Mount Ibuki's climbing season starts from spring and ends in summer. Many hikers and tourists visit Mount Ibuki for the good weather, the magnificent view of Lake Biwa, and the various alpine plant flower fields.

To access Mount Ibuki, there are two major methods. First is to take the hiking path starting in Ueno Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture, which takes about 3 hours one way. Or you can take the toll road Ibukiyama Driveway starting from Sekigahara-cho, Gifu Prefecture, and reaching the 9th station. At the 9th station there is Sky Terrace Ibukiyama, where you can purchase food and gifts, and from there you can climb to the peak.

This time we decided to take the beginner-friendly method to the peak from the 9th station!

First, get off at Meinshin Expressway Sekigahara Interchange and enter Ibukiyama Driveway from Ibukiyama entrance. It is a single road to the 9th station, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost. When we visited in June, we could see vibrant green everywhere. The air feels incredibly clear and refreshing.

Once you park your car at Sky Terrace Ibukiyama, it is time to head to the peak. There are 3 different routes “West,” “Center,” and “East” and each has different difficulties. You can only use “West” and “Center” to ascend.

The West mountain path entrance is located past the parking area of the Sky Terrace Ibukiyama, and the route goes along the west side of the mountain.

The path is well maintained with gravel, which makes it easier to walk along. The West mountain path is the best route to walk along if you want to get a great view while walking and see alpine plants.

On the other hand, the Center mountain path is the shortest and only requires about 20 minutes to reach the peak. Since it goes directly to the peak along the bare hillside, there are steep steps along the way.

We recommend taking the Center mountain path, if you wish to reach the peak and then leisurely enjoy the view.

The East mountain path is reserved for people going down, and compared to West and Center mountain path, it is left in a more natural state. There are some flowers that can only be seen here, but the path is meant for more experienced people.

We decided to take the scenic climbing route and went up the West mountain path and challenged ourselves with the Center mountain path on the way down!

When you enter the West mountain path, you will see the blue sky upfront, the mountainside to the left, and other mountains of the Ibukiyama mountain range to the right. You get a nice panoramic view, and it feels great!

The nice occasional breeze, birds chirping, and flowers swaying in the wind, really cleanses your body and soul while walking.

Looking down, we found alpine plants such as vincetoxicum acuminatum, sedum subtile, spiraea nervosa, valeriana fauriei, and thistle that were starting to bloom.

From June to August, there are many flowers that bloom along the mountainside. It looks like a flower field in the sky and charms many climbers.

After casually walking for about 50 minutes, we can finally see the peak. Before the peak, there is an observation deck where you can look down on Lake Biwa. Let’s head over to the observation deck first.

You will reach the observation deck in about a minute. The observation deck is just an area with a simple fence. However, if you watch your footing and lookout, you can get the full view of Lake Biwa! It’s a magnificent panoramic view. This view is only possible at Mount Ibuki, the largest mountain in the prefecture. A rare sight that is only available unless you climb this far.

It’s finally time to reach the peak after leaving the observation area! Even though we started at the 9th station, it’s quite a workout. You get such a rush once you reach the peak.

Since there aren’t any mountains taller than Mount Ibuki in the area, you can get a full 360-degree view from the peak. On a clear sky day you can see Lake Biwa and Hieizan to the west, the cityscape of Gifu Prefecture to the east, Suzuka Mountain range, and Ise Bay to the south and Mount Ontake, Japanese Alps and even Mount Fuji!

Let’s stop by the resting area at the peak. They have coffee, soft cream, light meals such as curry and soba, and even sake. Meals at the peak taste much better than usual.

Once we caught our breath, we went down the Center mountain path, the shortest route to Sky Terrace Ibukiyama. You can see various alpine plants and beautiful scenery from this route too. Since the route goes straight, we arrived at the 9th station in no time.

Once you returned to the 9th station, lets head over to the Sky Terrace Ibukiyama, which sells gifts and also has a dining area. The front of the store is the gift area, and the back part is the dining area.

In the gift section, there are many local specialty items. We strongly recommend the Ibuki Hyakka Mitsu, honey made from flowers that only bloom between May and July on Mount Ibuki. It has a deep unique flavor that is quite addicting.

According to a theory, the first area soba was introduced in Japan was around the base of Mount Ibuki, and since then Mount Ibuki has been called the “place of origin for soba.” Also the mountain has unique medicinal herbs and also called the “treasure chest of medicinal herbs.” For that reason bath additives blended with herbal medicine and soba are popular at the store. Taking a bath with herbal medicine bath additives and eating a bowl of soba after your hike might be a good way to finish your day.

The dining area in the back has a nice menu with soba, udon, and curry. Since it’s the place of origin for soba, their popular menu is Ibuki Soba with either sansai or kakiage (type of tempura with various ingredients) toppings.

At the cafe corner, they server “Ibuki Meisui Cofee” (300 yen) and “Herb Tea” (350 yen) made with spring water from the base of Mount Ibuki. How about a relaxing moment at the terrace looking at the Ibuki Mountains?

From mid July - end of August, there is the very convenient Ibukiyama Tozan Bus that operates every day from Maibara Station to Sky Terrace Ibukiyama (1,400 yen one way).

We also recommend the autumn leaves season. From early October to mid-October, the peak area starts to color, and from mid-November to the end of the month the midslope of the mountain enters the best viewing period. The mountain turns red and yellow and provides us a wonderful view.

Mount Ibuki is a famous mountain with an altitude of more than 1,300m; however it is still a place where beginners can casually climb. How about escaping to the great outdoors and refreshing yourself?

* All prices mentioned include tax.