Mt. Hakkoda (八甲田山）
Mt. Hakkoda is one of the premiere ski resorts in the Tohoku region, with meters upon meters of fresh powder and an endless army of ‘ice monsters’. The rest of the year it’s a hikers dream, with wonderful fertile volcanic cones, spectacular marshlands, and breathtaking panoramic views.
The hike: From the Sukayu onsen bus stop, take the trail at the end of the parking lot (closer to the toilets) towards Sennin-tai (仙人岱). The path initally climbs through a dense forest, and then opens up and turns into a wonderful volcanic valley, with lots of colorful rock formations and pungent sulfur fumes. It should take about 45 minutes to reach the top of the volcanic plateau, where the trail will flatten out significantly. At Sennin-tai, you’ll find an emergency hut and water source, so fill up your bottles. Take the trail to the left towards Odake (大岳). There may still be some remaining snow in this area and lots of wildflowers. You should reach the top of Odake in about an hour, and the views are wonderful. Mt. Iwaki will be staring at you across the valley, and on a clear day you’ll see Aomori city to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the northeast. Continue on the same trail down to a saddle and emergency hut. From here, you can either climb up to Mt. Akakura (赤倉岳) or turn left to descend back to Sukayu Onsen. I was keen for a bath, so I skipped Akakura and flew down to the hot spring. The path to Sukayu is well-marked, with lots of wooden planks to protect the wild flowers. The marshlands definitely warrant a leisurely stroll, so take your time and enjoy the serenity.
When to go: This hike can be done from Golden Week to early November. A winter ascent is also possible whenever avalanche danger is low and the weather is favorable. In the winter of 2007, 2 people were killed and a dozen injured in an avalanche on Mt. Hakkoda, so please don’t climb without a beacon and proper avalanche training.
Access: From Aomori station (青森駅), take a JR bus bound for Lake Towada (十和田湖) and get off at Sukayu Hot Spring (酸ケ湯温泉). The bus takes around an hour and costs 1300 yen. Click here for the bus schedule.
Level of difficulty: 2 out of 5 (elevation change ~694m).
Explore posts in the same categories: ArchiveTags: hiking, Hyakumeizan (百名山), japan, Mt. Hakkoda, Tohoku hikes (東北)
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Hiking in Japan 
September 30, 2010 at 12:58 am
Is Okade near the ropeway? I intend to hike from the ropeway down to Sukayu in mid OCt. Do you have any advise on clothing?
September 30, 2010 at 9:55 pm
What do you mean by “Okade”? I’m assuming you’re referring to the summit “Odake”?
From the top of the ropeway it’s a 300 vertical meter elevation gain and should take you about 2 hours or so to reach the high point of Odake. You’ll first climb up to the summit of Akakura before descending into a saddle before the steep climb to Odake.
As far as clothing goes, I’d definitely bring a woolen hat, warm gloves (and maybe lightweight waterproof hiking gloves as well if you’ve got them), a rain jacket, and a fleece/down jacket. You can probably get away with a ‘quick dry’ long-sleeved base layer while you’re hiking but you’ll definitely feel the chill when you takes breaks or if the wind is strong.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
December 24, 2013 at 10:52 am
Hello
Is this hike possible during the winter without snowshoes (just crampons)?
Thanks
January 25, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Zac, you definitely need snowshoes, I went there on Dec 31st, there was a lot of snow up there, I mean A LOT! Even with my MSR lightning ascent snowshoes on, I still sunk occasionally. I think crampons are unnecessary, I didn’t encounter ice.
February 18, 2014 at 10:46 am
Thanks for the information Zac. Yes, Hakkoda is famous for massive amounts of snow. Sounds like you had fun though
August 24, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Thank you for sharing the route. May I know how long does the trip take? I’m going solo at 1-2 Nov. Is it tough to reach the top for a beginner hiker? Thank you.
September 2, 2015 at 2:02 pm
Early November may be too late to climb Hakkoda, as the snow usually falls in mid to late October. If it’s a dry year and there isn’t any snow, then you should be able to reach the top. I’d allow 2-1/2 to 3 hours one way to the summit
October 22, 2016 at 9:29 am
I went up Mt Hakkoda on Sunday October 16th. The autumn colours were at their peak around Sukuya Onsen (which is mixed by the way). Happened to see a Kamoshika on the slopes of Mt Akakura on the way down – I had no idea they could be found so far North!