Mount Tsukuba
Mount Tsukuba, A Twin Peaked Mountain Of 877 M In Ibaraki Visible Across The Kanto Plain, Climbed On Foot Or By Cable Car And Ropeway, With A Shrine On The Slope And A View Toward Tokyo. A Hiking Day Trip. · Tsukuba, Ibaraki
Mount Tsukuba is a twin-peaked mountain of about 877 m in Ibaraki, rising alone from the flat Kanto plain beside Tsukuba city. Its two summits, Nyotai-san at 877 m and Nantai-san at about 870 m, are the male and female peaks of an old shrine mountain, and the Tsukuba Shrine on the slope honours the pair of deities Izanagi and Izanami. A cable car and a ropeway lift walkers most of the way up, so the mountain suits families, older visitors and anyone who wants a view without a full climb. On foot, the shrine route takes about 2 to 3 hours up. On a clear day the plain stretches to Tokyo and Mount Fuji, and an old saying calls it the mountain of purple Tsukuba. It is a good day trip from Tokyo when the air is clear, and a poor one in haze or low cloud, when the top gives you only white. The summit area is busy on fine weekends, and the frog souvenirs are part of the fun. Go early in the day, and keep an eye on the weather.
Mount Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, reached by the Tsukuba Express and a bus or ropeway from Tsukuba Station, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
The mountain paths are open at all hours but unlit, so plan to be down before dusk. The cable car and ropeway run from morning to late afternoon, with fewer runs in winter and a pause in high wind or fog - confirm times at the base station. The Tsukuba Shrine grounds are open through the day. From Akihabara in Tokyo, take the Tsukuba Express to Tsukuba Station, about 45 minutes, then a shuttle or local bus to the shrine and cable car stations; confirm the bus times, as some run only on weekends and holidays. IC cards work on the train, but carry cash for the lifts, the shrine and small shops. Nothing needs booking.