Mt. Tachudake

A moderately difficult hike that took us 7 hours to complete. A good option if you want to summit a mountain in less than 10km (out and back). There is a bathroom at the beginning of the hike and a stall one-third of the way through for wag bag use. Once you leave Yakisugi Land, the hike is mostly a steep ascent on a fairly well marked path. Some rope sections near the top. The summit of Tachudake provides a great 170-degree view of the national park.

This mountain is famous for Tenshu-seki, a gigantic 40-meter-high monolith that rises to the top of the mountain at an altitude of 1,497 meters. Yakushima was created tens of thousands of years ago when the ocean floor was pushed up by a volcanic eruption, and Yakushima is made up of gigantic granite rocks. I should have been somewhat immune to megaliths, but I was still impressed by the megaliths of Mt. Taichudake. To reach Mt. Tachu, we depart from Yakusugi Land's 150-minute course and pass through many beautiful forests following the signboards. Along the way, you will be surprised by the sheer size of the Yaku cedar and granite. However, only a few of them had names; most of them were nameless. The forest with its moist air is reminiscent of the Ghibli world, but it wasn't always an easy course with steep climbs and steep climbs and occasional ropes. From the top of the mountain, which I reached while out of breath, I had a panoramic view of Awa village and the Pacific Ocean! It took us 3 hours + 1 hour compared to the standard time, but on this day we could see all the way to Tanegashima, and the view was so spectacular that all the fatigue from climbing was wiped away.

We took the tour with a guide from YES Yakushima. Difficulty was given as 4/5 and I definitely underestimated that. There was a lot of climbing, which wasn't made any easier by the light rain. Unfortunately the view at the top was clouded by clouds, but it was definitely worth it! Anyone who is reasonably fit should definitely consider this hiking/climbing tour!

I gave up this time due to rain. It is a 5 hour round trip from Yakusugi Land. If I come next time, I plan to climb it.

The weather forecast was cloudy. When we arrived at Yakusugi Land, we could see Tenbashirai from below, but when we arrived at the summit, it was completely white. The wind was so strong that it was difficult to stand on the stones. As we neared the top of the mountain, we saw other large stones and wondered, "We've arrived?!" but we weren't there yet. It was a climb that made me feel like a child on a road that felt like an attraction. I want to go again when it's sunny.