[SAFETY NOTICE] Yake-dake is an active volcano. The Japan Meteorological Agency monitors the mountain and may raise alert levels at any time, restricting access. ALWAYS check the current volcanic alert level on the JMA website before climbing Yake-dake. Do not climb if Level 2 or higher is in effect.
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I climbed Yake-dake in October 2023. It was my first active volcano summit (followed a year later by Aso, which I’ve written about here) and it remains one of the most memorable hikes I’ve done in Japan. (I’m worried that I say this often. Doesn’t make it any less true…)
It is also a hike I would only recommend to people who already have some mountain experience.
Yake-dake (Burning Mountain) is one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains (Hyakumeizan) and sits at 2,455 metres above Kamikochi, the alpine valley in the Northern Japan Alps. It is one of the most active volcanoes in central Honshu. The trail to the summit is steep, exposed in sections, and includes a boulder scramble near the top. There are also a number of ladders if you are climbing from the Kamikochi side. These are removed in October, due to the risk of snow on the trail, so if you are doing the hike later in the year (like I was) you will have to start from one of the three remaining routes.
No matter which route you take, the views you are treated to are spectacular. The smoking vents near the summit are fascinating, and the views over Kamikochi below, sandwiched between the snow-topped peaks of the Northern Alps are like something out of a movie. I was nervous when I started the hike, but as I got into it, I enjoyed it more and more.
Here is how I did the climb, along with what to know if you want to do it yourself, and an honest take on whether you should.
Getting There: The Overnight Bus from Shinjuku
I took the overnight Highway Bus from Shinjuku, which gets you into the Kamikochi area early morning, ready for a sunrise start. I used the Willer Travel booking site to book my seat, at a total cost of ¥10,000. I departed at 22:30 and the journey itself took six and a half hours. I believe this included a number of rest stops, however I was fortunate enough to sleep for most of the trip, so can’t confirm.
A few practical things worth knowing about the overnight bus:
The seats are reasonably well spaced out. The seats recline but not flat. The bus stops periodically, and lights come on at each stop. It reminded me a lot of flying in economy. Don’t expect luxury, but if you’ve had a busy day in Tokyo, you should be able to rest. If you have space in your hiking bag, an eye mask and neck pillow should help.
The bus itself heads all the way into Kamikochi, however, as mentioned above, the Yake-dake trailhead from inside Kamikochi was now closed for the winter. Having done a large amount of research online, I had opted to do the Nakanoyu route. Nakanoyu Onsen itself is fifteen minutes from the trailhead, so you can always stay the night before if you wish, or there is a car park directly opposite the trailhead if you have access to a car. Having done neither, I disembarked the bus at 05:05 just outside the entrance to the Kama Tunnel, which is the road tunnel into Kamikochi itself. My research had informed me that I would need to walk up a winding road to the trailhead, and that it would probably take about 45 minutes.
The first thing I did was put on my underlays and thermal clothes. It was COLD. Apparently 5AM in the Northern Alps is colder than 10PM in Shinjuku. I then donned my head torch, because it was also dark. The road I was walking up, like most of the roads in Japan, had no pavement, so I stuck as far to the edge of the road as possible, and started my walk to the trailhead.
About twenty minutes in, I was beginning to question my source of information. The road was steeper than I had anticipated, and I was just hoping that I was actually heading in the right direction. A car came up behind me, and I stepped to one side. I had a moment of worry when it stopped a few metres ahead of me, until I realised they were offering me a lift. I accepted, and the short drive saved me a good thirty minutes of pre-hike road walking. We spoke in my very limited Japanese, and I learnt that she too was climbing Yake that morning. As we arrived, I thanked her on more than one occasion. And again five minutes later when she ran after me to give me my gloves, then headed onto the trail.
The Hike
Gloves now firmly on. I headed up the trail in the dark. The first thing I was met with was a number of warnings regarding the closure of the Kamikochi trail, presumably in case you wanted to descend a different way. A little further in there was an old abandoned rusted-out car. Slightly surreal, and even now, I cannot figure out how it got there.
The trail through the forest was a peaceful, steady climb. There were patches of snow scattered around. Not enough that I had to watch my step, but enough to remind me that I was in the Hida Mountains. There was the occasional rustle in the bushes, most likely a bird, that caused me to stop. I had been out drinking with a good friend a few nights before, and she had been teasing me about the increase in bear sightings across Japan. I don’t think being conscious of it is a bad thing by any stretch, but my anxiety was slowly building with each noise. Couple this with the fact that at some point during the hike I realised I could no longer hear my bear bell (I had it with me when I started) and I can tell you my heart rate was increasing with each step. When I broke the treeline and approached the boulder field, a mixture of the stunning views and the knowledge that any bears wouldn’t be hiding nearby meant I was once again ready to enjoy my climb.
At this point, the sun came up. And with it, so did the temperature. I stripped down to just my base layer and a pair of shorts, returned my torch into my bag, took some photos, then pressed on.
Then came the sulphur.
I could smell it before I saw anything. A faint sulphur tang at first, getting stronger as I climbed. The morning quiet was also increasingly ruptured by a small rumbling, ever so faint, but it was there. Then, as I crested a ridge and caught sight of the boulder scramble, I saw it. A constant stream of white steam jetting up from about two thirds of the way up the boulder climb. The nearby rocks were coloured yellow and it was at this point that it really sunk in. I was climbing an active volcano! It gave a sense that the mountain was alive. A living thing. I closed my eyes, whispered a prayer under my breath, then continued my climb towards the vent.
Note: The boulder scramble is by far the trickiest part of the climb. Not technically hard, but exposed, with loose rock and a real consequence if you slip. The trail is marked with painted white circles along the boulders, but if you can’t instantly see one, it can feel disorientating. My honest advice? Take it slow. Use your hands. Test holds before committing weight, and keep an eye on the next two or three markers. It’s pretty steep, and the final few steps before the summit are pretty damn narrow. But it’s worth it. Believe me.
The summit itself sits just past the vent. The views were extraordinary. The snow-topped peaks of the Northern Alps were visible in every direction (Hotaka, Norikura, the broader Yarigatake range further off) while Kamikochi itself stretches out in the valley below. I was reluctant to leave. I could have taken in that view for hours, but alas, I planned to hike around Kamikochi before heading back to Tokyo, and the climb itself had made me hungry.
Another point of note. Close to the summit you have the Shōga-ike pond, nestled inside a crater at the top. It has a rich turquoise colour, and while you can’t get close to it, it still looks spectacular.
Coming Down and Into Kamikochi
The descent took roughly two hours. Coming down the boulders was more challenging than going up. My knees protested on more than one occasion. I also began passing other climbers. It’s always nice meeting other people on the trail, the smiles, the ‘Konnichiwa’s.’ It meant I wasn’t stressing about running into a bear on the way down. Having returned to the trailhead, I made my way along the winding road back towards Kama Tunnel. I was once again grateful that I had managed to get a lift up, as the road seemed fairly steep as I walked down. I think it took around thirty minutes to get back to the tunnel, but in all honesty I didn’t time it. I did meet my first Kamikochi monkey at this point. He was sat on one of the road’s numerous switchbacks, sitting at the bottom of a road sign. He didn’t seem fazed by anything, and I gave him a nod as I passed him. He did not nod back.
Once back at the bus stop, I headed through the Kama Tunnel into Kamikochi itself. The tunnel is long (about 1.3km) and narrow with a pedestrian walkway alongside the road. It was noisy, and you walk up on a gradient. But the reward at the other side is worth it.
Kamikochi.
The alpine valley. The river. The peaks. The quiet. After Yake-dake’s intensity, the contrast was striking. It is a truly beautiful place, and ranks as one of my favourite places in the whole world. You can read my article on it here.
Climbing Yake-Dake: How Hard Is It Really?
This is the part that matters, because I think it can be underplayed on other sites.
Yake-dake is a serious climb. The numbers: roughly 1,000m of elevation gain over ~4km, with the steepest part being the boulder scramble. The climb near the top is exposed enough that I would not recommend it in wet conditions or for people without scrambling experience. The summit area has active volcanic vents, which means being aware of the sulphur, as well as the chance of increased volcanic activity.
I would not bring inexperienced hikers. I would not do it solo if you don’t have mountain hiking experience. I would not do it in poor weather.
However, it is extremely rewarding, if you go prepared.
Practical Information
Best season: Late June to early November is the typical hiking window. July-August is peak (busy, warmer, no snow concerns). October offers autumn colours and dramatically fewer people, but cold mornings and possible early snow. Outside these months, the trail is closed or unsafe.
Time needed: 4-5 hours up, 2-3 hours down. Start early. Sunrise summit is genuinely special if you can swing it.
Gear: Proper hiking boots (the volcanic gravel near the summit is loose and ankle-twisting). Layers (warm at the start, hot by midday). Head torch if starting in the dark. Plenty of water. Gloves for the scramble.
Volcanic safety: Check the JMA alert level before you climb. Level 1 (normal) is fine. Level 2 or higher means the trail will be closed and you should not attempt. Carry a phone with offline maps in case you need to descend quickly.
The route from Tokyo: Overnight bus from Shinjuku is the cheapest and most time-efficient. Alpico, Keio Bus, and others run services. Book a few days ahead in peak season.
Bears: Yes, the Northern Alps have bears. Carry a bear bell. Make noise on the trail.
The Honest Summary
Yake-dake is in my top three Japanese mountain hikes so far. The combination of an active volcanic summit, the views over Kamikochi, the sunrise timing, and the genuine sense of being somewhere serious. It earns its place as part of the Hyakumeizan.
But it is not a casual hike. The boulder scramble has real consequences if you misstep. The trail is sustained-steep with no easy bail-out options once you’re committed. Most online guides do not say this clearly enough. I am saying it clearly here.
If you have the experience and the respect, do it. If you don’t, start with something easier and work up. The mountain isn’t going anywhere.
I have 85 mountains left to climb to complete the Hyakumeizan. Some of them, hopefully, will be as memorable as this one.
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