A number of years in the past, once I visited Mt. Daisen in Japan’s San’in area for the primary time, my Airbnb host tried to impart sense of the height’s significance as we regarded onto it from a long way away, the day earlier than our Mt. Daisen hike.
“Native folks generally name it Hoki-huji,” she defined, “hoki” a variation of hoku (the Japanese phrase for “north”) and “Huji” being an alliterative adaptation of Fuji, which I hope wants no clarification. She requested me if I believed Daisen regarded like Fujisan; I feel I mentioned sure, however the actuality was that they regarded nothing alike, cultural significance however.
Certainly, issues to do close to Mount Daisen are fairly completely different from what you would possibly end up doing close to Japan’s extra well-known Fuji, with one unsurprising exception.
The place to Keep at Mount Daisen
There are some lodging within the village simply past the mountain climbing path heads for Mount Daisen, though not everybody stays there. From resorts like Itadaki Daisen and Lodge Daisen Shirogane, to a couple dozen native properties on Airbnb, the city is a shadow of what it was in previous many years (when it was apparently an area ski hub), however there are actually new indicators of life right here.
If, alternatively, you aren’t set on sleeping in Daisen-cho, you’ll be able to as an alternative keep in Yonago, the closest massive metropolis to Daisen. As you may think, lodging in Yonago run the whole gamut, with enterprise resort manufacturers comparable to Tremendous Lodge and Lodge Route Inn represented particularly properly. You’ll be able to take one of many frequent buses from Yonago Station as much as Daisen, whether or not you intend to climb the mountain or occupy your time one other approach.
What to Do at (and Close to) Mt Daisen, In addition to Climbing
Climb Mt. Daisen (or hike it)
As is the case with Mt. Fuji, “climbing” Daisen is actually extra of a hike for my part. A a lot simpler one: It solely takes a few hours to make your approach up the whole path, which is neat and well-maintained, and is one thing of a staircase for a lot of the approach. Though haze could obscure the view of Yonago you get from the highest, it’s nonetheless a powerful perspective.
Discover Daisen City
Whether or not or not you determine to remain close to Mt Daisen, I do advocate spending a while in Daisen-cho, the city close to the assorted trailheads. Along with Daisen-ji, a fascinating forest temple, you’ll be able to sit down at considered one of many eating places to gas up earlier than or after your hike. You can too get a way of Daisen’s former glory: There are lots of deserted retailers that have been as soon as bustling with vacationers.
Hike close to the bottom
Whether or not or not you climb Daisen, there are many simpler hikes to get pleasure from nearer to floor stage. Whereas most of those are too low (and too near the mountain) to supply a lot of a view of it, you’ll be able to get pleasure from beautiful greenery (and throughout the autumn, purple and orange hues) and luxurious waterfalls as you’re employed up a sweat. Observe that you will want a automotive to entry most of those.
Don’t neglect Tottori
Mount Daisen is in Tottori prefecture, which is considered one of Japan’s most underrated locations for international guests. Whereas Tottori Metropolis isn’t a lot to write down residence about, it’s right here the place one can find the well-known “Japanese desert,” in addition to the underrated historic city of Kurayoshi and a hike that’s generally reputed to be Japan’s most harmful. Keep a day or two!
(Or Yonago)
Yonago is even much less identified amongst international guests to Japan than Tottori, with out an attraction as well-known as Tottori Sand Dunes to anchor it. Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless a lot to do right here, whether or not you absorb views of the Sea of Japan from the ruins of medieval Yonago Fort, or make a day journey to Sakaiminato, a port as well-known for seafood as it’s for anime.
Is Mount Daisen Price Visiting?
As I discussed within the intro to this piece, Daisen doesn’t really look very like Mt. Fuji. Which isn’t to say it’s not spectacular or iconic—it clearly is to the individuals who reside close by—however merely to bolster the truth that it’s most likely not in your Japan bucket listing. If you happen to climb it, I doubt declaring so can have the identical weight as if you happen to mentioned you climb Fuji. (In truth I do know it, as a result of I’ve climbed each and declared as such after every time!)
In fact, a visit to Mount Daisen isn’t nearly climbing it—and it actually isn’t about bragging rights. The encompassing San’in area, as an entire, is about transcending Japan’s vacationer path and discovering the “actual Japan,” no matter you interpret that to imply. I’d say that if you happen to plan to come back to this a part of Japan, there’s little or no motive to not come to Daisen, which is on the best way between Tottori and Matsue.
Different FAQ About Your Mount Daisen Hike
How do I get to Mount Daisen?
Daisen-cho, the village closest to Mt. Daisen’s mountain climbing trails, is accessible by way of frequent buses from Yonago Station. To get right here, you’ll be able to both experience a restricted specific practice from Okayama, or fly from Tokyo and take a Limousine Bus from Yonago Airport.
Is Mount Daisen energetic?
Not like its extra well-known cousin, Mount Daisen is a dormant volcano. In fact, this doesn’t reduce the fun of mountain climbing right here, even when residents in close by cities and cities can sleep a lot simpler than those that make their properties close to Mt. Fuji.
How excessive is Mt. Daisen?
Mt. Daisen is 5,673′ tall, or round 1,800 m in elevation. Against this, Mt. Fuji reaches a peak of 12,388′, or simply over 4,000m. Whereas each of those mountains are the tallest landforms of their respective areas by far, Mt. Fuji is greater than twice as tall as Mt. Daisen.
The Backside Line
Mt. Daisen has little or no in widespread with Mt. Fuji, aside from the truth that a Mount Daisen hike is nearly precisely as fulfilling as climbing Mt. Fuji. To make certain, I’ve by no means as soon as since chatting with a selected Airbnb host heard the phrase Hoki-huji used to explain the mountain, even when I don’t doubt that such a phrase exists throughout the vernacular of the San’in area. Whether or not or not you scale Daisen—spoiler alert: It’s approach simpler than climbing Fuji—I do hope you’ll make the journey right here if you happen to occur to seek out your self within the northwestern reaches of Japan’s Honshu island. I additionally hope you’ll rent me to plan your journey, if doing so by yourself appears too daunting.