(大野山) Mt. Ono Hike

Can be driven to the top, but I have no car so walk I must. In hindsight, this was a beautiful hike so definitely still recommended burning some calories!

Given the clearing at the top, I chose this hike for my second drone flight. Unfortunately, the summit seems to be the center of a powergrid and is surrounded left and right.  I was also told to expect some cattle, and saw none.  

Budget: JPY2,450 (~USD24)

• JPY1,230. Train, Tokyo to Yaga Station. 
• JPY1,220. Train, Yamakita Station to Tokyo. 

Hike Date / Difficulty (Elevation: 723m / 2,372ft)

• April 18, 2021
• Difficulty: 2 out of 5. Can also drive to the top. 
• Route below is around 9.9kilometers, with an elevation change of ▲831m/ ▽881m (4h10m)
• Map link (from Yamakei)

When to Go
Anytime during the year. 

Special Notes

• Weather forecast: Japanese
• Trailheads. Trailheads can be access via bus and/or train. 
• Yamakita Station (山北駅).  Around two hours away from Tokyo, this stop transfers at Shin Matsuda Station. It should be JPY1,220 ish one way, but it can get as high as JPY2,000+ depending on the train taken, so check the prices at google maps first!
• Yaga Station (谷峨駅). The station after Yamakita Station. It takes about 2h30mins one way. 
• Mountain huts. 
• Paid. None.
• Free. None.
• Camping. None. 
• Very minimal English signs, so make sure you have the Japanese characters prior to the hike. 

Itinerary

• 07:14am. Train, Tokyo to Yaga Station. 
• 09:39am. ETA: Yaga Station. 
• 10:00am. Start hike. 
• 12:00pm. ETA: Mt. Ono Summit
• 02:10pm. ETA: Yamakita Station. 

Actual Log

• 08:50am. Train, Tokyo to Yaga Station. Transferred at Shin-Matsuda Station, where I had to take the North Exit, and take a left after the turnstiles. JR Matsuda Station is just across the street. The train to Yaga Station is at track 3, which is on the far side of the platform. 
• The restroom at Shin-Matsuda Station is much, much better than the restroom at JR Matsuda Station. 
• 11:27am. Arrived at Yaga Station. Exited, and continued straight down the road. Three minutes later I turned right to go across the highway, then turned left at the first chance and walked next to the superhighway. There's a peeling image for the directions. About ten meters later, I took another left to exit the highway down to the fields. Walked straight and arrived at the bridge, crossed the bridge and turned left. At this point it was 11:38pm, but I was taking a LOT of pictures and backtracking to take videos too. 
• 11:41am. Arrived at the fork on the road, took the right one going up. Followed the main road, and soon arrived at a turn that was well marked as the hiking course of Mt. Ono (大野山ハイキングコース). It was a gentle hike that crossed the highway a couple of times, but there are plenty of signs and the trail was not difficult to find. 
• 01:24pm. Arrived at Mt. Ono Summit. Followed the directions going to Yamakita Station. The way down was under treeline, with no views of Mt. Fuji. :(
• 03:10pm. Arrived at Yamakita Station. Soon was on my home! 

Arrived at JR Matsuda Station. Mt. Fuji is there in the background saying hi!

The very, very small Yaga Station. 

The directions to Mt. Ono is in that board on the left.

Here's the close up of the board. 

Took the road straight out of Yaga Station. 

Took the left turn here. 

Going across the highway. 

First turn to the left, with the peeling image of the directions. 

Took the left turn and walked next to the highway. 

Exited here. 

Stairs down, then left. 

Across the fields. 

Crossing the bridge. 

Turned left at the end of the bridge. 

Walking on the road.....

Turned right here. 

Here's the sign to take a left and officially begin the hike. 

First part did NOT look like a trail. 

Soon enough it looked like a trail, thankfully. 

Plenty of sections blocked like this, where I had to unhook/hook the door. 

This is new. Cemented trail. In the middle of the hike. 

Crossing the road a couple of times. This restroom is clean, but filled with poop. Ew. 

Continuing on the trail. 

Some of the signs are not as visible, so just followed the signs to 大野山. 

Another road crossing. 

Above the treeline!

Golden and beautiful!!!

Close to the top. 

Mt. Fuji! Though she's hiding a bit. 

Really, really picturesque. The best section of the hike. 

Huh. Another road. 

I guess this is the cattle part? Didn't see any cattle though. 

The summit!

The summit area is a place to hang out and just relax. And drive there. 

Going down. 

After the parking lot is this direction near the bear. So I followed the sign and turned left. 

Walking down the road. 

Soon was back on the trail. Well, stairs. 

Foliage covered trail. 

At the end of it all, I was back on the road. 

Past a logging area. 

Following the signs towards Yamakita Station 山北駅

Took a right turn down near the tea farm. 

Kept going down and following the way down, until I got into a fork, and then took the right turn following the signs to Yamakita. 

Turned left here. See that little sign that shows Yamakita Station?

At the main road. 

Yamakita Station!!!