GUNUNG · Jepang

Akadake (Gunung Aka, Yatsugatake)

赤岳 (Akadake)

Information

Elevation: 2.899 m
Country: Jepang (JP)
Location / Range: Rangkaian Yatsugatake (八ヶ岳連峰) — perbatasan Prefektur Nagano (Chino & Hara) dan Yamanashi (Hokuto), Honshu
Mountain type: Puncak tertinggi gugusan gunung berapi Yatsugatake (bagian Yatsugatake selatan / Minami-Yatsugatake) — puncak batuan vulkanik terkikis
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: 35.9706, 138.3700
Difficulty: Sulit–menengah (hiking alpine dengan scrambling): pendakian sehari yang populer namun menuntut kebugaran, dengan tanjakan berbatu curam dan segmen rantai serta tangga besi di punggungan menuju puncak. Punggungan Yatsugatake selatan (Yokodake–Iōdake) menuntut kehati-hatian karena eksposur; versi musim dingin bersalju hanya untuk pendaki beralat dan berpengalaman.
Best Season: Pertengahan Juni–awal November (musim hijau; pondok gunung buka, jalur bebas salju). Akadake juga sangat populer sebagai pendakian salju musim dingin (Desember–Maret) bagi pendaki berpengalaman dengan crampon dan kapak es.
Permits & Rules: Tidak perlu izin khusus. Titik awal umum adalah Minoto-guchi (美濃戸口) di sisi Nagano; kendaraan bisa parkir di sana atau melanjutkan ke Minoto. Mengisi rencana pendakian (tozan-todoke) dianjurkan; reservasi pondok gunung (Akadake-kōsen, Gyōja-goya, Akadake Tenbōsō) diperlukan pada musim ramai.
Hazards: Scrambling berbatu terbuka dengan rantai dan tangga besi di dekat puncak, risiko jatuh dan batu longsor, cuaca gunung yang cepat berubah dan kabut, badai petir sore di musim panas, serta salju dan es di musim dingin yang menuntut peralatan alpine. Punggungan berbatu Yokodake yang tajam menuntut perhatian ekstra.

Description

Mount Aka (赤岳, Akadake, 'red peak', 2,899 m) is the highest summit of the Yatsugatake Mountains (八ヶ岳連峰), a volcanic range straddling the border of Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures in central Honshū. Its name comes from the reddish colour of the eroded volcanic rock forming the summit. Akadake crowns the range's southern section (Minami-Yatsugatake), characterised by sharp rocky peaks and alpine ridges — in contrast to the gentler, forested northern Yatsugatake. As one of the '100 Famous Japanese Mountains' (Nihon Hyakumeizan), Akadake is hugely popular because it can be climbed in a single day from the Minoto-guchi trailhead on the Nagano side, yet still delivers a genuine alpine experience: steep rocky ascents, fixed chains and ladders on the upper ridge, and sweeping views to the Southern Alps, Central Alps, Mount Fuji and even the Northern Alps on clear days. A network of mountain huts such as Akadake-kōsen, Gyōja-goya and Akadake Tenbōsō supports both day hikes and overnight trips, and the summit is often linked into ridge traverses toward Yokodake and Iōdake. In winter, Akadake is a favourite snow-climbing objective for experienced mountaineers.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Rute Klasik dari Minoto-guchi via Gyōja-goya & Jizō-one

Sulit–menengah — hiking alpine dengan scrambling berbatu dan segmen rantai/tangga besi di punggungan atas

13.00 km +1200 m Pendakian sehari panjang (±8–10 jam pulang-pergi) atau 2 hari dengan menginap di pondok

The most popular route up Akadake. It starts at the Minoto-guchi trailhead (美濃戸口) on the Nagano side; hikers usually drive or walk to Minoto, then follow the Yatsugatake river valley toward the Gyōja-goya hut. From there the trail climbs the rocky Jizō-one ridge (地蔵尾根), aided by chains and fixed ladders, to the ridge col near the Akadake Tenbōsō hut, before the final rocky push to the 2,899 m summit. Many complete it in a single long day, while those wanting a gentler pace overnight at one of the huts (Akadake-kōsen, Gyōja-goya or Akadake Tenbōsō). The summit opens onto panoramas of the Southern Alps, Mount Fuji and the southern Yatsugatake ridge.

Source

Traverse Punggungan Yatsugatake Selatan: Akadake → Yokodake → Iōdake

Sulit — jalur punggungan alpine berbatu dengan eksposur dan segmen rantai; untuk pendaki berpengalaman

1–2 hari (punggungan penuh dengan kemungkinan menginap di pondok)

A classic ridge traverse linking the main peaks of southern Yatsugatake. From Akadake, the trail follows the rocky ridge north over the sharp, chain-equipped Yokodake (横岳, ~2,829 m), then to Iōdake (硫黄岳, ~2,760 m) with its broad volcanic crater, before descending back to the Minoto valley. This route showcases the most alpine side of Yatsugatake and is often done as a strenuous day loop or a two-day trip with a hut overnight. The exposed Yokodake ridge demands care, especially in wind or snow.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Akadake (2,899 m), the highest peak of Yatsugatake, is one of central Japan's most popular alpine day hikes — close enough to Tokyo yet offering rocky scrambling, chains and wide panoramas. Most hikers start from Minoto-guchi on the Nagano side, climbing past the Gyōja-goya or Akadake-kōsen huts before the rocky push to the summit. The vlogs below — in Japanese and English — capture a range of experiences: green-season day hikes via the Minoto route, winter snow climbs, and an honest account of an attempt turned back by the weather.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.