Mount Karasawa

Overview

Mount Karasawa stands at 1,900.2 meters on the border between Minamiuonuma in Niigata Prefecture and Minakami in Tone District, Gunma Prefecture. Like neighboring Mount Hinokigura, it lies on the Central Divide and counts among the peaks encircling the headwaters of the Tone River. With an imposing height exceeding 1,900 meters, it lies deep along the Jōshin'etsu border ridgeline, a quiet and rewarding summit to climb.

Highlights

• ●An imposing 1,900.2-meter peak encircling the Tone River headwaters
• ●A geographic pivot on the border ridgeline and the Central Divide
• ●One of the highest points in this range, surpassing nearby Mount Hinokigura
• ●The stillness and challenge of a deep mountain without easy access

History

Mount Karasawa has been regarded as one of the peaks along the ridgeline forming the border between Echigo (Niigata) and Jōshū (Gunma). Sitting on the Central Divide, rain that falls here parts toward the Sea of Japan and the Pacific. This range, holding the headwaters of the Tone River, has been cherished as a water source nurturing one of Kanto's great rivers. For details on any history of worship or climbing here, it is reassuring to check official information and local materials before entering the mountains.

Map

36.9356, 138.9667 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Confirm the Minakami or Minamiuonuma trailhead with current information and set out
2. 2Trace the border ridgeline toward the 1,900-meter summit
3. 3Savor the divide view splitting the Sea of Japan from the Pacific at the top
4. 4Descend carefully and close the trip at a hot spring or village in Minakami or Uonuma

Did you know?

💡 Mount Karasawa rises roughly 150 meters higher than neighboring Mount Hinokigura at 1,744.2 meters, standing out for its height among the peaks encircling the Tone headwaters. Where the prefectural border and the Central Divide overlap, this is a symbolic place where the destiny of a single drop of water splits between the Sea of Japan and the Pacific.

Nearby spots