Mt. Kai-Komagatake (甲斐駒ヶ岳）
This blog post was written back in 2008. For the latest information about this hike (including color photos and maps), please consider purchasing my guidebook to the Japan Alps.
Mt. Kai-komagatake is a glorious ‘horse shaped’ peak located across the valley from Japan’s 2nd highest peak, Kitadake. The views are wonderful when the weather is good and the sandstone rock formations are intriguing.
The hike: From the bus stop, take the trail that starts to the right of the mountain hut Choueisou (長衛荘). The path zig-zags through a forest for the first hour or so, flattening out a little once you hit the ridge line. You’ll see the rocky peak stretching out in front of you. It looks so far away but just take it one step at a time. In another hour, you’ll reach Komatsumine (駒津峰). The trail splits, but take the left fork (it should be obvious because the right fork goes down off the mountain). Slog on for another 20 to 30 minutes and you’ll see yet another junction. You have 2 options – the ‘expert’ course lying straight ahead or the ‘beginner’ course branching off to the right. Both trails lead to the top. I decided to climb the ‘expert’ and descend via the ‘beginner’. The ‘expert’ course is rocky and kind of steep, but not as bad as I thought it was going to be. In any case, it’s a much shorter course, but takes about the same time as the ‘beginner’ because of all the climbing involved. The top of the peak is rocky and exposed: not a place you want to be in a thunderstorm. If the weather is good you’ll have a breathtaking view of the rest of the Minami Alps, and Mt. Fuji rising to the left of Kitadake. Yatsu-ga-dake will be behind you, and the Chuo & Kita Alps to the north. Head down the beginner path and soon you’ll be back at Komatsumine. From here you have 2 options. You can either go back the way you came, or take the left fork to Sensui-toge (仙水峠). From this mountain pass, turn right and you’ll soon come across a mountain hut and campground. Another 20 minutes down the path and you’ll find yet another hut and the road back to Kitazawa-toge.
When to go: This hike can be done anytime the road to Kitazawa-toge is open. I’m not sure of the exact dates, but probably from Golden Week to early November. If you want to try an alternative approach, you can try a winter ascent via Kuroto ridge just like these people did on New Year’s Day! You’ll need winter climbing experience and the right equipment though.
Access: From Kofu station (甲府駅), take a bus bound for Hirogawara (広河原). From there, change to a bus bound for Kitazawa-toge (北沢峠) and get off at the last stop. Click here for the bus schedule (in Japanese).
Live web cam: Click here
Level of difficulty: 4 out of 5 (elevation change 987m)
Explore posts in the same categories: ArchiveTags: hiking, Hyakumeizan (百名山), japan, Minami Alps, Mt. Kai-komagatake
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Hiking in Japan 
August 8, 2009 at 9:47 am
Climbed August 7, 2009.
Thanks for the route description, quite accurate. I would recommend coming down the ‘beginner course’ section from the top, especially if it is raining.
I also took the left trail at Komatsumine on the way back down to Kitazawa Toge. This will give you a little change of scenery and it takes about the same time.
I approached the mountain from the Nagano (Ina City) side. I drove to Senryusou Onsen (todai guchi), about 45 minutes from the Ina Interchange. I believe there are public buses to here from the Ina City train station. From Senryusou Onsen there are currently 5 buses a day going to Kitazawa Toge at the start of the hike. The website with the bus schedule is: http://www.city.ina.nagano.jp/view.rbz?nd=86&of=1&ik=1&pnp=38&pnp=74&pnp=86&cd=1263
Make sure to check the return times before you start you hike otherwise you might end up spending the night at the hut.
Kurt
July 10, 2019 at 11:06 pm
Insane hike. Madly steep and long as you reach 2nd junction the sign informs you that you have 7 hours hike left.
After rocky pass you will face a bunch of what can be loosely described as ladders over a deep drop.
From there it took friends 2 hrs to walk 170 metres!!
I decided to pass and made camp just there – which was just as well – the terrain is terrible and descent takes just as long as ascent.
Sorry, pass on this one in the future!
July 11, 2019 at 8:53 am
Ah, you must have gone up the Kuroto-one route, one of the 3 toughest routes in Japan. Next time you should try the standard route via Kitazawa-tōge (and the one described on this website). It’s not nearly as insane as the route that you took!
August 26, 2021 at 8:40 pm
Wes, cheers for the heads up. I might try again – the views are astonishing. That’s the thing about it I guess: once you are there you swear to never set your foot on it again, but as you leave you start planning your return :)
In any case, the steepness and length wore me out. Though I was able to have a good sleep in a bag under the stars and get the sunrise photos. Convenient..