Mt. Kinpu (金峰山）
Mt. Kinpu, straddling the Nagano-Yamanashi prefectural border, is a majestic peak with superb panoramic views of the surrounding countryside (including Mt. Fuji) and a quaint shrine on the rocky summit.
The hike: From the bus stop, head into the forest across from the hut. The trail is very clearly marked and well trodden. After climbing for about 45 minutes or so, you’ll reach a hut and junction. This hut is called Fujimidairakoya (富士見平小屋). There’s a water source just below the hut (you should have seen it on your way up to the hut). This is the branch off to Mt. Mizugaki, so drop your pack off for the 2 hour detour, or keep plodding along toward Mt. Kinpu. You should reach Dainichi hut (大日小屋) in about an hour. There’s another water source here, as well as a few campsites nearby. Keep climbing up until you reach Dainichi boulder (大日岩), a huge rock formation. You’ll see a trail branching off to the left, but ignore it and head for the summit. The trail will become considerably rockier and steeper from this point onwards. The ridgeline should be reached in about 45 minutes, where you’ve got a somewhat precarious traverse over to the top. If there’s any snow on the ground then be very careful about breaking through unstable layers and watch out for the huge drops on the right. If you look over to the left the Mt. Kinpu hut should come into view. There’s a spur trail off to the left, and also another one at the summit, so I’d recommend going to the top first if you plan on staying there. The views from the top are brilliant, with lots of huge rock formations to climb around or hide in. You have 3 options from the summit. You can descend to the left for 10 minutes to Mt. Kinpu hut (金峰小屋), take the trail on the right for about an hour to Omuro hut (御室小屋), or head on the trail in front of you for 2 hours to Oodarumi hut (大弛小屋). If doing the 3-day traverse over to Mt. Kobushi, then I’d recommend staying or camping at Oodarumi, but if you’re climbing only this peak then I’d stay at the Mt. Kinpu hut and head back to Mizugaki the following day. There is no public transport at Oodarumi, so you’d have to gamble with hitchhiking on a seldom traveled road.
When to go: This hike can be all year round if you’ve got the right equipment in winter. Otherwise, aim to go between late April and late November. I did this hike in late November and was hiking through snow most of the way. Click here for some wonderful New Year’s photos from a Japanese hiker.
Access: From Nirasaki station (韮崎駅), take a bus bound for Masutomi Hot Spring (増富温泉). From there, change to a bus bound for Mizugakisansou (瑞牆山荘) and get off at the last stop. There may be a direct bus to the trailhead, depending on the season. Please check at Nirasaki station. Click here for the bus schedule. A much closer (and easier approach would be from Oodarumitouge (大弛峠). Thanks to the yama girl boom there is now a bus running from Enzan station. Click here for the bus schedule. The bus is by reservation only and runs on the weekends. Please book at least one day in advance.
Level of difficulty: 3 out of 5 (elevation change 1089m)
Explore posts in the same categories: Yamanashi hikes (山梨県)Tags: Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, hiking, Hyakumeizan (百名山), japan, Kanto hikes (関東地方), Mt. Kinpu
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Hiking in Japan 
April 22, 2008 at 10:48 am
I’ve been up Kinpu/Kinpo a couple of times, once in late April ’05 from Kobushi and once last year in mid-May from the Mizugaki-side. There was still waist deep snow on the April trip, although ’05 was a heavy snowfall year, and certainly the road up to Oodarumi would not have been passable by car/taxi.
May last year was a lot easier (although generally snowfall was lighter), but even so the route up from Dainichi-iwa to the summit required crampons.
Great views though, and I remember the little restaurant at the bottom by Mizugaki-sanso being rather good too.
May 9, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Hi,
Is this preacrious traverse is really dangerous. i dont have any prior experience in hiking and dont even have a hiking gear. i wish to climb this mountain, is it possible.
The main reason is i dont want to take a risk outside my country.
May 10, 2008 at 8:00 am
Kc,
There are risks with climbing any mountain, but don’t let that scare you from going. My advice to you would be to try the hike. If it becomes too difficult or dangerous, you could always turn around. Another idea would be to do some ‘easy’ hikes first so you can build up your confidence, or go with a friend who has hiking experience.
May 13, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Wesu thank you very much.
I tried fuji last year and came out in single piece and its my friend who scared me totally. he went to kita dake and said he almost slipped on the trail (if he had slipped he would have done directly to bottom of mountain). I was damn afraid of curves like this one. any way i am planning for this one with friends. If possible in june.
Thanks a lot for the info.
– kc
August 14, 2012 at 7:06 pm
I’m really interested in doing this hike after Mt Mizugaki, both in the same day, and perhaps staying in Mt Kinpu hut overnight. I’m not familiar with how the huts are run – is the hut here free or will I need to pay? I’m assuming if I need to pay that food would be included, but if it’s an unmanned hut and free, I’m fine with bringing enough food and water etc with me. I’m looking forward to this!
August 20, 2012 at 9:43 am
First, thanks for putting up this very informative blog. It is a source of hiking inspiration and very useful tips. Will keep visiting it for sure.
Was at Kinpu last weekend (Aug 2012). Forecast said 30% rain but it was definitely more than that. It was a downpour when we reached the peak at 3pm and it continued raining for at least 4 hours with only 1 hr break (enough to see Fuji-san). We stayed at Dainichi hut. It was unmanned and poorly maintained but it had blankets. Costs 1000 to stay and you must register/pay at the Fujimidaira hut below. No reservation required. Pretty sure it dropped to 10 degrees at night after the rains. There’s a water source near the hut but I couldn’t trust it so much judging by the color. Better fill up at Fujimidaira.
arwen >
The other huts are more expensive but well-maintained. In summer, in Fujimidaira (lowest hut) or Kinpu (highest hut), reservation is required and you need to pay. Kinpu charges ¥4500
without meals. Fujimidaira is ¥3500. Toilets cost ¥100 (at time of writing).
One thing that got me was the bus fare. It was double compared to what I researched, or maybe I missed something. I also failed to ask why. From Nirasaki to Mizugaki-sansou is ¥2000.
Good luck with the hike! Hope the rocks and views at the peak will impress you.
September 9, 2017 at 1:14 am
Could you elaborate on your 3 days hike through Mt. Mizugaki, Kinpu and Kobushi?? Did you mean 2 nights 3 days??