What other travelers are saying about Mt. Tachudake
A moderately difficult hike that took us 7 hours to complete. A good option if you want to summit a mountain in less than 10km (out and back). There is a bathroom at the beginning of the hike and a stall one-third of the way through for wag bag use.
Once you leave Yakisugi Land, the hike is mostly a steep ascent on a fairly well marked path. Some rope sections near the top. The summit of Tachudake provides a great 170-degree view of the national park.
You can reach Mt. Tachudake by taking a train to the nearest station and then a bus or taxi to the trailhead. The nearest major train stations are in Utsunomiya or Kanuma.
The best time to visit is during spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November) when the weather is pleasant and the foliage is beautiful.
Bring plenty of water, snacks, a map or GPS, sunscreen, a hat, and a first-aid kit. It’s also a good idea to have a rain jacket or windbreaker in case of changing weather conditions.
This mountain is famous for Tenshuseki, a gigantic 40-meter-tall monolith that towers over its 1,497-meter summit. Formed tens of thousands of years ago when the seafloor was pushed up by volcanic eruptions, Yakushima is littered with gigantic granite boulders. While I'm somewhat immune to boulders, I was still impressed by the boulders at Mount Taichu.
To reach Mount Taichu, I left the 150-minute trail at Yakusugi Land and followed signs through many beautiful forests. Along the way, I was stunned by the sheer size of the Yakusugi trees and granite. However, only a few had names; most were nameless. The moist, humid forest was reminiscent of a Ghibli film, but the steep climbs and occasional ropes meant it wasn't always easy. I finally reached the summit, out of breath, and was rewarded with a panoramic view of the Awa village and the Pacific Ocean! It took the standard time of 3 hours plus 1 hour, but on this day we could see all the way to Tanegashima and the spectacular view made all the fatigue from the climb disappear.
We did the tour with a guide from YES Yakushima. The difficulty was rated at 4/5, and I definitely underestimated that. There was a lot of climbing, which the light rain beforehand didn't make any easier. Unfortunately, the view from the top was quite obscured by clouds, but it was definitely worth it! Anyone who's reasonably fit should definitely consider this hike/climbing tour!
The weather forecast was cloudy. When we arrived at Yakusugi Land, we could see Tenjushi stone from below, but unfortunately when we reached the summit it was completely white. The wind was strong, so it was difficult to stand on the rocks. As we got closer to the summit, there were other large rocks, and I was excited to think, "Have we arrived?!" but we weren't there yet.
The trail was like an attraction, and it was a hike that brought back the feeling of a child. I would like to go again on a sunny day.
