Mount Tsurugi Summit Trail (via Minokoshi Chairlift)

The Mount Tsurugi Summit Trail begins at the top station of the Minokoshi chairlift, reached by a bus from JR Awa-Ikeda Station to the Minokoshi trailhead or by private car via Route 438 to the paid parking lot at the chairlift base; no permit is required. The chairlift climbs roughly 20 minutes to the West Peak station, from which the summit trail covers 5.3 km round trip with approximately 546 m of elevation gain to the 1,955 m summit of Mount Tsurugi, the second-highest peak in Shikoku. The path is a well-maintained mix of packed dirt, stone steps, and wooden boardwalk sections laid across open sasa (dwarf bamboo) meadows above the treeline, with minimal technical difficulty but sustained exposure to wind and sun once above the ridge. Shade is limited past the shrine, so sun protection matters even on cool days. Key landmarks include Tsurugi Jinja shrine about 30 minutes from the chairlift station, the legendary Oichi Grave partway up, and the summit boardwalk loop offering 360-degree views across the Shikoku mountains toward Mount Ishizuchi. Hikers pressed for time can turn around at the shrine for a shorter outing. A vending machine at the chairlift top station is the last reliable water source; the trail itself has none. The Tsurugisan-Chojo Hutte mountain hut near the summit provides seasonal shelter, simple meals, and toilets during the operating season.