(至仏山) Mt. Shibutsu Hike

If done as a standalone mountain, your travel time will be much longer than your hike time. So maybe do it with another mountain in the area. 🙂

Budget: JPY10,400 (~USD97) from Tokyo

• JPY4,200. Bus, Tokyo to Ozetokura.
• JPY1,000. Bus, Ozetokura to Hatomachitoge.
• JPY1,000. Bus, Hatomachitoge to Ozetokura.
• JPY4,200. Bus from Oshimizu to Tokyo.

Hike Date / Difficulty (Elevation: 2,228m /7,310ft)Not yet.

• Difficulty: 3 out of 5.
• Route below is around 10.4kilometers, with an elevation change of ▲909m/ ▽911m
• Map Link
• Itinerary if doing the hike with Mt. Hiuchi (燧ヶ岳).

When to Go

• Hiking generally is around May to early November, but buses only run from July to October. 
• Recommended to go in autumn though, which is late September to early October. Not recommended during winter given the risks (avalanche, etc)

Special Notes

• Weather check: Japanese 
• Trailhead: Hatomachitoge (鳩待峠). Google maps pin.
• To get there:
• Step 1. Take a bus from Shinjuku to Oshimizu (大清水), stop at Ozetokura (尾瀬戸倉).
• Step 2. Take a bus from Ozetokura to Hatomachitoge (鳩待峠).
• Step 1. There’s a direct bus from Shinjuku at JPY3800, and it runs from July to October. You can book at Japan Bus Online, key in From: “Shinjuku Tokyo Area”, To: “Oze Tokura Gunma Area”. Just look for the bus that has “Oshimizu” on it. The price can range from JPY2,400 to JPY4,200, depending on the time and schedule. You can only book a month in advance, then the tickets sell out quite quickly. There are only a couple of buses:
• To Oshimizu (大清水)
• Departure: 06:35am – Arrival: 11:15am
• Departure: 07:15am – Arrival: 11:30am
• Departure: 10:00pm – Arrival: 03:50am
• From Oshimizu (大清水)
• Departure: 01:10pm – Arrival: 05:45pm
• Departure: 03:10pm – Arrival: 07:30pm
• *From Oze Takura: Departure: 02:30pm – Arrival: 06:45pm
• Step 2. From Ozetokura (尾瀬戸倉) (google maps pin), take a bus to Hatomachitoge (鳩待峠). 35min, JPY1000. As a rule, for weekends, these are the buses:
• Bus schedule, Ozetokura (尾瀬戸倉) ＜＞ Hatomachitoge (鳩待峠)
• Mountain huts. If you want to stay overnight: Online Hut reservation. Shibutsusan-sansou (至仏山山荘) costs JPY6,000 without meals, and for 2020, even people camping are required to reserve online. 

Itinerary
Friday

• 10:00pm. Depart from Shinjuku Station to Oshimizu (大清水)

Saturday

• 03:50amish. Arrive at 大清水 Station, wait for bus.
• 04:40am. Bus from Ozetokura to Hatomachitoge.
• 05:20am. ETA: Hatomachitoge Bus Stop.
• 08:35am. ETA: Summit, one hour lunch.
• 11:15am. ETA: Back to trailhead, Hatomachitoge Bus Stop.
• 11:50am. Bus to Ozetakura.
• 01:10pmish. Bus from Ozetakura to Shinjuku Station.
• 05:45pm. Back at Shinjuku Station!