Kaimondake volcano — Local services in Ibusuki

Loved this hike. A fun one starting with a mossy fairytale-like forest. A lot of loose rocks for a decent part of the trail so better to have good grip on your shoes. A lot of people had hiking poles. If it’s been wet definitely make sure you’ve got sturdy grip and maybe gloves. Windy at the top and not that much space to hang around, especially if there are more than 10 people admiring the view. In late Dec I was fortunate to climb on a sunny and dry day. It was beautiful and everyone I passed was friendly and chatty. Most people started by 8/9am, a couple people on their way down possibly after catching the sunrise. Recommended to start by 11am latest so you can be finished before dark, esp when the sun sets as early as 5pm in Dec. Plus it took me longer to make my way down the slippery loose rocks. I read multiple sites/blogs ranging from 2 to 5 hours’ round trip.

My real time was 80 mins uphill and 2 hours downhill. There’s cheeky parking right by the trailhead, otherwise it’s just a short concrete road up from the designated parking lot.

Have a...

The hike actually starts from Kaimon train station, it is a 30min walk to go up to the beginning of trail (Kaimonsanrokufureai Park). If you have a car there is parking space at the beginning of trail.

From there to the top of the volcano took me 1h40min with a high pace, at normal speed it should take 2h to 2h30min. Descent should take 1h30 to 2h.

The trail is clearly marked, it is in the forest with a very limited number of stops to enjoy the view.

Good shoes are required to tackle the rocks. It is very challenging since it always goes up, there is no flat path to take a break from going up. The last part of the ascent is more adventurous with ladders and ropes.

The trail in October with temp 20 deg is perfect, in the summer with higher temperatures it might be more challenging. 2 bottles of water of 0.5L are recommended for this hike.

The top of the volcano is exceptional, heaven on earth. Pictures really dont...

This is a pretty challenging mountain for hiking. The trail starts pretty much from the bottom, leading to its peak at 924m. The total hiking distance is about 7-8 km. If you are attempting to hike up and down the mountain trail, be prepared to spend 5-6 hours up and down. And proper hiking boots or footwear should be worn. Do not be fooled by the naysayers, saying that this mountain is an easy feat and come with your sports shoes or normal walking shoes. There is also a warning at the start of the trail advising even for experienced climbers, to start in the mornings and during winter, avoid starting the hike up in the afternoons as there may not be sufficient time for ascent and descent before the sun sets. So come prepared with the right gears, and enjoy...