Autumn Foliage on Mt. Kurikoma: A Mystic Tapestry of Colors!

This service includes sponsored advertisements.

Mount Kurikoma, located in northern Japan, can be climbed on a day trip! There are hiking trails for both beginners and experienced climbers. Visit this mountain to witness spectacular views!

Written by

Kurihara City Commerce and Industry Tourism Department Rural Tourism Division

The city is located in the northwestern part of Miyagi Prefecture, and the entire city is part of the Kurikoma Geopark. Mount Kurikoma, with an altitude of 1,626m, located at the northwestern edge of the city, is designated as a quasi-national park, and is famous nationwide for its fall foliage, "Kami no Carpet". In addition, Izunuma and Uchinuma, which are located in the southeast, are registered wetlands under the Ramsar Convention, and are visited by many migratory birds such as lotuses in summer and white-fronted geese and swans in winter. In addition, the three major parks of Geopark Visitor Center, Hosokura Mine Park, and Kuriden Museum, hot springs, local sake, rural scenery, and old folk houses are all attractive places for relaxing Kurihara time.

Mt. Kurikoma: “The Queen of the Ou Mountains”

Mt. Kurikoma rises 1,626 meters above sea level. Located in the center of the Tohoku region, it is an active cone-shaped volcano that straddles three prefectures: Miyagi, Iwate, and Akita.

Due to its graceful form, the mountain is often called “the Queen of the Ou Mountain Range”! It does look really beautiful from below.

Kyuya Fukada, who wrote "Japan's 100 Famous Mountains," a book known among all mountaineering enthusiasts, mentions in the postscript that "Mt. Akita-Komagatake is a famous peak in the Tohoku region."

Beginners and experienced climbers can enjoy nine mountain trails, so even novices can enjoy climbing this mountain with peace of mind.

One of Japan’s 100 Famous Flower Mountains, Mt Kurikoma is home to 150 types of alpine plants. You can enjoy various flowers, especially from June to July.

Until the end of September, visitors can enjoy the spectacular view of the autumn foliage called "Kami no Jutan" or "God's Carpet."

There are also many attractive hot springs in the area, where you can wash the sweat from mountain climbing and return home rejuvenated.

If you've made it to Kurihara, we also recommend activities such as kayaking and playing in the river. Moreover, a sky full of stars awaits you at night! It’s a place where you can fully immerse in nature..

Next, we will describe our experience climbing Mt. Kurikoma in detail.

Mt. Kurikoma's Central Trail

The central trail is recommended for beginners and those with children. There are many photo spots along the way where you can admire superb views, so this course is ideal for first-time visitors.

We suggesting starting your climb from the Kurikoma Rest House. There are no restrooms after entering the mountain trail, so it's recommended to start climbing after paying this rest house a visit.

Just walk straight after entering the mountain trail. There is little danger of getting lost so you can enjoy mountain climbing with peace of mind. When we visited, we encountered a father holding an infant, a five-year-old boy, and an 80-year-old grandmother climbing this trail!

Kurikoma is a mountain loved by people of all ages.

The mountain trail is carefully maintained through local efforts.

We were initially a bit worried that it would be cloudy the entire time. But as the altitude increased, the clouds gradually disappeared, and the sky was clear by the time we reached the top!

The weather in the mountains can change quickly, so, when visiting, be sure to check the weather forecast in advance.

The scenery along the way prompted us to take photo after photo, so we were climbing quite leisurely.

Other climbers mentioned this aspect, too. Therefore, it may be better to keep in mind the shooting time and add it to the usual mountain climbing when visiting Mt. Kurikoma!

Just look at this vastness!

It feels like you're walking on clouds!

Take multiple deep breaths in the vast space and savor the fresh air!

The view from the top of Mount Kurikoma

Everyone must be curious about the view from the top of Mt. Kurikoma.

You may think it's not that high, or that you can't see the scenery around you. Some people believe this to be true.

Well, let us show you the actual view!

Wow!

Look at this magnificent view! This 360-degree view is absolutely amazing!

We took this photo on another day because there were many people on the mountain peak during this popular season.

We visited in early October during the autumn foliage season. There was a wonderful sea of clouds alongside the breathtaking view!

This photo shows us right after we had reached the peak, We had climbed Mt. Kurikoma for the first time. You can notice our sense of accomplishment for having reached the summit.

In fact, we were complete novices when it comes to climbing.

On regular days, we’re usually busy with desk work and lack exercise, so although the central trail is for beginners, we were out of breath and unsteady on our feet.

Still, we completed the climb while being encouraged by the beautiful scenery along the way. We actually forgot about the pain and fatigue the moment we saw this stunning scenery.

"Wow!" "Amazing!" "Beautiful!"

We had been exclaiming during the entire climb.

If we could, we would like to ask Mr. Kyuya Fukada, the famous Japanese writer and mountaineer, to include Mt. Kurikoma in his book “Japan's 100 Famous Mountains” (Nihon Hyakumeizan)!

We weren’t able to forget this exhilaration; Mt. Kurikoma awakening our passion for mountaineering.

Thank you, Mt. Kurikoma! We will definitely return for another exhilarating climb!

Written by

Kurihara City Commerce and Industry Tourism Department Rural Tourism Division

Miyagi

The information presented in this article is based on the time it was written. Note that there may be changes in the merchandise, services, and prices that have occurred after this article was published. Please contact the facility or facilities in this article directly before visiting. Some of our articles contain affiliate links. We kindly ask our readers to exercise careful judgement when making a purchase or booking a service online.

The contents on this page may partially contain automatic translation.