Mount Hotakadake

, also known as Mount Hotakadake, is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains as coined by the media, reaching a height of . Mount Hotaka is situated in Japan's Hida Mountains and all its major peaks except Mount Maehotaka, lie on the border between the cities of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, and Takayama, Gifu Prefecture. This mountain is located in Chūbu-Sangaku National Park.

The peaks of Okuhotaka, Karasawa, Kitahotaka, Maehotaka and Nishihotaka are called the Hotaka Mountains. The highest peak in this range, and also the tallest mountain in both Nagano and Gifu prefectures, is Mount Okuhotaka. Mount Hotaka is also referred to as the .

Peaks

• is the highest peak in the Hotaka Mountain Range and the third highest in Japan after Mount Fuji and Mount Kita. Its peak at is the highest in Nagano and Gifu prefectures.
• is situated on a ridge between Mount Kitahotaka and the , the location of the Hotakadake mountain cottage. The triangulation point on the top is at while the peak reaches .
• , at , is the second highest of the Hotaka peaks, lying at the northern end of the range. , on the mountain's west face, is a well-known, prominent, rocky area of Japan. Near the summit lies the Kitahotaka Hut.
• is high and is connected to Mount Okuhotaka via the . To the north stretches the . To the west are rocks in direction of . The tip of the Kita Ridge is called . On the northeastern face lies a sheer cliff of .
• , with a peak of , lies on a mountain ridge stretching south from Mount Maehotaka. There are many climbing routes in this area.
• , at , lies on a mountain ridge running southwest from Mount Okuhotaka, near the end of the ridge. It is surrounded by many similarly rocky peaks which makes it difficult to discriminate visually.
• , with a peak at , lies on a ridge between Mount Okuhotaka and Mount Nishihotaka.
• is the western peak of Karasawadake, rising . The winter ascend route to Mount Okuhotaka passes here.

File:Mount Hotaka and Mount Yari from Mount Hachimori 2008-04-25.jpg

Peaks of Mount Hotaka and Mount Yari of southern Hida Mountains (called "Northern Alps" in Japan) seen from Mount Hachimori (from east).

History

• 1880 - William Gowland climbed Mount Myōjin, guided by local hunter Kamijō Kamonji.
• 1893 - Kiyohiko Tate climbed Mount Maehotaka, then Walter Weston climbed Mount Maehotaka. Walter Weston published Mountaineering and Exploring in the Japanese Alps (1896) and introduced Japanese mountains to the world.
• 1906 - Gunji Abe climbed Mount Okuhotaka at first.
• 1912 - Walter Weston climbed Mount Okuhotaka.
• December 4, 1934 - The region in this mountain was specified for the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park.

Hiking routes

File:Hodaka2000.JPG

Hotaka Mountains from the panorama course Byōbu-no-mimi (October 2000)

File:Hotakadake from Cyogatake 1999-8-1.jpg

Mt. Hotaka from Mount Chō

File:Kamikochi and Mount Hotaka 1999-05-22.jpg

Mt. Hotaka and Azusa River from Kamikōchi

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Mt. Nishi-hotaka, 2909 m

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Mt. Kitahotaka from Karasawa glacier (May 2003)

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Mt. OkuHotaka,3190m from kamikōchi (October 2007)

Even though the Hotaka Mountains are often climbed during times of lingering snow, like Golden Week, the following routes are strictly for snow-free periods. When snow has fallen, the area becomes extremely dangerous. Routes may become impassable, so special care is required.

The mountain climbing base at Karasawa lies in a U-shaped cirque dominated by Mount Okuhotaka, Mount Maehotaka and the Tsuri Ridge connecting the two. Because it lies on the northern side of the mountains, snow remains throughout the year.

To the north, beyond a steep descent and ascent at the Daikiretto, the ridge continues across , , ending at Mount Yari. In the south, a ridge stretches from Mount Okuhotaka via Mount Nishihotaka to Mount Yake. The Tsuri Ridge runs from Mount Okuhotaka to Mount Maehotaka, from where a path leads down through a cirque to the bridge Kappabashi in Kamikōchi. Climbing down on the Gifu side, either from the through or taking the Shinhotaka Ropeway from next to Nishihotaka-dake, the road and can be reached in the valley below.

Beginner

• Mount Okuhotaka

Kamikōchi ― ― ― ― Karasawa Cirque― Mount Okuhotaka

Kamikōchi ― Lake Myōjin ― Tokusawa ― Panorama course (Byōbunoatama) ― Karasawa Cirque― Mount Okuhotaka

(Note that in both cases the part from Karasawa to Mount Okuhotaka is actually more at the intermediate level)

• Mount Kitahotaka

Kamikōchi ― Lake Myōjin ― Tokusawa ― Yokoo ― Karasawa Cirque― Mount Kitahotaka

Shinhodaka Onsen ― Shinhotaka Ropeway ― Nishiho Mountain Cottage ― ― Nishihodoku

Kamikōchi ― ― Nishiho Mountain Cottage ― Maruyama ― Nishihodoku

Intermediate

• Mount Maehotaka - Mount Okuhotaka

Kamikōchi ― Dakesawa Mountain Hut ― ― Mount Maehotaka ― Mount Okuhotaka

The ascent from the Dakesawa Hut to Kimikodaira, () is the steepest in the Japanese Alps. There is no water on this ascent, and if climbing both mountains, the route to Mount Okuhotaka and Mount Maehotaka via Karasawa is more popular.

Advanced

• Yarihotaka traverse route

Mount Yari― ― ― ― ― Mount Kitahotaka ― Mount Karasawa ― Mount Okuhotaka ― ― Mount Aino ― Mount Nishihotaka ― Nishihodoku

Mountain huts

There are various alpine huts in the Mount Hotaka area:

See also

• List of mountains in Japan
• List of Ultras of Japan
• 100 Famous Japanese Mountains
• Three-thousanders (in Japan)
• Kamikōchi
• Mount Yari
• Hida Mountains - Chūbu-Sangaku National Park
• Tourism in Japan
• Karasawa Cirque

External links

• Topographic map (1:25,000)
• "Hotaka-dake, Japan" on Peakbagger