Mt. Azuma (Nishi-Azuma) is the highest peak of the Azuma Range, straddling Yonezawa City in Yamagata Prefecture and Kitashiobara Village in Yama District, Fukushima Prefecture. At 2,035 m it is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains (selected in Kyuya Fukada’s “100 Famous Japanese Mountains”).
Part of Bandai-Asahi National Park, its summit area opens onto a heavenly high-altitude marsh dotted with tarns, the great boulders of Bonten-iwa and Tengu-iwa, and a primeval forest of Maries’ fir (oo-shirabiso). Highlights include the alpine flower fields of pasqueflower and cotton grass in summer, and the autumn foliage from late September to early October.
Because a ropeway lifts you almost to the summit in one go, Nishi-Azuma is popular as a relatively easy “100 Famous Mountain” to climb despite being the highest peak of the Azuma Range.
There are two main trailhead access routes to Nishi-Azuma: the Tengendai Ropeway on the Yamagata/Yonezawa side, and the Grandeco Ura-Bandai Ropeway on the Fukushima/Ura-Bandai side (EN RESORT Grandeco).
On the Tengendai side, the ropeway and summer chairlifts take you up to Hokubodai (1,820 m), with a round trip to Nishi-Azuma of about 4 hours.
On the Grandeco side, the ropeway takes you up to Dekodaira (1,390 m), and the round trip to Nishi-Azuma over Nishi-Daiten (1,982 m) takes about 5 to 6 hours.
*Timetable last verified: 2026年06月06日
How to Reach the Trailheads
- [Outbound] Yonezawa Station → Tengendai Ropeway (Yumoto-ekimae) → Hokubodai
- [Outbound] Inawashiro Station → Grandeco (EN RESORT Grandeco) → Dekodaira
- [Return] Hokubodai → Tengendai Ropeway (Yumoto-ekimae) → Yonezawa Station
- [Return] Dekodaira → Grandeco (EN RESORT Grandeco) → Inawashiro Station
Hiking Course Details — Mt. Azuma
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Map & Recommended Route — Mt. Azuma
Mt. Azuma — Reference Hiking Times
| Segment | Distance | Ascent/Descent | Forward | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokubo Terrace → Mt. Naka-daiten | 0.7 km | +120 m / −5 m | 0:25 | 0:20 |
| Mt. Naka-daiten → Mount Nishiazuma | 2.0 km | +169 m / −74 m | 0:55 | 0:55 |
| Mount Nishiazuma → Nishi-Azuma Emergency Hut | 0.3 km | +0 m / −43 m | 0:10 | 0:10 |
| Nishi-Azuma Emergency Hut → Mt. Nishi-daiten | 1.1 km | +115 m / −127 m | 0:40 | 0:45 |
| Mt. Nishi-daiten → Loopway Summit Station | 2.3 km | +0 m / −579 m | 1:20 | 1:40 |
| Total | 6.4 km | +404 m / −828 m | 3:30 | 3:50 |
1. [Outbound] Yonezawa Station → Tengendai Ropeway (Yumoto-ekimae) → Hokubodai
① JR Yonezawa Station → Yumoto-ekimae (Yamako Bus)
From the front of Yonezawa Station on the JR Ou Main Line / Yamagata Shinkansen, take the Yamako Bus bound for “Shirabu Onsen (Tengendai)” (Yonezawa – Onogawa Onsen – Shirabu Onsen, via the Tateyama Bypass) and get off at the terminus, Yumoto-ekimae. Yumoto-ekimae is the base station of the Tengendai Ropeway.
Ride time: about 49 min
Fare: 970 yen
Frequency: roughly one bus per hour (same on weekdays and weekends/holidays)
② Yumoto-ekimae → Tengendai Kogen Station (Tengendai Ropeway)
The ropeway climbs about 400 m of elevation in roughly 5 minutes.
Fare: 1,000 yen one way / 1,900 yen round trip
Operating hours: 8:20–17:00 (from 8:00 on weekends/holidays)
③ Tengendai Kogen Station → Hokubodai (3 summer chairlifts)
Connect across the three chairlifts “Shakunage,” “Tsugamori,” and “Shirakaba” to reach the Hokubodai trailhead (1,820 m) in about 30 minutes.
Fare: 2,700 yen round trip (all three lifts through)
The combined ropeway + chairlift round-trip ticket (4,500 yen for junior-high age and up / 3,300 yen for elementary-school children) is the better-value, recommended option.
Operating season: The 2026 green season runs June 13 (Sat) – November 3 (Sun) (with a pre-opening after the summer-climbing safety prayer ceremony on June 12). The dates and hours vary with the weather.
Bus TimetableYonezawa Sta. front to Yumoto-ekimae (Tengendai Ropeway base)
| Yonezawa Sta. dep. | Yumoto-ekimae arr. |
|---|---|
| 8:30 | 9:19 |
| 9:40 | 10:29 |
| 10:40 | 11:29 |
| 12:30 | 13:19 |
| 13:30 | 14:22 |
| 14:30 | 15:19 |
| 15:30 | 16:19 |
| 16:30 | 17:22 |
| 17:30 | 18:19 |
For a day trip, we recommend the 8:30 departure from Yonezawa Station front (9:19 arrival at Yumoto-ekimae) or the 9:40 departure. Once you connect via the ropeway and chairlifts and stand at Hokubodai, you can complete the round trip to Nishi-Azuma (about 4 hours) and still make an evening bus with plenty of time to spare.
Ref.: [Yamako Bus: Yonezawa → Shirabu Onsen] / [Tengendai Kogen GREENseason]
2. [Outbound] Inawashiro Station → Grandeco (EN RESORT Grandeco) → Dekodaira
① JR Inawashiro Station → EN RESORT Grandeco (free shuttle bus)
From Inawashiro Station on the JR Ban’etsu West Line, take the free shuttle bus bound for EN RESORT Grandeco (Ura-Bandai Grandeco). The base station of the Grandeco Ura-Bandai Ropeway is on the grounds of this hotel and ski resort.
Ride time: about 40–50 min (via the Visitor Center)
Fare: free
Reservation required: you must apply through the reservation form on the official website by 17:00 the day before boarding (you cannot board once the bus is full).
② Grandeco → Dekodaira (Grandeco Ura-Bandai Ropeway)
The ropeway takes you up to the summit station (Dekodaira) at 1,390 m.
Fare: 1,500 yen one way / 2,000 yen round trip (adult)
Operating hours: first ascent 8:30 / last ascent 15:30 (15:00 on weekdays), last descent 16:00 (15:30 on weekdays)
Shuttle bus operating season: April 25 (Sat) – November 23 (Mon), 2026
Bus TimetableInawashiro Station to EN RESORT Grandeco (free shuttle, outbound)
| Inawashiro Sta. dep. | Hotel arr. |
|---|---|
| 10:10 | 10:50 |
| 12:10 | 12:50 |
| 15:00 | 15:40 |
Ref.: [EN RESORT Grandeco Access] / [Grandeco Ura-Bandai Ropeway]
3. [Return] Hokubodai → Tengendai Ropeway (Yumoto-ekimae) → Yonezawa Station
From Hokubodai, take the summer chairlifts (3 lifts, last departure 15:40) → the Tengendai Ropeway (last descent around 17:00) down to Yumoto-ekimae, then return from Yumoto-ekimae to Yonezawa Station front by Yamako Bus.
Ride time: about 50 min
Fare: 970 yen
The last bus departs Yumoto-ekimae at 16:50. Plan your descent with plenty of time to spare so you make the last chairlift (15:40) and the last ropeway.
Bus TimetableYumoto-ekimae (Tengendai Ropeway base) to Yonezawa Sta. front
| Yumoto-ekimae dep. | Yonezawa Sta. arr. |
|---|---|
| 7:00 | 7:52 |
| 8:00 | 8:52 |
| 9:00 | 9:54 |
| 10:00 | 10:52 |
| 11:00 | 11:54 |
| 12:00 | 12:52 |
| 13:50 | 14:42 |
| 14:50 | 15:40 |
| 15:50 | around 16:40 |
| 16:50 (last) | around 17:40 |
After descending, we recommend a bath at Shirabu Onsen (a renowned hot spring with about 700 years of history), right by the ropeway’s Yumoto Station.
Ref.: [Yamako Bus: Shirabu Onsen → Yonezawa]
4. [Return] Dekodaira → Grandeco (EN RESORT Grandeco) → Inawashiro Station
From Dekodaira, take the ropeway (last descent 16:00 / 15:30 on weekdays) down to the base, then return from Grandeco to Inawashiro Station by the free shuttle bus (the return trip also requires a reservation).
Ride time: about 40–50 min
Fare: free
The last return shuttle, departing the hotel at 16:00, runs only during the ropeway operating periods (8/1–8/30 and 10/10–11/8). Otherwise the last departure is at 14:00, so be sure to check the latest schedule and reservation availability.
Bus TimetableEN RESORT Grandeco to Inawashiro Station (free shuttle, return)
| Hotel dep. | Inawashiro Sta. arr. |
|---|---|
| 9:10 | 9:50 |
| 11:00 | 11:40 |
| 14:00 | 14:40 |
| 16:00 ※ | 16:40 ※ |
※ The 16:00 departure runs only during the ropeway operating periods (August 1 – August 30 and October 10 – November 8, 2026).
Ref.: [EN RESORT Grandeco Shuttle Bus Timetable]
Nishi-Azuma Hiking Routes and Times
■ Tengendai Ropeway / Hokubodai route (beginner–intermediate, round trip about 4 hours)
Hokubodai (1,820 m) →(0:50)→ Kamoshika Observation Deck →(0:30)→ Okubo flower field →(0:30)→ Bonten-iwa (2,005 m) / Tengu-iwa (2,005 m) →(0:10)→ Nishi-Azuma (2,035 m). The return follows the same path. Boardwalks and rocky, rubble-strewn sections alternate; despite being the highest peak, the elevation gain is small and the route is easy to walk.
※ The official Tengendai Kogen site also describes a loop course visiting Ningyo-ishi, Okubo, Bonten-iwa and other spots (6.2 km, about 7 hours 20 min, intermediate). Plan with plenty of time to spare.
■ Grandeco / Dekodaira–Nishi-Daiten route (intermediate, round trip about 5–6 hours)
Dekodaira (summit station, 1,390 m) →(0:40)→ Dekodaira Marsh →(2:00)→ Nishi-Daiten (1,982 m) →(1:00)→ Nishi-Azuma (2,035 m). The return follows the same path. The climb through the forest belt is long, and the section just below Nishi-Daiten is a steep ascent. From the open Nishi-Daiten, the views spread out over Mt. Bandai, Lake Hibara, and the rest of Ura-Bandai.
Notes on the trails
– The summit area is a flat expanse of marsh and forest with limited views, and it is terrain where there are many junctions and it is easy to lose your way. Walk while checking the signs and boardwalks.
– The Nishi-Azuma summit is surrounded by forest and has no view. The best views are from Bonten-iwa, Tengu-iwa, and Nishi-Daiten.
– From June to early July, snow remains and can hide the summer trail.
– The weather changes suddenly here, and visibility can easily worsen in fog.
Mountain Huts and Hot Springs
– Nishi-Azuma Hut: An unstaffed emergency shelter just below the Nishi-Azuma summit. No toilet; for emergency refuge only.
– Tengendai Kogen: There is a rest house and toilets at the ropeway summit (Tengendai Kogen Station).
– Shirabu Onsen (Yonezawa side): Right by the Tengendai Ropeway’s Yumoto Station. A sulfur spring with about 700 years of history.
– EN RESORT Grandeco / Ura-Bandai hot springs (Ura-Bandai side): You can use day-trip bathing at the Grandeco hotel, or the hot springs around the Goshikinuma ponds.
Recommended Plan and Cautions
Day trip to Nishi-Azuma (Tengendai Ropeway, highest-peak summit push, beginner–intermediate)
Yonezawa Sta. front 8:30 → Yumoto-ekimae 9:19 → Tengendai Ropeway + summer chairlifts → Hokubodai around 10:30 → round trip to Nishi-Azuma (about 4 hours) → Hokubodai around 14:30 → descend by chairlift and ropeway → Yumoto-ekimae → bus (15:50 or 16:50 departure) → Yonezawa Station → bath at Shirabu Onsen. For a day trip by public transport, this Tengendai route is the most reliable.
Cautions
– Always check the ropeway and chairlift operating seasons and last departures (Tengendai 6/13–11/3; Grandeco 8/1–8/30 and 10/10–11/8). Missing the last service makes descending difficult.
– The shuttle bus on the Grandeco side requires a reservation by 17:00 the day before.
– In the summit area, beware of losing your way, remaining snow, and sudden weather changes. Carry a map, compass, and warm clothing.
– Bear sightings have been reported. Carry a bear bell.
– Submitting a climbing plan (tozan-todoke) is recommended.
Emergency and inquiry contacts
– Tengendai Kogen (ropeway and chairlifts): ☎0238-55-2236
– EN RESORT Grandeco (Ura-Bandai Grandeco Tokyu Hotel): ☎0241-32-3200
– Yonezawa City Hall, Tourism Division (Yonezawa / Tengendai side): ☎0238-22-5111
– Kitashiobara Village Office (Ura-Bandai / Grandeco side): ☎0241-23-3111
– Yamagata Prefectural Police HQ (mountain rescue): ☎023-626-0110
– Fukushima Prefectural Police HQ (mountain rescue): ☎024-522-2151
– Yamako Bus Yonezawa Office: ☎0238-22-3392
Ref.: [Tengendai Kogen: Nishi-Azuma Climbing] / [EN RESORT Grandeco MOUNTAIN]
Photo: CES1596 (Flickr)
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