February 23rd, 2025
Start&Finish: Higashi Agano Station to Koma Station
The weather: High 9 Low -5. Sunny but chilly in the shade.
Outfit/Equipment: warm trousers, long sleeve sport undershirt, hoody, down vest, hat, gloves, hiking boots.
Map: We stuck two maps together so we started on this route to Ebigazaka, took a trail from there across to Kitamukijizou, then switched to this route down to Koma.
Crowds: Quiet at first but then increasingly busy, especially from Monomiyama onwards.
Time: 9:20 to 12:30
Difficulty: 18,920 steps, 151 flights climbed.
It was a lovely day, sunny with a light breeze, and perfect for a hike. We decided to create our own route rather than follow a course we’d already done, so we took two maps with us and headed off to Koma. It was surprisingly easy with plenty of signs, many of which looked like they had just been re-made so even without the maps it would have been easy to find the way. It was steep going at first but eventually levelled out and we made excellent time up to Yugate which is a lovely area and well worth a visit by itself. There’s robai in flower, early plum, tiny daffodils and it’s obviously a well loved area.
We walked on to Ebigazaka, then had the difficult decision whether to carry on up to Kamakitako or head out on a new trail across to Kitamukijizou. I wish we’d gone up to Kamakitako as we had made good time and the weather was lovely, but we weren’t sure how long it would take, so decided to take the new route. It was very nice hiking, with interesting scenery and the odd fellow hiker nodding on their way past. Again, we made surprisingly quick time across to Kitamukijizou and from there we knew the way from previous hikes.
The number of people from this point onwards was surprising, but I suppose it was nice weather and the Emperor’s Birthday (Happy Birthday!) so tomorrow is a national holiday too. There were families with little kids, dogs, walking groups, couples, students… everyone you could imagine out enjoying a bit of fresh air. It’s an easy hike with plenty of toilets and places to stop and enjoy a picnic, making it a popular choice. We carried on to Hiwada-san then, knowing the area well, decided to have a boys vs. girls race with my husband taking the Otokozaka and me taking the Onnazaka down from Hiwada-san to see who would get to the crossroads first. I am proud to say I won, even though I stopped to take a few photos. We scampered down the rest of the mountain, spurning the main path for a little side trail and made it down in double quick time.
It was an easy hike and given nice weather would be good for a solo hike too, as long as you don’t mind the crowds at Hiwada-san.
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