Conquering Mount Kuju

One can experience all sorts of weather climbing just one mountain.

The other day, I climbed Mt. Kuju, which is located in Taketa city in Oita prefecture. It takes around one hour and 30 minutes to go there by car from Beppu city. This mountain is 1786 m tall. It is one of the 100 most famous mountains in Kyushu.

Fun fact, I mistakenly called this mountain “Mt. Kuzumi” instead of “Kuju”. Just goes to show it is difficult to read Kanji even for Japanese people.

At the beginning of my climb, it was cloudy. I was not sure I would be able to make it to the top at first. However, the sun eventually came out and the sky cleared up. One can experience all sorts of weather climbing just one mountain.

The nice thing about Mt. Kuju is that the path is well maintained and there are restrooms along the way, making it an easy climb for beginners. However, there were times when I had to proceed using stairs and ladders, which was a bit treacherous.

Mt Kuju is only one of many mountains in the Kuju range, so there are many hiking courses to choose from. And at least one of them is calling your name.