Mount Daisen Hiking Trail

Look out over the Sea of Japan from Mount Daisen, the highest peak in the Chugoku region

Mount Daisen has been worshipped as a holy mountain for centuries, and its trails were key pilgrimage routes in the past. This hike follows the Natsuyama Trail to Misen Peak (1,709 m), the highest accessible point on Mount Daisen (1,729 m), passing by Daisenji Temple. The temple is an important Buddhist temple founded in the 7th century.

Follow the Natsuyama Trail to reach the mountain hut at the Sixth Station (the waypoint marking the sixth stage of the hike). From here, you can see the north face of Mount Daisen and Sankoho Peak (1,516 m). From the Eighth Station, a boardwalk leads you through a community of dwarf Japanese yew trees to Misen Peak (1,709 m). The highest peak on Mount Daisen is Kengamine (1,729 m) but the path to Kengamine is closed due to danger of rock slides.

On a clear day, you will enjoy splendid views of the Sea of Japan and the Shimane Peninsula from Misen Peak. As you descend, you will reach the Gyojadani trail fork. From there, take the route toward Ogamiyama-jinja Okumiya Shrine. After you pass Daisenji Temple at the bottom of the trail, continue on for another 5 minutes to reach the Daisen Hinokami Goen Yuin hot spring facility, a great spot for a relaxing soak after you finish your hike.

Highlights

The foliage along the beech forest path provides shelter to hikers

A sheltered path through a large beech forest

As you move up the trail toward the summit, you'll pass through one of western Japan’s largest beech forests. The leaves are emerald green from spring to summer and turn golden in the fall. These beech trees can store such large quantities of water that they are known as the "dams of the forest." It can take 20 to 30 years before the water they hold is released into the ground. As the water they release flows down the mountain and toward the Sea of Japan, it enriches the fields and rice paddies.

Sprawling dwarf Japanese yew trees around the Eighth Station

The largest community of dwarf Japanese yew trees in Japan

As you climb the boardwalk on the way to Mount Daisen’s Eighth Station, the trail levels out, passing through the largest community of dwarf Japanese yew trees in Japan. Most of these trees reach only a few meters in height, but their branches spread far wider than that. This area is a designated National Natural Monument for the number of dwarf Japanese yew trees with this unique characteristic.

The view of the Yumigahama Peninsula and the Sea of Japan

Spectacular views from the summit

In good weather, Mount Daisen's summit offers panoramic views of the Yonago plain and the coastlines of the Shimane and Yumigahama peninsulas. In the evening, stunning sunsets are typical as the sun descends beyond Lake Shinji. During summer, you can buy commemorative climbing badges at the shop in the summit’s hut.

Trail Map

Mount Daisen Hiking Trail

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