Mount Ryokami Hacchotoge Course

The Hacchotoge course up Mount Ryokami starts at the Hacchotoge trailhead in Otaki, Chichibu, reached by taxi from Seibu-Chichibu Station (about 50 minutes, roughly ¥8,000) or limited seasonal bus service; there is no train access directly to the trailhead. The round trip covers about 5.6km, climbing from roughly 1,100m to the 1,723m summit, a gain of around 620m over four to five hours. Despite its relatively short distance, the course is considered one of the more technical short hikes in the Chichibu area because of chain-assisted rock scrambles on the upper slopes, where hikers pull themselves up steep, exposed rock faces using fixed chains bolted into the mountainside; a helmet is recommended for this section given the risk of loose rock and falls. Below the chained sections, the trail passes through mixed forest known for Akayashio azalea blooms in April and May, when the hillsides turn shades of pink along the path. The trail surface transitions from packed dirt and root-crossed forest floor lower down to bare rock and scree near the summit ridge, with minimal shade above the treeline. The summit itself is a narrow rocky platform with 360-degree views across the Chichibu mountains and, on clear days, toward the Okuchichibu range and Mount Fuji. There is no water source on the mountain, so hikers must carry everything they need. Given the exposure on the chained sections, this is not a route for hikers uncomfortable with steep scrambling, and wet or icy conditions significantly increase the difficulty and risk of the rock sections.