Hiking Mount Tsurugi in Tokushima: A Practical Guide

Mount Tsurugi (剣山, Tsurugi-san) rises to 1,955 m in Tokushima Prefecture and is the second-highest mountain in Shikoku. A chairlift lifts you most of the way up, so the grassy summit ridge is within reach of an ordinary day hike. This guide covers who it suits, how to get there, the route, and when to go.

Who this hike is for

Travellers who want a mountain day in Shikoku without technical climbing. Japan's national tourism site describes the main route as suitable for both experienced hikers and beginners, with a round trip of roughly 3.5 hours and about 6.6 km of horizontal distance. Treat those numbers as estimates; your pace, the weather and the route you choose will change them.

Getting to the trailhead (Minokoshi)

The usual start is Minokoshi (見ノ越), at about 1,420 m, where national routes 438 and 439 meet. There is a parking area, along with shops and restaurants.

• By car: from the Miima IC on the Tokushima Expressway, it is about 44 km via Route 438 and takes around 1.5 hours, according to a Japanese travel listing. The car park is listed at about 300 spaces.
• By public transport: this is the hard part. Buses to Minokoshi run only in certain seasons and only a few times a day, and timetables change from year to year. Check the current Tokushima bus timetable before you plan around it. A past timetable showed services from JR Sadamitsu Station and from Ikeda Bus Terminal, with transfers on the way.

The chairlift

The Tsurugisan sightseeing chairlift leaves from Minokoshi. A Japanese travel listing gives these details, which you should confirm before you go: it runs from mid-April to 30 November, from 9:00 to 16:30 (from 8:00 on weekends and holidays in August and October), a round trip costs 1,900 yen, and the ride takes about 15 minutes. It is closed in winter.

The route

From the top of the lift, the trail continues up to the summit area of the mountain. The mountain has long been a place of worship and mountain asceticism (Shugendo), and you may pass small shrines and practice sites on the way. Trails also connect the summit with neighbouring peaks, which makes longer ridge walks possible for experienced hikers.

The summit shrine

A small shrine, Tsurugi Jinja, stands on the summit. The summit is rocky, and the views stretch across the surrounding ranges on a clear day.

When to go and what to bring

Snow is likely from about December to March, with the most in January and February, so the lift and most visitors are there from spring to autumn. June to September is the wettest period, so pack rain gear even in summer. Mountain weather changes quickly: bring layers, water, food, sturdy shoes and a map or offline GPS.

Plan the rest of your trip

Tokushima's Iya Valley is nearby, and Takamatsu and Ritsurin Garden are a few hours away by road or rail. More Shikoku guides will be added here.

Facts on this page come from Japan National Tourism Organization, Wikipedia and Japanese travel listings. Opening times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel. This article contains no affiliate links yet.