Kashimayari to Goryu (Nagano/Toyama)

The traverse from Kashimayari to Goryu is a difficult 2 day climb on the Hakuba ridgeline. You’ll climb the famous Hachimine Kiretto and have a strenuous and difficult hike with beautiful views.

		
⏲︎	Time: 13h
✎	Kanji: 五竜岳
⚲ 	Location: Nagano
↔	Distance: 21.3km
✮	Difficulty: Difficult
ᨒ	Elevation Gain: 2792m
☀	Overnight
☉	Hiking Season: Mid July to
	mid October

Access

Car:

There are two trailheads for Kashimayari. Described here is the route from the Otanihara trailhead which is only accessible by car. The parking lot is also very small, so come early in summer and on weekends. There is a toilet at the trailhead.

If you’re coming by car you’ll need to take a taxi from the Goryu ropeway to get back to the trailhead. It takes about 30min and costs 7500¥.

Public transportation:

Start from Kashiwabara. This trail is slightly longer and has more elevation gain but you can take a bus to Ogisawa. If you are starting from Kashiwabara, it’s probably best to stay the night at Tsumetaike.

Trail description

Day 1: 7h, 10.4km, 2000m elevation gain (Yamap estimate: 9h)

The first hour of the trail follows a forest road until you reach a dam with a tunnel beneath it.

After the dam, the trail becomes steep and stays steep until the peak. As you can see from the elevation profile below, you’ll climb 1000 meters in just 3 kilometers.

There are a few technical sections with lots of ladders and stairs, but nothing too challenging.

Once you reach the ridge, it’s only a few more minutes to Tsumetaike.

You can take a break at the hut and refill your water. Keep in mind that Kirettogoya, where you'll stay the night, doesn’t have a water source, so water is expensive (300¥ for 500ml).

From the hut, it took us another two hours of steady climbing to reach the south peak of Kashimayari.

After the south peak, the trail to the hut and north peak becomes more exposed and difficult. A helmet and gloves are recommended for this section.

The ridge is called “Hachimine Kiretto” and is one of Japan’s three famous knife ridges.

While there are some exposed sections, they’re well secured with chains or ladders.

Day 2: 5:30min, 11km, 790m elevation gain, 1730m elevation down (Yamap estimate: 8h)

On Day 2, you'll continue along the ridge toward Mt. Goryu. The trail has several ups and downs until you reach the summit. Some sections have chains, and you'll need to use your hands to climb the steeper parts.

Once you reach the top of Mt. Goryu, you'll already see the Goryu Sanso hut. Start your descent toward the hut, and after passing it, turn right toward the ropeway. After the summit, the trail is mostly a steady downhill with regular paths, without any exposure or chains.