Hiking Mt. Karakuni

From forest to bare volcanic rock in an hour

Tristan Scholze Apr 14, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Mt. Karakuni scrapes through the clouds</p>

<p>The forested trail at the base of Mt. Karakuni</p>

<p>Moss and mushrooms have found a home on this log</p>

<p>Some moss prefer smooth wood to other surfaces</p>

<p>Kyushu azaleas, known as miyama kirishima here, bloom in May and are one of the park's major floral attractions</p>

<p>About halfway to the top you'll have good views down onto Mt. Io; interestingly, the crater has green grass growing in it</p>

<p>Tender young leaves starting to change colors</p>

<p>You'll reach the cloud line when the forest thins out</p>

<p>I've always felt there was something special about standing in the clouds; on clear days you can see Sakurajima, Kagoshima's most famous volcano</p>

<p>The brush gets smaller and rocks bigger as elevation increases</p>

<p>Get your bearings with the park service's guide maps</p>

<p>Typical brush of the windswept top of the mountain</p>

<p>The distinctive reddish rock dust near the summit</p>

<p>A look down into the crater was limited with rain clouds passing by on this day</p>

<p>One of the very few flowers in this landscape, akinokirinsou, or European goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea)</p>

<p>This marks the peak of Mt. Kirishima</p>

This 1,700 m (5,577 ft) stratovolcano is the tallest peak in the Kirishima Volcanic Group. The rough, partially-collapsed crater and side of Mt. Karakuni bears a resemblance to the larger and more famous Mt. St. Helens in the United States.

With the base of the mountain resting in the Ebino Plateau at about 1,200 m (3,937 ft) and the trail extending from Mt. Io being well maintained, this part of the hike is very moderate and accessible.

It’s less than an hour from the Susuki Plain to the peak as the trail passes through a broad range of landscapes. From the nearly barren peak of reddish rock, there’s a great view in any direction and a wickedly sheer drop of about 300 m (984 ft) down into the crater.

韓国岳—karakuni-dake—Mt. Karakuni

Tristan Scholze @tristan.scholze

I'm also known as Faer Out. I love learning about people and nature. I've traveled around the world and throughout Japan, and I hope to continue seeing and experiencing the wonder of this planet as long as I live.Based in Japan for nearly two decades, I'm a Japan Travel expert for Fukuoka and Sag...