
Mt. Bandai is one of the most recognizable of Fukushima’s landmarks. It towers in the background of many scenic places and is located in a super picturesque area right next to Lake Inawashiro.
Mt. Bandai is situated in Bandai-Asahi National Park, and is the focal point of the gorgeous sightseeing roads Bandai-Azuma Skyline and Bandai-Azuma Lake Line. No matter what the season, Mt. Bandai is truly a sublime sight to behold.
I started my climb at the Happodai Trailhead, which is the most commonly used route up Mt. Bandai and the easiest to hike! There are 2 pretty wide car parks at this trailhead so it is easy to park there even on more popular hiking days. I created a map of the hiking trail, so please make sure to check it out. I hope it’s of some help! It takes around 2 hours to hike from the Happodai Trailhead to the main rest station which is situated at Koboshimizu Mountain Hut. At this rest stop, you can buy souvenirs such as Mt. Bandai pins and badges, bells to ward off bears, postcards, etc. But the thing I appreciated being able to buy at this rest stop was a cold bottle of coke. It’s a good idea to have a good rest at this stop because the final 20 minutes to the summit of Mt Bandai is pretty steep compared to the rest of the hike. I’m glad I took my time before facing the final part of the hike. I was really impressed by how scenic this hike was – especially once we got to the top and the clouds started to clear up, finally letting us see amazing views all the way down to Lake Inawashiro. I’ve been to Lake Inawashiro a number of times and seen photos of the lake from lots of angles, but it was really awesome to see it from above. Our walk back down had much clearer skies, meaning that we could take some good photographs of the views! We walked past a large field that becomes filled with flowers a number of times over the course of the year, so I recommend taking this route on the way back. Going back via the flower field also cuts out some of the steeper climb between the trailhead and Koboshimizu Mountain Hut. Climbing Mt. Bandai was a great experience, and definitely something I am proud to tick off my Fukushima bucket list! Make sure to try this hike if you have a chance!
TIPS