Minoyama
Mt. Mino (Minoyama) is located next to the Arakawa River in Chichibu about 10 km south of Nagatoro. Minoyama Park, perched on top of the mountain, is known for its flowers and nice views of the surrounding landscape. I took a trip up there in late June to see the beautiful hydrangeas that blossom during rainy season.
My favorite way to approach Chichibu is going over Yamabushi Pass from Ome. The territory between Ome and Chichibu is very pleasant and good for riding. The bulk of the cars going into Chichibu take Hwy 299 from Hanno leaving these other roads with a more peaceful countryside feel.
I ride on Hwy 53 out of Ome along the Iruma River which is still a small stream back up there. The road goes through Naguri and past Naguri Lake. A couple of km from Naguri you pass Hwy 395 which veers off to the left heading up to Amamezasu Pass. 4 km past that you come to a fork in the road where Hwy 53 turns right and begins climbing up to Yamabushi Pass. It’s a nice smooth winding climb with reasonable grades. The road is quiet road with only light car traffic.
Yamabushi Pass is slightly over 600 meters. It’s located down in the trees and doesn’t reward you with a view. There’s just a little sign marking the pass. That’s not to say it’s not beautiful. Beyond the pass the road descends through some delightful forest and soon runs alongside the Yokose River. It’s about 5 km from the top of the pass down to where Hwy 53 intersects Hwy 299 just as it comes out of the Shomaru Tunnel. Turning left on 299 you will have a long 10 km glide down into Chichibu. The traffic may be busy depending upon the day.
Down in Chichibu you turn right on Hwy 140 and head northwest toward Minoyama. It’s about 10 km from the turnoff to Minoyama Park which is at the top of Minoyama. The last 6 km of this is spent climbing up some fairly steep grades. The turn to Minoyama is right after a soba shop at the intersection of Hwy 82.
The climb takes you through a very lush forest and has some nice views looking down into the Arakawa Valley. Minoyama Park occupies the top part of the mountain. At an elevation of 575 meters, it’s only slightly lower than Yamabushi Pass. On the day I went there the hydrangeas were in full bloom gracing the hillside below the viewing deck looking back towards the east. There is a nice path that allows you to walk down through the flowers and across the slope.
On the day of this ride I rode along the ridge and exited the north side of the park and rode up to Nagatoro before returning back to Chichibu Station. I’ve always enjoyed my rides through Chichibu. The combination of craggy river valleys, mountains, and slow moving towns is very appealing.
Minoyama Gallery
