GUNUNG · Jepang

Yarigatake

槍ヶ岳 (Yari-ga-take)

Information

Elevation: 3.180 m
Country: Jepang (JP)
Location / Range: Hida Mountains (Kita Alps / Northern Japan Alps) — Nagano–Gifu border, Japan
Mountain type: Sharp-pointed orogenic peak (non-volcanic; Hida granite and metamorphic rock)
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 36.3419, 137.6475
Difficulty: Intermediate–hard (Nagano Rating System: physical 8/10, technical C); the final 200 m is a chain-aided vertical climb and two steep iron ladders — a helmet is mandatory from the summit hut
Best Season: Late July–mid-October; best point late August–mid-September (stable weather, huts open, quieter); avoid climbing outside July–September without winter mountaineering gear
Permits & Rules: No paid permit; filing a climbing plan (tozan todoke) is strongly recommended; most popular access from Kamikochi (Nagano) or the Shinhotaka Ropeway (Gifu); ropeway tickets are for the station only, not for climbing
Hazards: Rockfall from other climbers (helmet mandatory in the summit zone); ladders/chains slippery when wet or frozen; lightning risk due to the sharp peak shape; avalanches on the Yarisawa route in spring; altitude sickness above 3,000 m; queues on the summit trail in peak season

Description

Yarigatake (槍ヶ岳, 3,180 m) is nicknamed the 'Matterhorn of Japan' for its instantly recognisable spear-shaped summit. The fifth-highest peak in Japan, it sits in the Hida Mountains (Northern Alps) on the Nagano–Gifu border and ranks among the iconic Hyakumeizan (100 Famous Japanese Mountains). Its first ascent was made by Buddhist ascetic Banryu in 1828, marking the beginning of Japanese mountaineering; British mining engineer William Gowland made the first foreign ascent in 1878 and coined the term 'Japanese Alps'. The most popular route starts from Kamikochi (1,505 m), follows the Azusa River valley past Yokoo, then climbs steeply via the Yarisawa snowfield to the main Yarigatake Sanso hut (3,080 m). The final 100 m is a near-vertical scramble aided by two iron ladders and fixed chains — challenging, especially when crowded.

Gallery

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

Routes

Rute Hidasawa via Shinhotaka (飛騨沢ルート) — jalur sisi Gifu

Sangat Sulit (Physical 8/10 — pendakian paling berat di antara rute Yarigatake)

Naik 8–9 jam; lazimnya 2 hari dari Shinhotaka Onsen

A route from the Gifu/Takayama side, starting from Shinhotaka Onsen (1,100 m) or the Shinhotaka Ropeway. This approach is steeper and involves more elevation gain (~2,080 m) than the Kamikochi route, but is shorter horizontally. It passes the Hotakadaira-goya hut (90 min from start) and Yaridaira-goya (Day 1 campsite available) before an extremely steep climb up the Hidasawa valley and Hida Nokkoshi — the route's hardest switchbacks. From Hida Nokkoshi, follow the ridge to the Yarigatake Sanso hut and summit.

Route Segments

1

Shinhotaka Onsen / Ropeway → Hotakadaira-goya

⏱ 90 menit 1.900 mdpl

Melewati hutan larch di jalur landai; Hotakadaira-goya adalah pondok pertama dan dapat dipesan
2

Hotakadaira-goya → Yaridaira-goya

⏱ 2–3 jam 2.300 mdpl

Melewati ngarai Hidasawa; campsite tenda tersedia (¥2.000/malam); ini biasanya akhir Hari 1
3

Yaridaira-goya → Hida Nokkoshi

⏱ 3–4 jam 2.990 mdpl

Pendakian paling berat di seluruh rute ini: switchback tak berujung di lereng berbatu; terrain di atas 2.500 m terbuka
4

Hida Nokkoshi → Yarigatake Sanso → Puncak

⏱ 1–1,5 jam 3.180 mdpl

Traversal punggung bukit singkat ke pondok, lalu tangga besi + rantai ke puncak tombak

Source

Rute Yarisawa via Kamikochi (槍沢コース) — jalur standar

Sulit (Physical 7/10, Technical B/C — scramble vertikal di puncak)

Naik 9–11 jam total; lazimnya 2 malam 3 hari dari Kamikochi

The most popular route to Yarigatake, starting from the Kamikochi Bus Terminal (1,505 m) reachable only by public bus from Matsumoto. The route follows the flat Azusa valley for 11 km past the iconic Kappa-bashi bridge, then climbs steeply at Yokoo (1,620 m) along the Yarisawa snowfield (lasting into August) to the Yarigatake Sanso hut (3,080 m). The final 100 m from the hut is a near-vertical scramble aided by three iron ladders and fixed chains — helmets are mandatory from the hut. Summit queues are common during peak season (August).

Route Segments

1

Kamikochi → Kappa-bashi (jembatan ikonik)

⏱ 5 menit dari bus terminal 1.505 mdpl

Titik foto terpopuler di Kamikochi; tampak Hotaka-dake dan puncak-puncak Alpen Utara
2

Kappa-bashi → Tokusawa

⏱ 1,5–2 jam 1.620 mdpl

Jalan hutan datar menyusuri sungai Azusa; ada Tokusawa-en lodge bila perlu istirahat
3

Tokusawa → Yokoo

⏱ 1 jam 1.620 mdpl

Tetap datar; ada jembatan besar Yokoo-bashi; titik split: ke kiri Yarigatake, ke kanan Hotaka-dake via Karasawa
4

Yokoo → Yarisawa Lodge

⏱ 1,5 jam 1.960 mdpl

Mulai mendaki nyata; melewati Ichi-no-mata (1.820 m); jalur melewati ni-no-mata
5

Yarisawa Lodge → Yarigatake Sanso (pondok puncak)

⏱ 3–4 jam 3.080 mdpl

Pendakian paling berat: traverse ladang salju Yarisawa; berbatujan lepas; di atas 2.500 m — mabuk ketinggian bisa muncul
6

Yarigatake Sanso → Puncak (Yarigatake 3.180 m)

⏱ 30–50 menit PP 3.180 mdpl

Tiga tangga besi vertikal + rantai tetap; puncak sangat sempit (maks 5–6 orang); antrean sering terjadi Agustus

Source

Climbing Experiences

Yarigatake (槍ヶ岳, 3,180 m) — the 'Matterhorn of Japan' — can be approached from several directions in the Hida Mountains (Northern Alps). The most popular route departs from Kamikochi (1,500 m) in Nagano, follows the Azusa River valley past Yokoo before ascending the Yarisawa snowfield, and requires 2–3 days. The Hidasawa route from Shinhotaka (Gifu) is steeper but shorter. The final summit section always requires a scramble aided by iron ladders and fixed chains — helmets are mandatory. The videos below document real climbs via the main routes, from multi-day hut-to-hut journeys to dramatic moments on the spire-shaped 3,180 m summit.

References

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