Mt.Nantai-san

Data

Max artitude: 2486m
Min artitude: 1271m
Course distance: 7.9km
Course time: 6h45m

Overview of the mountain

Despite in Nikko, one of the most famous tourist destinations in Japan, few plan to visit this awesome mountain. Though it's a little bit out of Nikko centre, only 1 hour bus trip will be needed from Nikko station to the trailhead. Mt.Nantai itself is regarded as a deity, so the trailcourse is maintained by the shrine, and people can be permitted to enter this mountain during designated period (from late April to early November). Though the altitude is relatively high, it's not so difficult to climb thanks to shrine's maintainance. But of course, tremendous stamina is required to get to the peak!

My visiting report: 9-Jul-2015, cloudy

At 9:30AM, we reached to Futarasan-jinja Chugushi. Gave a bow to the shrine, we went to the cloak to register our name and pay an admission fee 500yen.
At 9:45AM, we started walking. From first station of the mountain to third, this trailcourse has everlasting steep slope. All we can see is bush and muddy slope (sigh...).
At 10:30AM, the muddy slope was end at third station and we switch to the paved car trail lasting to fourth station.
At 10:45AM, we got to the torii at fourth station. From here, the trailcourse started to offer some steep stairs.
At 11:00AM, we took some rest in the shelter at fifth station. More and more foggy, our visiblity became unclear. After fifth station, the trailcourse became rocky.
At 0:45PM, we reached to Takio-jinja shrine at eighth station. And continued walking for about 30 minutes, we are out of forest. According to a guidebook, we could overlook the grand scenery of lake Chuzenji. BUT NO VISIBLITY thanks to heavy fog. It's completely white out.
At 1:40PM, we made it at last. There is a shrine "Futarasan-jinja Okumiya" at the summit, so we had to worship it first. Because of heavy fog and low temparature, we start to return the trailcourse soon after having had sack lunch.
At 4:35PM, we got back to Futarasan-jinja Chugushi. There was a shoes washing place near the trailhead, and we had to wash mud away because it's equal to diety.
At 5:00PM, we visited "Nikko Lakeside Hotel" (Closed in 2016) and take a bath in Onsen facility.

How to access from Tokyo station

Train and Bus

Cars

Equipments you'd better prepare

Must-equipped

Preferablly-equipped

+more activities

Futarasan-jinja Chugushi (a shrine built to worship Mt.Nantai-san)
Lake Chuzenji (a lake in front of Mt.Nantai-san)