So worth it! I arrived at 11:30am and the wait was 90 minutes. Once I got to Kibune, I walked up the street to Hirobun restaurant to get a number to dine its famous flowing noodles (Nagashi Somen). But if you are concerned about steps, it is easier to go up in Kibune and down towards Kurama.

I think Kibune is a great place to end the hike. I purposely picked a sunny day in spring to do the hike as I planed to dine in Kibune village at the end. There is an extended path one can take, but I had limited time. It took me 1h30 minute from Kurama station to base of Kibune village, with few stops for photos. The descend to Kibune had uneven steps, and a little trickier in some parts. The steps going uphill in Kurama were mostly cement and in great shape. I didn't have trekking poles but saw several people, many elderly, using poles. I had trail shoes and they were great - no need for hiking shoes. It had rained the day before so parts of the descend were very slippery. There is a chairlift that can be used to skip some of the climb, but that was not working when I visited in May. You will have a lot of stairs to climb (a lot!), but you will pass by different temples. The train station is right at the entrance of Kuramadera. I know some do the reverse but I am glad I chose to start at Kurama. I’d say this site isn’t very ADA compliant. My thoughts to make the experience rewarding are: 1) wear hiking boots or trail shoes 2) bring hiking poles for the steep descents especially important for those with knee ailments 3) start early to stay out of high heat times 4) bring plenty of water 5) stay on trails as the signage suggests the terrain is shared by venomous snakes 6) families with small children should plan for longer round trips than the guide books suggest and strollers are not going to easily navigate the terrain without lots of in/out & carrying/lifting the stroller thru technical sports. There are stairs and rocks and the footing was slippery in places. The trail is fire road wide in places and double track in others. We did this in June and it was hot in the sun and cooler in the trees along the way. Be wary if the elevation gain sounds meager because the terrain undulates between gradual to steep ups and downs thru peaks and valleys so the cumulative elevation challenge is a bit more than just a slow consistent grade switchbacking left to right to the top. The other is taking the “rope way” (aka) tram to roughly the halfway point and hiking the rest of the way.

There are a few options for getting to the top and the first option is hoofing it from sea level all the way to the top. If you are peak hunting view finders this 550m climb from sea level will kick your cardio into gear.

Japan mountain fwsim