Anbo Mae Dake: Into the
Forest!
Forge your way up a moss-covered ravine, witness how the forest is recovering from logging, and scramble up to the shrine overlooking the sea-side town below. Although this trail is looked after by the citizens of the village below, it's not part of the officially maintained system of trails. Even in good conditions, if you're not nimble on your feet, you could easily slip and fall in the stream or hit your head on a rock. But it's a lot of fun if you enjoy going where the footprints of those before you have been covered with moss.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famous
by the movie, Princess Mononoke.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famous
by the movie, Princess Mononoke.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famous
by the movie, Princess Mononoke.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famous
by the movie, Princess Mononoke.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famous
by the movie, Princess Mononoke.
Forge your way up a moss-covered ravine, witness how the forest is recovering from logging, and scramble up to the shrine overlooking the sea-side town below. Although this trail is looked after by the citizens of the village below, it's not part of the officially maintained system of trails. Even in good conditions, if you're not nimble on your feet, you could easily slip and fall in the stream or hit your head on a rock. But it's a lot of fun if you enjoy going where the footprints of those before you have been covered with moss.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famousby the movie, Princess Mononoke.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famousby the movie, Princess Mononoke.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famousby the movie, Princess Mononoke.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famousby the movie, Princess Mononoke.
Pass by the Moss Forest made famousby the movie, Princess Mononoke.
- Certified Guide List
- Yamap Page
- Hiking Notification
- Brochure and Island Map
Content last updated in 2020.
- Experience Level:
- Intermediate~Advanced
-Loose rocks and possible scrambling depending on conditions/maintanance.
-Getting Lost
-slippery - Trail Head Access:
- Car or Taxi
- Time:
- ~4 Hours
- Round Trip Distance:
- 2.2 km
- Trail Head Elevation:
- 580 m
- Peak Elevation:
- 965 m
| Deer/Monkey Sightings | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Yakusugi Trees | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Mossy Forests | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Vista Views | ☆☆☆ |
| Endurance | ⚠⚠⚠⚠⚠ |
| Strength & Technicality | ⚠⚠⚠⚠⚠ |
| Crowds | ⚠⚠⚠⚠⚠ |
| Weather Cancellations | ⚠⚠⚠⚠⚠ (Extreme rains, flooding) |
- Costs:
- Getting to the Trailhead (GPS coords: 30.31621, 130.6095):
- The trail head is a drive up from Anbo, quite a ways up after the museum, but
well before the turn-off to the Arakawa Trail Head. If you keep an eye on the
elevation markings on the bridges, you'll know when you're close to the right
elevation. It's well-marked in Japanese.
< dt>Toilets:
- Bring a toilet kit (wag bag) for use along the trail and carry out all waste and toilet paper.
- Equipment List:
- Water Bottle, Lunch + Snacks, Headlamp + Batteries, First Aid Kit, Map, Compass, GPS, Rain Jacket + Rain Pants, Hiking Boots, Disposable Toilet Kit, etc.
- The Hike:
- The trail starts out on dry footing behind a large signboard, but almost immediately you're scrambling over moss-covered rocks (which you'll be doing for
most of this hike) towards the next pink-tape marker. Just a few minutes into the hike you're already presented with a slippery stream crossing—much more
difficult than a normal day in Shiratani Unsuikyo Park. The trail is usually, but not always, well-marked, but because it's not
very well known, everything is covered in moss, and you just have to keep watching for trail markers. The signs of human impact are strong—if you don't notice the moss-covered pit used for charcoal-making,
you can't help but to notice the young, "jisugi" cedar trees planted on both sides of the stream. Still, keep your eyes open for a fantastically large
stump shortly before crossing the stream again, and, as you work your way up the next valley, you will pass to the left of two tall Yakusugi trees.
This trail feels like a real adventure, and—depeninding on maintanance conditions—you don't really feel like you're on a trail until you reach the top of the valley. Around the peak, the
trail takes some detours around rock-slides, and you'll have to use your good judgement regarding safety, even though this is not a very tall mountain.
(In fact, if you're carrying a GPS, be careful that it doesn't lead you to one of the taller peaks nearby.)
dt>In the case of bad weather
- If there is heavy rain, the stream near the trail head becomes dangerous to cross; so you should turn back early if this is a risk. If you do get stuck, you'll just have to wait. Depending on your carrier, there is cellphone serivce at the peak.
As an alternative hike in rainy weather, I suggest Yakusugiland, especially the hike to the Yakusugi tree called Shaka Sugi. - If there is heavy rain, the stream near the trail head becomes dangerous to cross; so you should turn back early if this is a risk. If you do get stuck, you'll just have to wait. Depending on your carrier, there is cellphone serivce at the peak.