Mt. Miune
Rising to 1893m (6210 ft), the formidable Mt Miune is one of the nicest mountains in the Iya Valley. And while it may not be as popular as Mt Tsurugi, it is arguably more beautiful. Miune also does not have nearly as much development as Tsurugi, so it therefore only attracts real mountain enthusiasts interested in a hearty but particularly fulfilling hike.
Offering superb 360 degree views from the summit, the clearly marked main trail up is not too difficult, but it does take most people over 3 hours, and it is continuously uphill the whole way, so it may not be something for the unfit or beginners. But then again, unless going on a weekend or holiday, there's a good chance that you will have the entire mountain top all to yourself.
Other trails lead to the summit from every direction, which offer extended multi-day hikes upon the spectacular Iya South Ridge. The south face trail up Miune coming from Mt Tsurugi has chains installed to aid with the particularly steep climb.
Near the summit of Mt Miune is a broad meadow of short, thick sasa grass, with a small picturesque pond in the middle. Nearby on top is the sturdy Miune Hut for staying overnight, which offers not just spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, but also a chance to watch both sunrise and sunset , as well as billions of stars at night.
If planning to stay at the hut, do realize that there is no staff and space is on a first-come basis (about 45 people can sleep here on the two floors). There is no electric, but water can be found at a spring about 10 minutes down the path below the hut. You will also need to bring all gear for cooking and sleeping, and understand that it can be pretty chilly at night even in summer (and it can be near freezing in spring until late May and in autumn from late September). There is space for a couple tents outside the hut, but camping elsewhere on the mountain is prohibited.
Main Trailhead:
- Miune Trailhead at Nagoro
Hiking Time (main trailhead to summit) :
- 3:15 hours up
Climbing Difficulty: 3.0 (via main trailhead)
Facilities a Miune Trailhead:
- Parking, toilets
- Nagoro Bus Stop
- The Scarecrow Village
Facilities on Mountain:
- Miune Hut near summit
(free, unstaffed, no electric, bring your own gear)
- Pit toilets at Hut
- Water spring 10 minutes below hut
Full Screen Map
The main Nagoro (main) Bus Stop is located across the river from the trailhead, but if looking to first check out the scarecrows then its better to use Nagoro Shita (Lower) Bus Stop which is a few minute walk away.
There is not much as far as facilities in Nagoro, but there are public toilets at both bus stops as well as at Miune Trailhead. The trailead also has a shelter room building, but it may be locked in the off season.
On top of the mountain is Miune Hut which is about a 10 minute climb below the summit. The hut has a pit toilet in a small building behind it. Water can be found from the Miune Spring about 10 minutes below the hut just off the trail on the way up from Miune Trailhead in Nagoro.
For much of the drive through Oku-Iya the road is one-laned and curvy, especially as you get closer to Nagoro. The Miune Trailhead is at the far end of Nagoro and you need to cross a small bridge to access the parking area (signs in English show where to turn), which has space for about 25 cars to park.
For Sugeoi Trailhead, it is located next to the Iyashino Onsen-kyo Hotel , and signs along Rt 439 show where to turn off. Parking in the hotel parking area is OK, as well as in the small parking area just next to the trailhead within a patch of forest.
For Izari-touge Trailhead , its pretty simple, just turn off Rt 439 at Kubo to go down the small road that that goes below the toilets. After crossing a bridge over the Iya River, the trailhead is a minute or so ahead just after the second bridge as the road curves to the left. You can park on the road where it is wide enough.
And for Tenguzuka Trailhead its a bit of an adventure. You can access from both directions, by either driving up from Iyashino Onsen-kyo Hotel (just follow the road about 7km), or by turning off Rt 439 a couple minutes after Lower Ochiai (from here, signs in Japanese note the turn for trailhead as 天狗塚 登山口. As you go the road splits again, but signs show which way. Its about 8.5km). But do note that this mountain road, from either direction, is paved (mostly) but has lots of turns and elevation gain, and rocks may have fallen on it. It not a route for driving a low-rider.
For bus access to Miune Trailhead at Nagoro Village, the main Shikoku Kotsu Buses which originate in Ikeda and go via Oboke and Nishi-Iya do not travel this far, with their last stop being at Kubo in Oku-Iya. So at Kubo it is needed to transfer onto the Local Miyoshi Municipal Bus of Oku-Iya. From Kubo, local buses go to Nagoro every day all year, and the transfer at Kubo is usually only a couple minute wait (but when going in reverse, the final two buses per day from Nagoro to Kubo do not have connections for Nishi-Iya or beyond). The Nagoro Bus Stop is located across the river from Miune Trailhead.
It is also possible to access Sugeoi Trailhead and Izari-touge Trailhead by bus. Details about the bus stops to these trailheads are given with the corresponding trail descriptions on the Full Screen Map.
For day hikes, Miune Trailhead (at Nagoro) is probably best, but Sugeoi Trailhead is possible too, but more challenging.
It is also possible to go for a long day hike via Izari-touge Trailhead or Tenguzuka Trailhead but it would also be nice to do this route at a relaxed pace with an overnight stay at either Miune Hut or at Okameiwa Hut.
And if you have the time for a couple nights on the trail, as well as the skill and energy, then hiking in/out along Iya's South Ridge on a multi-day hike via Mt Tsurugi or the Oku-Iya Niju Kazurabashi (Double Vine Bridges) is an awesome experience. Details are all explained on the Full Screen Map. Just be sure to have proper gear and ability!
Help plan your hiking schedule, especially if staying on the mountain, by checking our Sunrise and Sunset Calendar.