Japan produces some of the world’s strongest competition boulderers, and most of them learned on plywood: Tokyo alone has dozens of bouldering gyms, many open late into the evening. The outdoor rock is less famous abroad, and the best of it is the granite slabs and cracks of Ogawayama in Nagano, which Japanese climbers call the Yosemite of Japan.
Ogawayama and its neighbour Mizugaki sit either side of Mount Kinpu, three to four hours from Tokyo. Closer in, the river boulders at Mitake below Mount Mitake are a day trip on the Ome Line, and the black lava cliffs of Jogasaki on the Izu Peninsula give sea-cliff climbing through the winter.
Above all that rise the Japanese Alps, where chains, ladders and knife-edge ridges on Tsurugi-dake and the peaks above Kamikochi turn summer hikes into scrambles, and where Mount Aka hosts the country’s best-known ice climbing in winter.
At a Glance#
- Granite: Ogawayama and Mizugaki, on either side of Mount Kinpu, have cracks, slabs, multi-pitch domes and hundreds of boulders, climbed from about April to October.
- Near Tokyo: river bouldering at Mitake below Mount Mitake, 90 minutes by train, and Jogasaki’s lava sea cliffs on the Izu coast for winter days.
- Alpine rock: the Kitadake Buttress on Mount Kita, the Hotaka ridges above Kamikochi and the chains of Tsurugi-dake, July to early October.
- Winter ice: frozen gullies and a man-made ice tower below Mount Aka in the Yatsugatake range, roughly December to March.
- Mount Fuji: a walk rather than a climb, but Fuji is the summit most visitors want, open from July to 10 September with a 4,000 yen fee.
- Gyms: a bouldering day pass in a big city gym costs about 2,000 yen (about $13), plus a one-off registration fee.
Ogawayama and Mizugaki#
Ogawayama is the centre of Japanese free climbing: a forested valley in Kawakami village, Nagano, with granite towers, slabs and cracks spread along the road above the Mawarimedaira campsite, which most climbers use as a base. The style is technical friction slab and crack climbing, so bring a trad rack as well as quickdraws, and expect older bolts on some of the classic lines. The boulders scattered through the forest are just as popular, with circuits from easy to world-class. The nearest station is Shinano-Kawakami on the JR Koumi Line, but almost everyone drives or arrives with a climbing partner who does.
Mizugaki, about 25 minutes’ drive away on the Yamanashi side in Hokuto, is the bigger, wilder neighbour. Its granite domes and spires carry multi-pitch routes of up to several hundred metres, and the Mizugaki nature park has a campground and boulder fields of its own, including the split Momotaro boulder that every climber photographs.
The season runs from about early April to late October. April and May and September and October are best, autumn usually drier. The June to mid-July rainy season and humid midsummer slow things down, and in winter the campground closes and the road may be impassable. Several local and international guiding outfits run two and three day courses here, with pickups from Shinano-Kawakami station or the campsite.
Around Tokyo#
Mitake, in the Tama River valley in western Tokyo, is the city’s favourite bouldering spot: granite boulders on both banks of the river, about 90 minutes from Shinjuku on the JR Ome Line beyond Ome. The Ninja boulder, with a cluster of hard problems, is the best known. Combine it with a walk up to the shrine on Mount Mitake or on to Lake Okutama. Pads can be hard to rent, so bring your own or join a gym trip.
Jogasaki, on the east coast of the Izu Peninsula in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, is a seaside crag of dark lava with many small sectors, both sport and trad routes, cracks and vertical technical faces. The approach is a 30 to 40 minute walk from Jogasaki-kaigan, Futo or Izu-kogen stations, around two hours from Tokyo. The mild coast makes it a winter crag. Bolts and fixed gear take a beating from salt spray, so check everything, and note that camping and overnight parking are not allowed.
The Japanese Alps#
Japan’s mountains are steep and rocky, and many of the big summits are scrambles. The Northern Alps hold the most famous: from Kamikochi, hut-to-hut routes lead up the Hotaka ridges and the spike of Yarigatake, linked by the exposed Daikiretto notch. Tsurugi-dake, reached from Murodo on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route below Mount Tate, is the hardest of the classic summits for hikers, with chain-and-ladder pitches on the way up and down.
For technical alpine rock, the Kitadake Buttress on Mount Kita, Japan’s second-highest peak in the Southern Alps, is the best-known multi-pitch route in the country. Tanigawa-dake in Gunma has long gully and face routes with a grim accident record, so go with someone who knows it.
The summer season is July to early October, after the snow melts from the high ridges and before the first autumn storms. Huts book out on weekends and during the Obon holiday in mid-August. In winter these peaks become serious alpine climbs. The ice gullies around Mount Aka in the Yatsugatake range, a short walk from mountain huts that stay open in winter, are the gentler entry point, and one hut builds an artificial ice tower for practice.
Further afield#
Kansai climbing began on the granite of the Ashiya Rock Garden, on the slopes of Mount Rokko above Kobe, still a busy training ground with short multi-pitch routes and a train station at the bottom. In Hokkaido, the Akaiwa sea cliffs near Otaru are the north’s classic crag, climbable in summer when Honshu is too humid. Mount Fuji itself needs no climbing skill: the season runs from July to 10 September, every trail charges 4,000 yen (about $27) per person, and the Yoshida Trail caps numbers and closes its gate to climbers without a hut booking from 2pm to 3am. Check the official climbing site before you go.
Gyms, grades and gear#
- Gyms: chains such as B-Pump run big bouldering gyms in Tokyo and Osaka. At B-Pump, first-time registration is 2,200 yen and a day pass about 2,200 yen; other gyms charge less, and shoes rent for a few hundred yen. Bring your passport to register.
- Grades: routes use the American decimal scale (5.10a and so on). Boulder problems use kyu grades that count down to 1-kyu, then dan grades for the hardest problems.
- Gear: there is almost no gear hire at outdoor crags. Rent shoes and pads in a city gym or shop, or book a guide who provides everything. Mountain gear shops cluster in Tokyo around Ochanomizu and Shinjuku.
- Guides: English-speaking guiding is limited and books up in autumn; a guided day costs considerably more than in Southeast Asia, so compare a few operators.
- Getting there: most crags are far easier by car. See our getting around guide for rental and the international driving permit rule.
Mountain rules
Submit a climbing plan (tozan todoke) before any alpine route; in parts of the Northern Alps it is compulsory, and it can be filed online. Carry insurance that covers mountain rescue, since Saitama already charges for prefectural helicopter call-outs and others, including Yamanashi for off-season Fuji, plan to follow. Afternoon thunderstorms are common on the high ridges in summer, so start early.
For the wider picture, compare climbing across East Asia and the best climbing in the world. After a weekend on granite, soak in one of the hot springs in our onsen guide, and see the national parks guide for the mountains around the crags.
Best places to climb in Japan#
More Things to Do#
Japan rock climbing FAQs#
Where is the best rock climbing in Japan?
Ogawayama in Nagano and neighbouring Mizugaki in Yamanashi are the best, with granite cracks, slabs, multi-pitch domes and hundreds of boulders. Near Tokyo, Mitake has river bouldering and Jogasaki has sea cliffs.
When is the climbing season in Japan?
For crags like Ogawayama, April to May and September to October, avoiding the June and July rainy season and humid summer. Sea cliffs such as Jogasaki are best in winter. Alpine routes in the Japanese Alps open from July to early October.
Can I rent climbing gear in Japan?
Gyms rent shoes for a few hundred yen, but outdoor crags have almost no rental shops. Bring your own rope, rack and harness, or book a guide who supplies them.
How much does a climbing gym cost in Japan?
A day of bouldering in a city gym costs about 1,500 to 2,200 yen, plus a registration fee of up to about 2,200 yen on your first visit.
Do you need climbing skills for Mount Fuji?
No. The summer trails are a long, high hike with no technical sections. Every trail charges 4,000 yen, and the season runs from July to 10 September.