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HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Mt. Myoko Hiking Tour
Hike the sacred Mt. Myoko with a professional guide and relive the journey of pilgrims
Myoko Tourism Management Association
Mt. Myoko is a sacred mountain in Myoko-Togakushi Renzan National Park in Niigata. It is said to be the home of spirits and gods of farming, and was once a place of pilgrimage for followers of Shugendo mountain asceticism.
During the Edo period (1603-1867), just once a year, local Shugendo pilgrims were given permission to climb to the summit of Mt. Myoko in order to raise their village banners, chant and blow a symbolic conch shell. Legend has it that up to 1,200 people would make the arduous journey, starting from the Sekiyama Hozo-in Temple.
Retrace the footsteps of those pilgrims and climb Mt. Myoko on this full-day hike accompanied by a local professional guide. Mt. Myoko is one of Kyuya Fukada’s “100 Famous Japanese Mountains,” and its rugged trails pass waterfalls, ponds, small shrines and sacred rocks, offering stunning panoramic views of the national park.
The journey ends with a visit to the outdoor natural hot springs of Tsubame Onsen, where weary travelers can relax in milky mineral-rich waters.
How to get there
Take the Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo Station to Joetsumyoko Station, which takes about 2 hours. Then, take the train from Joetsu-Myoko Station to Sekiyama Station, which takes about 30 minutes. It is about 20 minutes by bus from Echigo Tokimeki Railway’s Sekiyama Station.
Sekiyama, Myoko-shi, Niigata-ken
