(恵那山) Mt. Ena Hike

*on going update* I'm writing the plan under the assumption that public transportation is used, but a car is definitely recommended for this hike.

 
Budget: JPY14,610 (~USD138)

• JPY4,000. Bus, Tokyo to Nagoya allocated using Willer Bus Pass
• JPY4,700. Bus, Nagoya Meitetsu Bus Terminal to Sonohara Bus Stop.
• JPY3,500. Taxi, Kuroisawa Trailhead to Nakatsugawa Station (JPY7,000 estimated, shared between 2 people)
• JPY2,410. One days' worth allocated with Seishun 18 ticket

Hike Date / Difficulty (Elevation: 2,191m / 7,188ft)

• Target: 2021
• Difficulty: 3 out of 5.
• Route below is around 11.8kilometers, with an elevation change of ▲1,266m/ ▽1,266m
• Map Link

When to Go
Anytime during the year! There are logs for New Year hikes, so that is definitely a possibility.

Special Notes

• Weather forecast: English / Japanese. 
• Trailheads.
• Kuroisawa (黒井沢登山口). No public transportation, access via taxi, which is around JPY6,000 from the nearest station (18kms away)- Nakatsugawa Station (中津川駅). Here's the google maps pin. One taxi to reserve at 0573-66-1221.
• Heaven's Sonohara Snowworld (ヘブンスそのはらスノーワールド). It's a ski place, so it has a lift and ropeway to help with the hike ;) Roundtrip ropeway plus lift costs JPY3,200. 
• Access:
• Bus, Nagoya Station to Sonohara Bus Stop (園原) (maps pin, JPY4,700 one way. Two buses a day: 9am and 1pm; return at 10:24am and 3:17pm.
• Free Shuttle, Sonohara Bus Stop to Heaven's Sonohara, reservations needed at 0265-24-0007. Just one a day, runs from April to November.
• Schedule: 
• 09:00am, Nagoya Station -> 10:30am, Sonohara -> 10:40am, Heaven's Sonohara
• 03:00pm. Heaven's Sonohara -> 3:17pm, Sonohara -> 04:53pm, Nagoya Station
• Misaka-jinja (神坂神社登山口 google maps pin). This is a 3.8km walk from Sonohara Bus Stop (園原, google maps pin). Google says 45 mins, so for me that's at least an hour.
• Hirogawara (広河原登山口). No public transport, parking lot is 30 minutes away from trailhead.
• Mountain huts.
• Paid: None.
• Free: Emergency hut at the summit (恵那山頂避難小屋) . A stream is about 300 meters away.
• Camping: None that I can see.

Itinerary
Friday

• 10:00pm ish. Bus, Tokyo to Nagoya.

Saturday

• 09:00am. Bus, Nagoya Meitetsu Bus Center to Sonohara Bus Stop.
• 10:30am. Free Shuttle, Sonohara Bus Stop to Heaven's Sonohara.
• 10:40am. ETA: Heaven's Sonohara.
• 11:00am. Start hike.
• 04:20pm. ETA: Summit.
• 04:25pm. ETA: Emergency hut.

Sunday

• 05:00am. Start hike.
• 07:10am. ETA: Kuroisawa Trailhead.
• 07:30am. Take taxi (have to call in advance) to Nakatsugawa Station.
• 10:00am. Take local trains back to Tokyo.
• 04:10pm. Back at Nakano Station (Tokyo)