Mount Kinpu

Overview

Mount Kinpu (Kinpu-san, also read Kinpo-zan) rises to 2,599 metres on the boundary between Kofu City in Yamanashi and Kawakami Village in Nagano. It is the main peak of the Okuchichibu Range, leading the ridgeline that continues west toward Mount Kobushi. Also called Koshu-Ontake, it is counted among the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains and several other celebrated lists. The great rock Gojoiwa near its summit is the mountain's emblem.

Highlights

• ●The emblematic great rock Gojoiwa at the summit
• ●At 2,599 m, the second-highest peak of the Okuchichibu Range
• ●A celebrated mountain on the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains list
• ●The Kanazakura Shrine main hall and its history of faith at the summit

History

Mount Kinpu has long drawn religious devotion, and the main shrine of Kanazakura Shrine is enshrined at its summit. Its very name is read differently on each side: Kinpu-san in Yamanashi and Kinpo-zan in Nagano, a duality fitting a peak that straddles two prefectures. On July 10, 1950, the surrounding area was designated part of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, protecting both its rich nature and its history of faith.

Map

35.8717, 138.6253 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Check gear and weather at the trailhead and begin climbing toward the ridge
2. 2Enjoy alpine plants and the forest-and-rock scenery of Okuchichibu
3. 3Stop at the summit's Gojoiwa rock and the Kanazakura Shrine main hall
4. 4Descend while taking in the ridgeline toward Mount Kobushi and the distant views

Did you know?

💡 The great rock Gojoiwa at the summit is regarded as a sacred object of worship and is the very face of Mount Kinpu. It is the second-highest peak of the Okuchichibu Range, and from the ridge you can see the grand line of mountains continuing to Mount Kobushi and even distant Mount Fuji.

Nearby spots