Mt. Kurikoma
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Mt. Kurikoma (栗駒山) is a 1,626m volcano on the borders of Miyagi, Iwate, and Akita Prefectures, one of the 200 Famous Japanese Mountains, the 100 Famous Flower Mountains, and the New 100 Famous Flower Mountains.
Its autumn foliage, called the “Carpet of the Gods,” is among Japan’s finest; from late September to early October the slopes turn red, yellow, and green. Rich in alpine flora, it is popular even with beginners.
From Ichinoseki Station, access Sukawa Onsen by Iwate Kenkotsu Bus.
The trailhead reachable by public transport is Sukawa Onsen (Sukawa Kogen Onsen).
From the Sukawa trailhead, the climb to the Kurikoma summit via Nagorigahara and Showa-ko takes about 1 hour 30 minutes up and 1 hour 10 minutes down, so allow roughly 3 to 4 hours for the round trip with breaks. After descending, you can enjoy the open-air baths of Sukawa Kogen Onsen.On the Miyagi side, Iwakagami-daira is served only by temporary buses in the autumn-foliage season, with no year-round public transport.
Access status
OpenMt. Kurikoma Sukawa courseKokkadai – Tengudaira
The section between Kokkadai and Tengudaira, closed since 2019 because of volcanic gas (hydrogen sulfide) near Showa-ko, reopened on 18 July 2026 after seven years, now that a bypass around the lake and gas-monitoring alarms are in place. You can once again climb straight from Sukawa Onsen to the summit past Showa-ko, and the Ubunuma course remains open as well. If the red warning lights at Showa-ko or Jigokudani come on, leave the area at once. The toilet at Showa-ko is still out of service.
Based on the Akita Prefecture Nature Conservation Division of 17 July 2026; we checked the content ourselves on 2 August 2026. On 15 August 2026 we also re-confirmed automatically that the same restriction was still listed at the source. Source
1.[Outbound] Ichinoseki Station → Sukawa Onsen
From JR Ichinoseki Station, take the Iwate Kenkotsu Bus “Sukawa Onsen Line” and get off at Sukawa Onsen.
Travel time: about 1 hour 35 minutes
Fare: ¥1,500
Service: roughly June–October (seasonal, two round trips a day). The start date varies by year, so check the latest information.
Bus TimetableIchinoseki Station to Sukawa Onsen
For a day hike, use the morning departure (9:00).
| Ichinoseki Station Dep. | Sukawa Onsen Arr. |
|---|---|
| 9:00 | 10:34 |
| 14:30 | 16:04 |
Reference: [Iwate Kenkotsu]
2.[Return] Sukawa Onsen → Ichinoseki Station
From Sukawa Onsen, take the Iwate Kenkotsu Bus “Sukawa Onsen Line” and get off at JR Ichinoseki Station.
Travel time: about 1 hour 35 minutes
Fare: ¥1,500
For a day hike, use the 16:35 departure to descend.
Bus TimetableSukawa Onsen to Ichinoseki Station
| Sukawa Onsen Dep. | Ichinoseki Station Arr. |
|---|---|
| 11:10 | 12:36 |
| 16:35 | 18:01 |
Reference: [Iwate Kenkotsu]
Photo by Raita Futo / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
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