[Climbing]: Mt. Hiyama on Kurahashi Island (Kure)
I have wanted to visit Mt. Hiyama on Kurahashi Island for a long time.
The mountain rises 408 meters above sea level and is in the center of Kurahashi Island, at the southernmost point of Hiroshima Prefecture.
It is a 60-minute bus ride from Kure Station.
This mountain is called “Mt. Hiyama” (fire mountain) because it served as a crucial landmark for ships navigating the Seto Inland Sea in the past. The fires lit on its summit had worked like a lighthouse.
At the summit of the mountain, a massive rock provides a panoramic view of the islands in the Seto Inland Sea and the distant Shikoku Mountains.
Various routes lead to the peak, and I found that a walking trail leads visitors around a pilgrimage (to see 88 stone Buddha statues).
This path of faith has existed since the Edo period, around 400 years ago.
I was fascinated to find such a path on Kurahashi Island.
Setting the 88 stone Buddhas in the mountains must have been unimaginably hard.
During the torrential rains in western Japan in the summer of 2018, a landslide severed a section of the walking trail.
We were all heartbroken that this happened to a lot of places of Kure, and then a Kurahashi resident from overseas proposed a new route on Mr. Hiyama.
The 88 stone Buddhas were relocated and enshrined with the support of the local community.
I found this story about the effort to preserve the island’s history heartwarming.
It is now December, but the weather is still warm.
Taking advantage of this great opportunity, I invited a friend (a first-time climber) to join me in climbing the mountain.
We started from the Kurahashi Civic Center parking lot this time and climbed.
Senjojiki (One thousand tatami mats)
The view at the top is amazing!
And the view from the top is also breathtaking!
You can see as far as Shikoku.
I wonder if this makes me a mountain girl now.
We were able to visit the stone Buddhas from No. 80 through No. 60! –Three-hour course (1.5 hours one way)
I would like to take an alternative route to ascend, and I am determined to successfully complete the Pilgrimage!
Please bring groves. There are places where you have to use ropes to climb.
There are no restrooms on the mountain.
Kamigochi, Kurahashi-cho, Kure, Hiroshima 737-1377
▼Recommended Tour
Kure Bay Ship Tour
Set sail on a cruise and get an up-close view of mighty ships (duration: about 30 minutes)! The evening cruise that departs at sunset is also highly recommended. *(You may want to use an extension to translate pages in Japanese.)
Konnichiwa! My name is Anne.
I live in a port town called Kure City, 40 minutes by car from Hiroshima City.
We have many beautiful islands. There is an abundance of seafood and fruits.
The place is surrounded by sea and mountains. You can experience walking on narrow streets, hiking on mountains and even climbing stairs.
Strolling around the town is also enjoyable.
You will surely find your own Seto Inland Sea trip here!
