Mountain Tsukuba, One Day Trip from Tokyo

 

Mountain Tsukuba and 100 Famous Japanese Mountains

筑波山 (つくば，Mt. Tsukuba) is one of the 100 famous Japanese Mountains.

It's said "Mt. Tsukuba in the east and Mt. Fuji in the west." 

Mt. Tsukuba is a friendly mountain, and people can go hiking there in a one-day trip from Tokyo. (2.5 hr from Tokyo).

Mt. Tsukuba is located at 茨城縣 (いばらき，Ibaraki). It is 877 m high.

It is consist of two mountains, 男体山 (なんたいさん，Nan-tai-san，Mt. Nantai，871 m) and 女体山 (にょたいさん，Nyo-tai-san，Mt. Nyotai，877 m). People can hike these 2 mountains through the connected trail.

Unlike the 100 mountains in Taiwan, which are defined as mountains above 3000 m, "100 mountains" in Japan are selected by mountaineer Kyūya Fukada, who wrote about these mountains.

According to the comments left on Google Map, because Mt. Tsukuba is rather easy, many tourists visit the mountain during weekends and it may lead to traffic jam on the trail.

Mt. Tsukuba Jinja (Shrine) / Photo: Yun (Me)

Is it easy to hike Mountain Tsukuba?

I think the mountain is friendly and safe. The trail signs are clear and complete. There's no dangerous parts.

Half of the trails are made of stone, concrete and wood logs. Some are a bit boring. 

But the trail leading up to Mt. Nantai and Mt. Nyotai are in rocks, where you may have to use hands to assist the climbing. Still, it is just hiking, not mountaineering or trekking.

View of the city can be seen when you're on top of the mountains. 

Because of its low altitude, there's no views of some magnificent mountains with clouds.

The beginning part of Shirakumobashi trail of Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

Trails of Mountain Tsukuba

From the shrine, there are 3 trails (courses) to hike up to Mt. Nantai / Mt. Nyotai. 

From steep to gentle are: Miyuikigahara (御幸ヶ原 2.1 km), Shirakumobashi (白雲橋 2.7 km), and Mukaeba (迎場 2.1 km, but it would mix with Shirakumobashi to hike).

I hoped to hike further so I chose to hike the big "O" route: 

• Beginning of "Shirakumo" → "Mukaeba" → (Tsutsujigaoka Station つつじヶ丘) 

• → Otatsu-ishi 立石 → some "Shirakumo" → Mt. Nyotai

• → the connection trail → (Mt. Tsukuba Mountaintop Station)

• → Mt. Nantai.

Mt. Tsukuba trail courses / Image from Official website of Mt. Tsukuba

Mt. Tsukuba trail courses / Table from Official website of Mt. Tsukuba (May - June, 2024)

I think the map on the official website is useful; if you'd like to check a detailed version, you can get the paper map "Mount Tsukuba Trail Map" at Mt. Tsukuba Tourist Center (筑波山観光案内所), or use the YAMAP mentioned below.

Mount Tsukuba Trail Map／筑波マルチアクセスマップ製作委員会

Schedule and Time of Mountain Tsukuba

I arranged a super short visit to Japan this time for the concert of Red Hot Chili Peppers in mid of May, 2024.

Before this, my friend Tan shared his visit of Okutakao, Japan (奧高尾) on Instagram and that seemed delightful, which made me want to arrange a one-day hiking, too! So I chose Mt. Tsukuba to be the appetizer for my short Japan trip!

The introduction of hiking on Mt. Tsukuba official website is more than detail, which I think very useful. You can refer to my blog to plan your itinerary.

Schedule of One Day Trip for Mountain Tsukuba

I booked the hostel near Nippori (日暮里), where I could deposit my luggage before hiking without more transfer after Skyliner.

If you choose to stay at some place else that's fine, so long you remember that the train to Tsukuba (TX) depart from Akihabara (秋葉原).

If you're a backpacker and would like to train yourself to hike with a heavy bag, I think it's okay (i.e, safe).

Itinerary of Mt. Tsukuba one-day trip

Notes of Hiking Mt. Tsukuba

About the transportation,

• If you have the cards, the fee would be a bit cheaper than paper tickets.
• When at Akihabara (秋葉原) to take TX (Tsukuba Express，つくばエクスプレス), just follow the signs. You will go to the ground floor first and then enter the TX system.

Akihabara Station of Tsukuba Express / Photo: Yun (Me)

• Remember to take TX FAST (since Akihabara and Tsukuba are the terminal stations). The train departs according to schedule. (Check out the TX schedule here.) It arrives at the platform early and will wait a while to depart punctually.
• After arriving at Tsukuba, take "Mt. Tsukuba Shuttle Bus" to Mt. Tsukuba Jinja (shrine) at platform 1, the bus station on the ground floor, instead of "H North shuttle bus" at platform 3. 

Mt. Tsukuba shuttle bus on platform 1 / Photo: Yun (Me)

• How to pay for the bus tickets?
• By card / on and off the bus.
• In cash / off the bus: Get a boarding voucher（整理券） first when you get on the bus. When getting off, throw the voucher to the machine beside the driver. The machine will show the amount. Pay the cost in coins or paper money in JPY 1000. There will be changes.

Machine of boarding voucher of Mt. Tsukuba Shuttle Bus / Photo: Yun (Me)

• If you have questions about the transportation, you can go to Tsukuba Information Center, 1F in the building near the bus station.

About the weather and gears, 

• Water of 500 to 1000 ml. Stores are available near cable car stations in the mountains and on the way between Mt. Nyotai and Mt. Tsukuba mountaintop Station.

• I think it's not necessary to bring trekking poles or gloves (please do adjust according to individual ability). Besides, I'm not sure if it's allowed to bring the poles in hand bags on flights. 🤔

• Bring headlight.
• How about offline map app?
  • The trail signs were clear. I only hiked the wrong trail once when leaving Mt. Nyotai. Thankfully I asked a Japanese hiker. He said I was on the way north to "campsite" (キャンプ場) and that I needed to turn back to go to Mt. Nantai.
    • If you'd like to be more prepared, you can try download this YAMAP app first ("Mountain" in Japanese is "yama" -> yama map -> yamap). I hadn't know the app until I was in the Mt. Tsukuba Tourist Center.
      • However I didn't use the app because I was out of service. Please share your experience if you use the app!

Introduction of YAMAP, "Avoid getting lost in Mt. Tsukuba" / Photo taken in 筑波山観光案内所

Transportation Fee of Hiking Mountain Tsukuba

• Nippori → Akihabara ¥ 170
• Akihabara → Tsukuba ¥ 1210
• Tsukuba → Jinja (shrine) ¥ 770
• Mt. Tsukuba cable car (Mt. Tsukuba Hilltop Station - Miyawaki Station / Jinja) ¥ 590

Timetable of Mt. Tsukuba Shuttle Bus (May 2024) / Photo taken at Tsukuba Info Center

Journal of Mountain Tsukuba

Tourist Center to Mt Tsukuba Shrine, Mountain Tsukuba

The bus stop where we got off was "Mt. Tsukuba Shrine (Jinja), but actually the bus stopped in front of the Tourist Center.

The Mt. Tsukuba stopped in front of the tourist center / Photo: Yun (Me)

In the Tourist Center of Mt. Tsukuba, there are toilets and free brochures. And of course staff available to answer questions.

On the right hand side facing the Tourist Center, there is a HUGE "tori-i" (red gate). That is the entrance of Mt Tsukuba Shrine (jinja). You'll have to walk straight through it until the end to meet the shrine. 

( I think the sign here wasn't very clear. Just follow the others! -_-)

The tori-i outside the road to Mt. Tsukuba Shrine (Jinja) / Photo: Yun (Me)

Before arriving at the jinja (shrine), you would see 筑波山大御堂. This is not the destination. And of course it's up to you whether to climb the stairs or not. (which I didn't, haha)

The jinja would be on the left hand side of the road. And there's a sign at the entrance telling you that going left will lead you to Miyukigahara (御幸ヶ原), and going right to Shirakumobashi (白雲橋).

Mt. Tsukuba Jinja (Shrine) / Photo: Yun (Me)

Mt. Tsukuba Jinja (Shrine) / Photo: Yun (Me)

Mt. Tsukuba Jinja (Shrine) / Photo: Yun (Me)

When I was there, I thought I would have appreciated the fusion of the nature and historical buildings, but I didn't.

I just couldn't wait to go hiking! Haha!

So I neither paid homage nor bought any omamori (amulet).

No matter you are going to Shirakumobashi (白雲橋) or Mukaeba (迎場), you are on the same way to Mt. Nyotai (女体山), so you go right when facing the shrine.

In the right picture above, you will come across the stairs ahead . Go downwards to go to Mt. Nyotai, although it'll be like you're leaving the shrine.

I somehow just couldn't find the way at first, until I saw some people going that way and followed them later. Haha.

Trailhead of Shirakumobashi of Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

It will be a short concrete path before you reach the actual hiking trail entrance.

The Shrine - Shirakumobashi trail - Mukaeba trail, Mountain Tsukuba

The trail was very flat. It didn't take long to meet the fork: Left, Shirakumobashi (白雲橋); right, Mukaeba (迎場). I went right.

The fork of Shirakumobashi and Mukaeba of Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

Mukaeba trail - Tsutsujigaoka Station - Otachiishi trail, Mountain Tsukuba

The Mukaeba trail was flat, too.

View along the way of Mukaeba, Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

At the end of Mukaeba trail is Tsutsujigaoka (つつじヶ丘) station. So along the way you can see signs of "To Tsutsujigaoka".

After you arrive at Tsutsujigaoka, take left to enter the Otatsu-isi (おたつ石) trail. There's no shading this part.

The Otatsu-ishi 立石 trail, Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

However hot the sun, it was still incomparable to that in Taiwan, where you may get sunburned easily.

Passing through "Old Benkeichaya" (trace of Benkei tea house, 弁慶茶屋跡), which is a wooden building, you will go back to Shirakumobashi (白雲橋) trail.

Shirakumobashi trail - Mt. Nyotai - (connected trail) - Mt. Tsukuba Hill Top Station - Mt. Nantai - Mountaintop Station, Mountain Tsukuba

"Fantastically-shaped rocks" are located at this sections. They all got their "names" and origins. Some are really huge and magnificent.

I do hope these rocks can settle Mt. Tsukuba and keep the the mountain safe.

Fantastically-shaped rocks of Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

Fantastically-shaped rocks of Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

After 北斗岩 and 大佛岩, there will be a rather steep slope to reach Mt. Nyotai.

Although Nyotai's altitude is higher than Mt. Nantai, the view seen at Nantai was wider and better, I think. 

On Mt. Nyotai there is a small bridge called Ukihashi ("floating bridge"). I think it's rather cute.

Ame no ukibashi of Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

When leaving Mt. Nyotai, be sure not to go the wrong direction.

There was no sign of "connection trail", so you should follow the sign to "Miyukigahara (御幸ヶ原) instead.

The signs down Mt. Nyotai, Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

Once you're on the right track, you will see one store first, and then see a cluster of stores. That is where Mt. Tsukuba Mountaintop Station (cable car) is located.

In the first picture above, the mountain behind the buildings is Mt. Nantai (男体山).

When I was about to climb Mt. Nantai, I got a serious cramp in my quads! I think it was because I hadn't work out for a long time. xdd 

I sit for a while to rest and smoothed the muscle. 

Since it only takes 30 min to climb up and down Mt. Nantai, I went hiking still after I felt better.

The small steep slope before Mt. Nantai, Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

Mt. Nantai of Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

When I was on top of Mt. Nantai, the hikers beside me said they could see Sky Tree. Really? Can you spot it?

View from Mt. Nantai, Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

Mountaintop Station - cable car - Miyawaki Station (Mt. Tsukuba Shrine), Mt. Tsukuba

When leaving the mountain I took the cable car.

It was the first time for me to take cable car. I felt excited! (And I didn't have to hike downwards. NICE!) 

I had only seen the cable car in the movie "Budapest"!

I jamed myself to the first row inside the cabin, along with an old man. (The seat was rather small.)

We appreciated the weather, and chatted nothing later awkwardly.

Taking cable car in Mt. Tsukuba / Photo: Yun (Me)

It took only about 10 min to reach the foot of the mountain. So fast!

I checked the bus timetable then, and luckily a bus was arriving.

I hurried myself to the opposite side of the tourist center to catch the bus.

After I went back to the downtown of Tsukuba, I checked TX fast and bought the ticket.

I devoured a bento in the train station before leaving Tsukuba. 

What a day!