Hikes in Japan: The Mt. Arakurayama Trail

BASIC INFORMATION

• Name: The Mt. Arakurayama Trail
• Location: Fujiyoshida, Japan
• Distance: 5 miles (8 km)
• Max Elevation: 3,872 feet (1,180 m)
• Elevation Gain: 1,495 feet (455 m)
• Time: 2 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• More Information: 30 Day Hikes Near Tokyo

Google Earth Map of the Trail

Directions

Getting to Fujiyoshida is pretty easy by rail by taking the Fujikyu Railway line from Tokyo to Shimo-Yoshida Station and walking up to the pagoda.  Various buses also run to the shrine and Fujiyoshida is easily accessed by car by taking the Chuo expressway west from Tokyo. More information about travel to Fujiyoshida can be found at this link.

Parking

There is a small parking area near the Chureito Pagoda (忠霊塔) for anyone visiting during non-busy times.  It can be a bit tricky to get to because you have to drive through narrow streets to access it. If visiting Chureito Pagoda during the busy cherry blossom season, parking is located on the large dirt play area of the Shimoyoshida Elementary School.  There are signs all over the area directing drivers to the parking lot.  From there people have to them walk through town to the pagoda.

Narrative

The Chureito Pagoda is one of the most photographed structures in all of Japan.  The red & white pagoda surrounded by cherry blossoms and backdropped by Mt. Fuji has filled Facebook and Instagram feeds across the world.  You can read more about my visit to Chureito Pagoda at this link.

However, what few people realize there is actually more to see than just the pagoda to check out.  The Chureito Pagoda is located on the slopes of Mt. Arakurayama that can be seen when walking through Fujiyoshida to the temple:

A trailhead to access the summit of this mountain can be found behind the pagoda.  My son and I decided to take on this hike during a visit to Chureito Pagoda. Before we could access the trail, we first had to hike up to the shrine from the pagoda parking area in central Fujiyoshida.  During the busy cherry blossom season the city has everyone park in a large school playground.  Walking to the shrine from the playground parking area adds about 2-miles round trip to the hike as depicted on my Google Earth map above.  If walking to the shrine from the train station it is a little shorter walk.  After walking through town my son and I found ourselves at Arakurayama Sengen Park where the pagoda is located at.  We next had to ascend up a long staircase to reach the pagoda:

Along the way we stopped to check out the Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine.  According to the Fujiyoshida website the shrine was found in 705 and during the Mt. Fuji eruption in 807 the emperor dispatched an envoy to the shrine to perform a ritual to stop the eruption.  Later during the warring states period the warlord Takeda Nobutura set up camp at the shrine before defeating the rival Hojo clan in battle.  He dedicated his sword to the shrine.  Today people visit the shrine to ward off evil spirits and pray for safe childbirths:

After checking out the shrine my son and I then took in a sweeping view of Mt. Fuji:

From the shrine we then continued to hike up the stairs to the pagoda.  At the top of the stairs we saw a sign warning of the dangers of wild boars and monkeys.  We saw neither during our hike:

We then walked over to the Chureito Pagoda which was an absolute madhouse of people jockeying for positions to take pictures of this famous pagoda:

Considering how old the Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine is you would think the Chureito Pagoda is old as well, but it isn’t.  This five storied pagoda was built back in 1963 just above the park’s cherry blossom trees.

The shrine was built as a peace memorial to all the citizens of Fujiyoshida that were killed in wars.  However, it instead became a haven for people looking to take iconic pictures of Mt. Fuji.  Travelers from not only Japan, but from all around the world visit Chureito Pagoda each day.  To take the iconic picture of Mt. Fuji from behind the pagoda, it required my son and I to stand in line for an hour.  At least we had a great view of Mt. Fuji while we waited:

On a future visit I stopped by the pagoda at 06:30 in the morning and there was no line.  So if you want to avoid the cherry blossom line go early to get great views like this:

After taking in views of the Chureito Pagoda, my son and I then headed up the trail from the pagoda to the summit of Mt. Arakurayama.  The trail is a steep one, but my nine-year old son did a great job powering up it:

The trail is well marked with signs and maps.  It is even possible to hike to other locations in the area from this trail:

Below is a closer look at the trail map.  The summit of Mt. Arakurayama is depicted on the upper left of the map as C-10.  The start of the hike at the shrine is depicted on the bottom left as C-15:

At the C-11 checkpoint just below there summit of Mt. Arakurayama we spotted a small shinto shrine:

I could see that people left coin donations inside the small opening in the rock:

From the Shinto shrine we continued to hike up to the summit and along the way there was an opening in the trees where we could see some of the high peaks of the Japanese Alps in the distance:

After a final steep summit push my son and I reached the C-10 checkpoint on the summit of Mt. Arakuayama.  On the summit there is a small platform for people to sit and take in views of Mt. Fuji:

Unfortunately by the time my son and I reached the viewing platform the view was obscured by smoke from a fire burning near Mt. Fuji:

Here is what the view looks like on a clear day from a later hike I did up the mountain:

We did have a good view though looking to the east back towards the direction of Tokyo and the Tanzawa Mountains:

From Mt. Arakurayama there is an option to turn this hike into a full day adventure by continuing on to Mt. Mitsutoge.  I estimate that would probably be a roundtrip hike of 10-12 miles:

After spending about a half hour on the summit my son and I then made the quick descent back down Mt. Arakurayama to Chureito Pagoda and then proceeded to walk back to the parking lot at the elementary school.  Including the distance from the parking lot this was a 5-mile round trip hike with nearly 1,500 feet in elevation gain.  It was definitely a good challenging hike for my nine-year old son.  If starting from the parking lot located near the shrine the distance is reduced considerably to about 3-miles round trip, but with similar elevation gain.

Conclusion

The hike from Chureito Pagoda to the summit of Mt. Arakurayama is a nice additional activity to undertake to anyone visiting the shrine.  The hike is about 3-miles round trip from the base of the pagoda, but the trail is steep with nearly 1,500 feet in elevation gain, so be prepared with proper footwear, water, and snacks.  My nine-year old son completed this hike so most people should have no issues completing it as well.  Visitors who complete this hike are rewarded with a great view of Mt. Fuji and the surrounding area.