Trekking in Japan | Mt Karakunidake, Kagoshima | Complete trekking guide (Ver. Feb 2025)
If you’re planning to a trip to Japan, why not take on the challenge of a fullscale mountain climb? In today’s video, I will show you how to track Mount Kaku Dake, the highest peak in Kyushu, located in the Kirishima Mountain Range. Good morning. It is 10 7 in the morning. It’s freezing cold outside. I’m heading to the bus stop today. I’m going to go to a mountain called Kakun. It’s going to be very fun. Mount Kakake is a 1,700 m high volcano. You can enjoy a day hike to the summit with the three bus transferred from downtown Kushima. 7:20 a.m. I left the hotel early in the morning with my hiking backpack and headed to the Tongan bus stop. So I’m staying in the city of Kagoshima city center. So I in order to go to a Kakuni mountain, I had to first go to a Kagushima airport. So the bus stop behind me is a bus stop for the airport. Every every 10 20 minutes we can go to the airport. Buses from Token to Kushima airport run about 3 to four times per hour. But since I needed to catch the 9:00 a.m. bus from the airport to Maru one bus stop, I hurried to catch an 7:30 a.m. departure. The bus departed on time and arrived at the domestic terminal of Tigushima airport in about 1 hour. Uh this is a bus stop number nine. From here we will take a bus to Hiroshima shrine. Then we will take off get off at Maru number one. So the arable time should be sometime at 9:40 a.m. To get from Kushima airport to Maru one stop, you needed to take the Kirishima sat singing bus. Only those who have a Kurishima round trip pass can board this bus. So I bought a pass at the ticket counter. The Kurushima sat singing bus departs from stop number nine at the domestic time. Inside the sighting bus, seats are arranged in a single row on each side of the aisle, offering a spacious and comfortable ride. The 40-minute journey to Maru offers ever changing views of the surrounding mountains. Since a rude wind through the hills, it’s good idea to keep your seat belt fastened. Hey, hi there. It’s uh 9:40 a.m. and I just arrived at Maru number one bus stop and from here I will take another bus to the mountain trail to ahead of Kaku Daki Mountain and the departure time of the bus is a 10:40 to 10:30 a.m. So I have about 1 hour before the bus comes here. Buses from Maru to Abina Plateau are infrequent. So if you have to wait, it’s a good idea to spend some time at the visitor center next to the bus stop. The visitor center has restrooms, a souvenir shop, and even light meal available early in the morning. 10:30 a.m. The bus to Abina Plateau arrives. This is a sightseeing subtle bus heading from Maru to Abina Plateau. It slowly climbs the winding mountain road waving between the ragged slopes of Kushima range. After about 30 minutes, the bat arrived at Abina Plateau. the starting point of the hike. Thank you for waiting. Thank you for watching. Join me on more trick across Japan. Subscribe and let’s explore together. Hi there. I just arrived at the Abina Plateau bus station and the local time here is 11:00 a.m. And from here I will start walking to the the trail head for the peak of a mountain called K Rakuni Mountain. The height is 1,700 m above sea level and the uh toilet head is located at an altitude of 1,191 m above sea level. So I need to gain about 500 m in elevation to reach the mountain peak. Let me start it. Abind plateau packing lot located on the western side of the Kishima mountain range at the elevation of 1,200 m. Abino Plateau is a popular starting point for the hikes. The trails in Krishma mountain range are very well maintained and the approach from Evina Plateau is relatively flat at first. The path is roped off making it easy to follow even for beginners. Some sections of the trail were muddy due to snow that has fallen a few days earlier. I visited in February and although there wasn’t much snow, parts remained, indicating how cold it was that day. Enjoy the journey. I’d love to have you as a subscriber. There is a continuous uphill from the toile head of the main path to the mountain peak of Kakunake mountain. Temperature now is about 6° Celsius. But because of my body heat, I don’t feel any cold, anything. No wind. Very pleasant day for tracking. The road mountain path is a bit muddy because of the snow yesterday but now okay looks fine. The path itself is really well maintained well designed so it is easy to walk easy to navigate. Oh Okay, let me just keep walking. In the distance, you can see Mount Eo, one of the Kirishima peaks. It rises to 1,370 m and constantly emit sunflower steam. This is a reminder that Kirima range is still an active volcanic area. Now I am at Mount Eio Crater Observatory. From here you can see the smoke that is volcanic activities going on on the mountain eo eio mountain. It’s a very dynamic place view from the fourth station of Mount Kakunake. Most mountains Japan have signpost making the trail stations which help you track your elevation and direction. The fourth station is about 1,450 m. I had climbed 250 m from Abina Plateau. A short walk ahead reveals a round crater lake called Onami Pond formed about 40,000 years ago by a massive volcanic eruption that blew off the top of the mountains. The crater filled with water to create a lake. The cal itself is sit at an elevation of 1,240 m which shows how dynamic the terrain of the Kurushima range is. Further ahead the forest gray completed to low shrubs and trail becomes increasingly covered with gravel and sand. To maintain balance, I found it helpful to use tracking poles. With Oami pond to my right, I hacked about 10 m or so and reached the ninth station marker. with Onami Pond to my right. I hiked about 10 minutes or so and reached the ninth station marker at 1,670 m, 470 m above the starting point. Only 30 m more to the summit. Almost there. Thanks for watching. Like what you saw? There’s a lot more coming. So subscribe and come along for the journey. Hey, now I am at the ninth station. The elevation here is 1,670 m. And then in two 200 m from here, I can reach the peak of the mountain Kaku. Uh now local time here is 2:00 p.m. So 90 minutes have passed since I left the trail trail head of this mountain path. Look at the view behind me. Oh my god. So beautiful. I particularly like the lake over there. The lake is formed in a uh uh the caldera after the volcan volcanic explosion. It’s a very beautiful place to be here. Okay, let me just start walking to reach the mountain peak. Mount Kaku is the highest peak in the Kirishima range formed by an eruption about 18,000 years ago following a series of volcanic activities over the last 300,000 years. At the mountain, it’s relatively young. The geology is composed of lava and permiss. Near the summit, you can see these unique rock formations which added to the joy of the climb. Approaching the summit, you are rewarded with a spectacular panoramic view of the Kurushima mountains and crater formations created by ancient eruptions. It’s a truly magical landscape. Reaching the 1,000 m summit of Mount Kaku, exhausted but with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, the hike was a powerful and unforgettable experience. Okay, finally I reached the peak of the mountain Kake. The height is 1,700 m above sea level. Uh it is a very big journey from the trail head and it took about 2 hours to be here or actually 90 minutes. My view from here is so beautiful. And I will descend now. Muay complete tricking guide to Mount Kakuaki. If you enjoy the hike, don’t forget to hit the subscribe button for more adventures.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable adventure in Japan, join me as I take on Mt. Karakunidake—the highest peak in Kyushu, standing 1,700 meters tall. In this video, I’ll guide you step-by-step from downtown Kagoshima to the summit, sharing how to navigate the limited bus routes, what to expect on the trail, and the incredible volcanic scenery along the way. From the serene Ebino Plateau to breathtaking crater views, this full-day trek offers the perfect mix of challenge and beauty. Let’s begin the climb!
00:00 7:10 AM – Trek Starts from Bus Stop at Tenmonkan
01:34 9:00 AM – 2nd Bus from Domestic Terminal of Airport
02:39 9:30 AM – Maruo Bus Stop, Resting and Energizing
03:30 10:30 AM – The Bus to Ebino Plateau Arrives
04:42 10:30 AM – The Bus to Ebino Plateau Arrives
07:20 The Trail from the 4th Station of Mt. Karakunidake
09:07 Tough Climb: the Slippery Path from the 9th Station
11:12 Reaching the 1,700-meter Summit of Mt. Karakunidake
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