Grassland and route-finding: the dwarf-bamboo grassland near the summit can be hard to read in fog or cloud. On poor-visibility days check your position often with a map and GPS, and turn back rather than push on.

Shelter, water and season: just below the summit is the Miune Hut emergency shelter (for emergencies). Reliable water is scarce, so carry plenty. The season is May to November.

Gear and emergencies: bring rain gear, warm clothing, a headlamp, a map/GPS and ample food. In an emergency call 110 (police) or 119 (fire).
・Miyoshi Police Station 0883-72-0110

Photo by As6022014 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0