Tateishisan — Attraction in Itoshima

Tateishisan is my all-time favourite hike around Fukuoka. Most mountains around here are quite wooded, and you only get nice views once you've reached the top. But depending on which route you pick, this hike is picturesque nearly the entire way.

If you've got time (about 4 hours return including a break at the top, 2.6km each way), I'd recommend starting the hike at Keya-no-Oto. From the parking area, you can walk up to a lookout point, as seen on the map at the start of the hiking course, and then walk along a rocky stretch of coastline towards a little fishing port.

As you approach the Keya docks, keep as close to the ocean as you can. Pass over a small bridge, past the boats to your right, and walk towards the little parking lot.

From here, you have a choice to make. Either turn left on the road that passes public toilets on your left and then take a right turn another 500 meters or so further on. Continue on this road past a small pond and then as you start to climb up an incline, keep an eye out for the trailhead on your right.

If you want to continue on the recommended route, at the far end of the parking lot, there is a little grassy path bordered by wildflowers that will take you straight to the beach.

Cross the length of Keya Beach, passing another set of public toilets on your left, and walk all the way to the end of the road. The trailhead is, at the time of writing, blocked off by a few construction fences and super easy to miss. Once you're on the trail though, just follow it up!

The trail to the top is a mix of dirt and solid stone, with a pretty consistent incline all the way to the (almost) top. About a third of the way up the trees clear and there are great views along the coast toward Itoshima and Karatsu.

For the best views (and fewest people), the first peak you get to (it seems like the top) is a great place to stop. About 400m further on (the trail goes down and then back up through the trees) is the actual summit, though the views aren't as nice, and just past that is another nice lookout point. If you want to make a loop of it, hit all 3 stopping points, and then continue down...

Super easy hike...unless you hate spiders. Then it's a nightmare. I'm sure that depends on the season, and perhaps the trailhead you start from, but the first time we did it in October (2017) from the beach trailhead it was absolute Spider Blvd. Big, beautiful harmless spiders have webs that cross above the trail, but not high enough to just walk under. Just when you think you've cleared a web section and try to stand, BAM, web in the face. The trailhead from the road above is much easier and I'm sure fewer spiders. I didn't see any in August (2023) but missed them, they make it fun. Of course the view is great, food and drink just down in the cute...

It was so beautiful and definitely worth the hike. Go on a day it hasn't rained in a while. If you are a person that wants to hike the entire trail I would start from the Keya Beach entrance. At some point it got to be a vertical path and I find it easier to climb vertically than descend vertically. If you don't need to do the entire trail you should start and end from the trailhead path. And you'll be able to reach all the nice viewpoints as well. You can take a bus to Keya from the station and it's about a 40 minute walk from the bus stop to the trail head. The trail also connects to the...