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Hinohara (South Fork of Akigawa)
If I had to choose one area as my favorite I think I’d choose Hinohara. It’s located in the southern part of Chichibu-Tama Kai National Park. It is less traveled than the Okutama Valley which is just on the other side of the ridge. I have explored just about every km of the roads in the Hinohara/Okutama area. It is such a beautiful place largely located with the boundaries of Tokyo.
Musashiitsukaiichi Station in Akiruno is a good starting point. It is the final station on the JR Itsukaiichi Line. As soon as you begin riding you find yourself in the beautiful Akiagawa Valley going through fragrant stands of pine and cedar into the mountains. The road rises slightly going through town and then curves left down to the river which snakes along next to the road.
It is full of natural beauty, especially considering that it is part of Tokyo. It is famous for its many waterfalls scattered throughout the area. I often come across groups of monkeys crossing the road. The Akigawa provides some spectacular views of falls and whitewater. The road rises as it goes up through the quaint village of Hinohara and comes to a T. Turning right will bring along the North Fork of the Akikawa and the left turn follows the South Fork. In this entry I’ll talk about riding the south fork up 206 and over into Okutama.
Hwy 33 follows the south fork going south and then bending to the east where it gradually ascends to where it forks and crosses the Akikawa River and begins to climb up to ridge on its way to Uenohara. Veering right at this fork you will continue on the road which is now Hwy 206 and continues to follow the South Fork of the Akikawa. You pass through a little village named Hitozato, after which the grade begins to get a little steeper as it climbs up past Kazuma Hotsprings.
From here on it is a fairly rigorous climb into the mountains. There are some switchbacks as you come up near the Hinohara Tokyo Citizens’ Forest that give a splendid view back down the valley. The Tokyo Citizens’ Forest (Tomin no mori) is located on the lower slopes of Mt. Mito and consists of an area of protected forest with several hiking trails running through it. Occasionally I stop off at there and take a hike along the Waterfall Route Course which has been designated as a “Forest Therapy Trail”.
There are still 3 km of rigorous climbing after the Citizens’ Forest until you come to the top of Kazahari Pass (1146m). It’s worth stopping off at the parking lot to enjoy the view looking back toward the city. On a clear day you can see Sky Tree and the bigger buildings.
At the pass you will notice a gated road off to the right. It is a service road leading down to the North Fork of the Akikawa. It’s a beautiful ride but, if you are ascending, know that it is a beast providing some of the steepest climbing in the Kanto Area. It’s a beautiful road that passes through pristine forest down past the mushroom research center.
The descent down in to Okutama is nice and smooth. The highway is wide and relatively new. This also attracts motorcyclists who use this stretch of road to practice high speed curves. As you are coming down you’ll notice a parking lot off to the right called the Tsukiyomi Parking Lot. It has a picturesque overview of Okutama Lake down below. It’s worth a stop.
As you descend upon the lake you come across Furusato Mountain Village, a nice public camping area. Continue along 206 to Mito Bridge where the road ends at the junction with Hwy 139. Going right will bring you over to Hwy 411. A right turn there brings you to the dam and further down to Ome. Going the other way on 411 will eventually become the Daibosatsu Line going up over Yanagisawa Pass and down into Enzan. That is a primo ride which I describe on the Yamanashi Page.
Hinohara (South Fork of Akigawa) Gallery
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Hinohara (North Fork of Akigawa)
Turning right at the T in the road at the end of Hinohara Village will take you up the north fork of the Akigawa River. I have a little tour that I like to take my friends on that includes a few of the sites. One of them is Hossawa Falls, the entrance of which is not far from the T (less than 1 km). You’ll see a sign to turn left there. There is a small parking lot there at the trailhead of a lovely wood chipped path that leads back to the falls (about 15 minutes). There is an interesting souvenir shop along the way that was built in what once was a post office.
At the road near the turn off to the falls is a Tofu shop that serves up excellent tofu-based donuts hot from the deep fryer. They are a real treat. Back on the road again go up Hwy 205 till you get to the turn off to Kanoto Rock (about 3 ½ km). The road climbs up through a little village and past a fishing lodge. It gets narrower as you go up until it passes right through a pleasant little campground next to the stream. At this point the road narrows and goes through some tall cedars that are like giants guarding the entrance.
The steep part doesn’t last long. When you come out of the cedars you are on a peaceful road that winds up a short distance to Kanoto Rock. I first happened upon Kanoto when I was coming down the service road that goes over Nokogiriyama from Okutama. It has since become one of my favorite spots. There is a big rock face (Kanoto) with a 60 meter long gorge at the base of it.
When coming up on it from below I recommend going through the tunnel and then walking back through the narrow gorge. The tunnel is a little dark and scary. It has a 90 degree turn with nothing but natural light. Once you come out the other side you’ll see a the entrance to the gorge at the top of the first falls. There is a narrow path with a chain to hold onto carved in the wall of the gorge. It provides a little adventure to walk through.
If you continue up the road you’ll see a gate for the service road going up Nokogiriyama. I will have a separate entry for that. It’s a beautiful ride but, as of this writing, it is closed to bike traffic due to repairs. Can’t wait for it to open again.
Heading back down to the main road going up the north fork turn right on 205 and continue climbing up the valley. There are some really pleasant views of the river along here. 7 km after the turnoff to the road going up to Kanoto Rock, you will come to an intersection. Continue to stay on the lower road to the left, the one that follows the river,for 2 km until you come to Yamano Shrine. Soon after this you will need to take a hard right on the steep road going up the mountain. This road will take you past the Hinohara Mushroom Center all the way up to Kazahari Pass.
It is a beast of a climb with the grades hitting almost 20% at times. But it is also rewarding as there are tremendous views looking back. When I get exhausted, I stop to drink in the view and find that it recharges me. It is very quiet up there with only an occasional cyclist going by. At the top of the pass (1170 m) you come out on Hwy 206 and are once again sharing the road with cars. It’s a nice smooth glide back down into the valley along the South Fork of the Akigawa.
Hinohara (North Fork of Akigawa) Gallery
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Nokogiriyama
In the above entry about riding the North Fork of the Akigawa I mentioned Kanoto Rock, one of my favorite spots. I’ve referred to it as “my secret spot” but, giving it as much press as I have, it may not be so secret. There is a service road above the Kanoto Gorge that goes up and over a mountain called Nokogiriyama (Saw Mountain). It is a beautiful road but, as of this writing, it has been closed for construction.
I’ll write about it in hopes that it will soon be open again. At first the grades are pretty steep, in the double digits, but it gets easier once it hits the switchbacks. I run into very few people on this road, usually an odd hiker or an occasional service vehicle. Going up the landscape is beautiful. The forest is pretty lush and you look back on some nice mountain views.
Coming over the top and down into the Okutama side is especially nice. When I rode it the road was pretty rough. It is paved but with a lot of potholes and erosion. You come down the side of a ridge overlooking the Okutama Station area. You don’t really get into any signs of civilization until you are almost out the other side.
The service road intersects Hwy 411, the main highway thata runs through Okutama, just above the Tama River. Turning right will take you past Okutama Station and all the way down to Ome. Turning left will set you on course to go up to Okutama Lake, some 3 ½ km away. The whole area is a wonderland for cycling offering smooth rides with gorgeous scenery.
Nokogiriyama Gallery
