Activities at Mt. Ojigatake
Visitors to Mt. Ojigatake can take part in a wide variety of outdoor activities, from leisurely strolls around the walking paths near the peak to thrilling aerial adventures in a paraglider.
Walking and hiking
Ojigatake (234 meters) can be climbed via any of the three trails to the peak. The hike takes around an hour regardless of the trail chosen and does not require any special equipment apart from proper hiking shoes. Trail 1 starts near the intersection of National Route 430 and Prefectural Road 462 just west of Shibukawa Beach, where the trailhead is clearly marked with several signboards. Trail 2 begins along Route 430, some distance west from the trailhead for Trail 1. The entrance to Trail 3 is still farther west along the same road, behind the Hokaze restaurant.
Around the summit, several well-maintained and largely flat walking paths that can be reached directly from the mountaintop parking lot afford views of the scenery across the Inland Sea toward Shikoku. Some of the paths go past giant granite boulders, a number of them curiously shaped. There is the Smiling Rock (Nikoniko iwa), which looks like a grinning face in profile, a cluster of oblong rocks dubbed the Chick Rocks (Hiyoko iwa), a set of three pillar-like rocks thought to resemble animals, and many more.
Bouldering, paragliding, and fun by the water
Mt. Ojigatake has been a destination for adventure sports enthusiasts for decades. Local free climbers have been honing their skills on the boulders at Ojigatake since the 1970s, and the mountain is considered the place where bouldering, a sport that involves climbing rocks without the use of ropes or harnesses, originated in Japan.
Paragliding is another popular activity at Ojigatake, where pilots ride the thermal currents and soar over the landscape. Beginners are welcome to practice flying together with an experienced instructor.
Down at sea level, Shibukawa Beach is noted for windsurfing and sailing, while the small, uninhabited island called Kujirajima (“whale island”) beneath Ojigatake has a private campground that can be rented by groups of 2 to 52. The campground includes a “glamping” area where guests can stay in fully furnished tents.