Maybe you’ve been strolling around town, looking at the green hills around Kotohira. Or perhaps you’ve been looking out the window all week while working on your laptop, feeling stuck inside and wishing you were walking up those hills instead. You’re more than ready to start exploring the lush nature you see everywhere around town, but you don’t know where to begin? Not to worry, we’re here to help you get started!

There are many great hiking trails around Kotohira that will provide you with a day full of exercise, exploration, and great views. Read on below to find 3 great nature hikes around Kotohira, from an easy one-hour hillclimb to a challenging ridge hike that will properly test your stamina!

1: Atagoyama

To start off, let’s talk about an easy one. It will only take you 40-60 minutes to complete (ignore the time mentioned in the overview above), so this hike is perfect for an early morning exercise or an active afternoon break from work. 

The route starts at the Kotohira Town Hall, a beautiful historic building just south of the main shopping boulevard. From here, follow the road as it curves up into the trees. You’ll notice a mossy footpath breaking away from the asphalt; follow this path, cross the road, and continue up the wooden stairs on the other side. These stairs will take you up to a small resting area with a tall hedge and several benches. 

Look for a path that leads away south. Follow this path as it goes uphill, then keep going southwest; you’re not quite there yet! You’ll reach the top after a second incline, where a small shrine marks the summit. Unfortunately, the thick tree cover doesn’t give you much of a view, but you’ll most likely have the hill to yourself, making this a quiet, serene hillwalk. To go back, you can follow another path down the southwest side of the hill, or go down the way you came up.

2: Oasa ridgewalk (past Kotohira-gu shrine)

Anyone visiting Kotohira will be instantly familiar with Mt. Oasa. This iconic ridge towers over the town while Kotohira-gu shrine, situated on its slopes, ties the mountain to Kotohira’s history and spiritual heritage. While many visitors climb the 785 steps to the main shrine, or even the 1368 steps to the inner shrine beyond, very few know that there is actually a hiking trail going all the way to the summit!

To find this trail, you’ll have to climb to the inner shrine first. Start at the bottom of the steps, at the end of the main shopping street. Make your way to the top, past the impressive wooden main gate, and up a series of steps until you reach the main Kotohira-gu shrine. When you stand in front of the shrine, go right past the building to find a path leading to the inner shrine. 

Follow this path, over a small red bridge and up a series of steps. Just before you go up the final steps to the inner Izutama shrine, look right past the steps to see a dirt path going downhill (as seen in the image below, in the bottom right). This is the start of the hiking trail!

Follow this trail, staying at the same altitude as it passes underneath the trees until you reach a clearing where the path splits in two. Take the left path uphill to reach the top of Mt. Oasa. From here, you can continue along the ridge for amazing views to find a resting area and campsite on the northwestern side of the mountain. You can also find a path going northeast, turning back on itself to eventually end up back at the clearing you passed earlier. From here, you can trace your steps back down the mountain to reach Kotohira.

3: Mt. Gahaishi ridgewalk (near Zentsuji)

For those looking for a real challenge, this legbuster of a hike tackles four (or five if you take a little detour) summits in a row. This hike needs some preparation and will take you around 4,5 -5 hours to complete. Your efforts will be rewarded with some of the best views in Kagawa, and eternal bragging rights with the locals!

Note: Be aware that you’ll need proper hiking shoes for this one, and you shouldn’t attempt to climb these hills during or after rainy weather, as the steep paths will turn to slippery mud slides! Bringing a good walking stick or hiking poles is recommended, especially for the steep downhill sections on this trail. Pack a lunch and bring enough water, especially in summer! 

To get to the trailhead, you can take a train to Zentsuji station and walk towards the hill looming above this town. At the foot of this hill, you’ll find a big red Torii gate that marks the start of the trail. Go up the steps and keep climbing until you reach the first summit, at a mere 157 meters altitude. The trail then goes down on the other side and briefly connects to an asphalted road before going off into the bush again on the right hand side of the road. Follow this path uphill and keep an eye on the red ribbons tied to trees, as these mark the path upward (the GPX route above is slightly off).

After some climbing, you’ll reach a crossing of trails. Go southwest and downhill to continue onwards, or go uphill to the north to climb the second hill (296 meters) for an extra bit of challenge! When you continue southwest, be prepared for some steep downhill sections that lead to another asphalted road. Across the road, you’ll see a sign marking the start of the biggest climb of the day, up to the summit of Mt. Gahaishi. This uphill section is not so much a mountain to climb as it is a sheer vertical challenge that will definitely have you use the ropes strung along its steep trails! Your struggles will be rewarded when you reach the top at 481 meters above sea level, with an incredible view of western Kagawa all around.

After the Gahaishi summit, you’ll find a shrine and a paved path leading southwest along the ridge (At this point, you can choose to cut this day short and go downhill towards Shussaka temple at the foot of the mountain). But don’t worry, the hardest climb is already behind you! The famous monk Kobo Daishi grew up around this mountain, and it is said he once jumped from this spot, landing safely down near Shussake temple thanks to the intervention of a divine being.

After a short uphill section to the next summit (at 439 meters), you’ll go downhill underneath a shady canopy before going up again towards the last summit (at 409 meters) of the day. Next, prepare for a steep downhill section (use a walking stick or hiking poles!) as you make your way back down towards a less challenging urban environment. Follow paved roads to reach Shussaka temple and look up to see the great heights you just descended from! After one last gentle climb up a paved road, you’ll reach the Gahaishi trailhead again (where you crossed the road earlier).

Keep going south down the road and into a sharp bend north, staying with the road as it passes south underneath the hills you climbed at the start of this adventure. Eventually, you’ll reach Zentsuji again. Celebrate overcoming this challenge by treating yourself to some Sanuki udon, and enjoy claiming your local bragging rights for the rest of your stay!

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