Mt. Nokogiri (Nokogiriyama) Travel Guide

Mt. Nokogiri (鋸山, Nokogiriyama, "Saw Mountain") rises 329.5 m straight out of Tokyo Bay on the Boso Peninsula, about two hours from central Tokyo. Centuries of stone quarrying gave the ridge its jagged, saw-tooth skyline and left behind sheer rock walls that look like the set of an anime film. On the Kyonan side of the mountain lies Nihonji, a temple founded in 725 with Japan's largest rock-carved seated Buddha, a 30 m Kannon cut into a quarry face, 1,500 stone arhats and the famous Jigoku Nozoki ("Hell Peek"), a slab of rock jutting out over a 100 m drop.

This guide covers everything you need for a day trip or an overnight stay: how to get to Mt. Nokogiri from Tokyo by train, ferry or car, the ropeway versus the hiking trails, Nihonji's hours and fees, the five entrance gates, English-speaking guides, what to see on the Kyonan coast below the mountain, the best seasons and sunset spots, and answers to the questions visitors ask most. Prices and hours were checked in October 2026 and may change, so confirm on the official sites linked below before you travel.

What to see on Mt. Nokogiri

Jigoku Nozoki ("Hell Peek")

The signature sight of Nokogiriyama. A natural rock ledge projects from the summit area of Nihonji over a near-vertical drop of about 100 m. A railing lets you stand right at the tip and look down the cliff and out across Tokyo Bay to the Miura Peninsula and, on clear winter days, Mt. Fuji. From the West Gate it is a 3-minute slope and then 4 to 5 minutes of steep stone stairs. The best photo of the ledge is taken from the opposite rock a few steps away. Expect a queue for that photo on weekends and holidays.

The Great Buddha of Nihonji (Yakushi Nyorai)

At 31.05 m tall (21.3 m seated height) this is the largest rock-carved seated Buddha in Japan, roughly twice the height of the famous bronze Buddhas of Nara (14.98 m) and Kamakura (13.35 m). It was carved from the cliff in 1783 by the master mason Ono Jingoro and 27 apprentices over three years, and restored between 1966 and 1969. Small "wish Jizo" statues, left by visitors, surround the base. The Buddha plaza is the only part of the temple reachable without stairs (via the Daibutsu Gate).

Hyakushaku Kannon (the 30 m Kannon)

A 30 m image of the Goddess of Mercy carved between 1960 and 1966 into the face of an old quarry near the summit, as a memorial to those who died in the Second World War and in traffic accidents, and as a guardian of travellers by sea, air and land. Standing at the foot of the sheer quarry walls and looking up is one of the most dramatic moments of the visit.

The 1,500 Arhats (Sen-gohyaku Rakan)

Scattered along the forested paths between the summit and the Buddha are 1,553 stone statues of arhats, disciples of the Buddha, carved between 1779 and 1798 by the same Ono Jingoro and his apprentices. Each face is different. Many were beheaded during the anti-Buddhist movement of the early Meiji era and later repaired, which gives the mossy groves a haunting atmosphere.

The quarry remains and the "Laputa Wall"

On the Futtsu (north) side of the ridge, the Shariki-michi trail leads to the abandoned quarries where Boshu stone was cut from the Edo period until 1985. The tallest face, nicknamed the Laputa Wall after the 1986 Studio Ghibli film, drops about 96 m. Nearby are the "stage" where cutting machinery once stood, cave-like cuttings, a cat carved into the rock with a heart-shaped window, and cart-wheel ruts worn into the old paved road. Boshu stone from this mountain was used for the harbour works at Yokohama, the forts and Odaiba batteries in Tokyo Bay and the walls of Yasukuni Shrine.

Summit lookouts

The ropeway's upper station has an observation deck, the Jusshu Ichiran-dai ("ten provinces in one view") lookout, telescopes and a small quarry exhibit. On a clear day you can see Mt. Fuji, the Miura Peninsula and even Tokyo Skytree. Note that the quarry remains are a 30-minute walk each way from the upper station.

How to get to Mt. Nokogiri from Tokyo

Mt. Nokogiri is one of the easiest "real mountains" to reach from Tokyo without a car. Two stations serve it: Hamakanaya (JR Uchibo Line, Futtsu side, 8 minutes' walk to the ropeway) and Hota (Kyonan side, foot of the temple's old pilgrim route). The inns of Kyonan town are at Hota and the next station, Awa-Katsuyama.

From Narita Airport take the Narita Express to Chiba and continue on the Uchibo Line (about 2 h). From Haneda Airport a Keikyu bus runs to Kimitsu, then 30 minutes by JR.

Ropeway, toll road or hike: how to get up Mt. Nokogiri

Nokogiriyama Ropeway (the easy way)

• Where: base station 8 minutes' walk from JR Hamakanaya Station, 12 to 15 minutes from the Kanaya ferry port.
• Ride: 680 m, about 4 minutes, departures every 15 minutes (more often when busy).
• Fares: adult ¥650 one way / ¥1,200 return; child (6 to 11) ¥320 / ¥600.
• Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 from 16 February to 15 November; 9:00 to 16:00 from 16 November to 15 February. Opens at 5:30 on New Year's Day for the sunrise.
• Closures: an annual inspection closes the ropeway for one to four weeks from around mid-January (in 2025 it was 14 January to 14 February), and it is suspended in strong wind. Check the official site or its X (Twitter) account on the day.
• From the upper station it is about 11 minutes on foot to Nihonji's North Gate and a few minutes to the West Gate, the entrance to Jigoku Nozoki.

Nokogiriyama toll road (by car to the West Gate)

A 2.6 km private toll road climbs from the Kyonan side to a car park at the West Gate, a few minutes from Jigoku Nozoki. The fee is about ¥1,000 per car (check before you go; there is no official website), the gate closes at 16:30 and the summit car park at 16:00, and motorcycles are not admitted. The free alternative is the Nokogiriyama Kanko-doro, a public road to the East Gate car park (50 cars, free), from which the Great Buddha is 2 to 3 minutes up a flight of stairs. Drivers who want to see everything with minimal walking enter at the West Gate for Hell Peek, drive down and re-enter at the East Gate for the Buddha (same-day re-entry with your ticket is allowed).

Hiking trails from Hamakanaya and Hota

Trail tips: the worn stone paving is slippery when wet, so wear closed shoes with grip. There is no water on the trails and the only toilets are at the stations, inside the temple and one on the Kangetsudai course. The ridge is exposed, so bring a hat and water in summer and a windproof layer in winter. Snow is rare, and Chiba is the only prefecture on Honshu with no bears.

Nihonji Temple: hours, admission and the five gates

• Hours: 9:00 to 16:00, last entry 15:00, all year (the gates open at 5:30 on New Year's Day for the first sunrise).
• Admission: adults ¥700; children from age 4 to elementary school age ¥400; under 4 free. Group and disability discounts are available at the gate.
• Time needed: about 1.5 hours to walk the full circuit between the West Gate and the Great Buddha, or 2.5 to 3 hours including the ropeway from Hamakanaya. Allow a full day if you hike up.
• Dogs on a lead are welcome; zazen meditation can be arranged by reservation; comfortable shoes are requested.

The temple grounds cover about 33 hectares of hillside, so which gate you use matters:

The commonly quoted figure of 2,639 steps is not an official count, but the temple is a mountain of stone stairs. The Daibutsu plaza is the only flat, step-free area, and the temple describes wheelchair access as "with assistance". The 1321 temple bell is a National Important Cultural Property and the mountain with its arhats is a prefectural scenic site.

Guided tours of Mt. Nokogiri in English

WeGuide NOKOGIRIYAMA is the local guide association (Nokogiriyama Guide Center, founded in 2024) of certified mountain guides who run tours in Japanese and English. The quarry remains, the carved cat, the history of Boshu stone and the stories behind the arhats are far richer with a guide, and the trails through the old quarries are easier to follow. Their English programmes include a 3.5-hour "A World That Feels Like Ancient Ruins" quarry walk, a 3-hour "Perfect One-Day Course" combining the quarries and Nihonji via the ropeway, and a 4 to 5-hour walk along the official Edo-period pilgrimage route. Prices start from around ¥15,500 per person with group rates for parties of up to 8 to 12, and bookings are made through their website (also listed on Viator, Kkday, aini and Activity Japan). Optional cultural add-ons include ukiyo-e woodblock printing in Kyonan and sutra copying at a temple in Kanaya.

See WeGuide NOKOGIRIYAMA tours

Suggested itineraries

Half day: the classic (3 to 4 hours)

Hamakanaya Station → ropeway up → Jusshu Ichiran-dai lookout → West Gate → Hyakushaku Kannon → Jigoku Nozoki → arhat paths → Great Buddha → East Gate or back up to the ropeway. Lunch on fresh fish at Kanaya port or at Banya on the Hota side.

Full day: quarries and temple (6 to 7 hours)

Walk up the Shariki-michi from Hamakanaya to the Laputa Wall and the Tokyo Bay viewpoint (about 1 hour), continue to the temple's North Gate, see the Kannon, Hell Peek, the arhats and the Great Buddha, then descend the Kyonan side to Hota Station via the Panorama Course or take the ropeway down. Consider a guided tour for the quarry section.

Overnight in Kyonan: the mountain, the coast and the sunset

Mt. Nokogiri closes early (last temple entry 15:00, ropeway last descent 17:00 or 16:00 in winter), which is exactly why an overnight stay works so well. Spend the morning and early afternoon on the mountain, come down to the Kyonan coast for a late lunch at Banya or the old Hota Elementary School, soak in an onsen, watch the sun set into Tokyo Bay beside Mt. Fuji from the beach, and in the morning take the Tokyo-Wan Ferry across to Kurihama for a different route home. In winter add the daffodil roads; in late February and March add the Yoritomo cherry blossoms.

Around Mt. Nokogiri: Kyonan, Hota and Kanaya

Kyonan side (Hota and Awa-Katsuyama)

• Banya (Hota fishing port): the fishing cooperative's own restaurant and market, famous for set-net seafood at port prices, braised golden-eye snapper and the fishermen's rice bowl. Open from 9:30 daily with later hours at weekends; 10 to 15 minutes' walk from Hota Station, 200 free parking spaces.
• Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko (the old Hota Elementary School): a 126-year-old school closed in 2014 and reopened in 2015 as a roadside station. Eat a "school lunch" of Boshu horse-mackerel fry in a classroom, browse the farmers' market in the gym, sleep in a classroom-turned-hotel room or bathe in the "little village bath". Open 9:00 to 17:00, 15 minutes on foot from Hota Station, right by Kyonan-Hota IC.
• Kisugaura and Motona beaches: Kyonan's coast is No. 50 of the "100 Views of Mt. Fuji in Kanto"; Hiroshige drew Fuji from Hota in his Thirty-six Views. In January and February the mountain is sharpest at dawn and dusk, and in mid to late August the sun sets directly on Fuji's summit ("Diamond Fuji").
• Michi-no-Eki Kyonan and the Hishikawa Moronobu Memorial Museum: a bayfront roadside station with a sunset deck, local craft beer, tourist information and the museum of the ukiyo-e pioneer born in Kyonan (closed Mondays).
• Daikokuyama Observatory: a castle-shaped lookout on a 75 m hill above Katsuyama fishing port, 10 minutes' walk up, with views over the port, the Mineoka hills, Fuji and the Izu islands.
• PORTCLUB: the Kinokuniya group's marine-activity base in a renovated fisherman's house at Iwaibukuro, opened in 2026. Local fishermen take you out on an hour-long cruise where you watch the seabed through a traditional box scope without getting wet (adult ¥3,900, child ¥1,300), or on beginner sea-fishing trips and private charters. English information and booking.
• Flowers: the Egetsu Daffodil Road (3 km, mid-December to late January) and the Okuzure daffodil village near Sakuma Dam; about 15,000 early-blooming Yoritomo (Kawazu) cherry trees along the Hota and Sakuma rivers and at Sakuma Dam Park from early February to mid-March, with bamboo-lantern illuminations in the evenings; Somei-Yoshino and double cherries at the dam in late March and early April.

Kanaya side (Futtsu)

• Kanaya port and Hamakanaya Station: fish restaurants (The Fish, Sasuke Shokudo, pizzeria Gonzo), the local "golden horse mackerel", day-use onsen (Umibe-no-Yu, Kajiya Ryokan), luggage storage and rental bikes at Kanaya Station information, and the Tokyo-Wan Ferry terminal.
• Nokogiriyama Museum of Art: a small gallery in a Boshu-stone storehouse at the foot of the mountain.

Best time to visit and sunset tips

• December to February: the clearest views of Mt. Fuji, daffodils in bloom and few crowds, but the ropeway's annual inspection closure usually falls between mid-January and mid-February (hike up or use the toll road).
• Late February to March: Yoritomo cherry blossoms along the rivers and at Sakuma Dam; weekends are busy and car parks fill early.
• April to June: fresh greenery, Somei-Yoshino cherries in early April, about 20,000 hydrangeas at Nihonji in June.
• July to August: hot and exposed on the ridge, so start early. Hota beach is open from late July to mid-August and the "Diamond Fuji" sunsets fall in mid to late August.
• September to November: clear autumn air from November, comfortable hiking temperatures.

Sunset: because the temple closes at 16:00 and the ropeway's last descent is 17:00 (16:00 in winter), you cannot watch the sunset from the summit. Instead go down to sea level: Kisugaura and Motona beaches at Hota, the deck at Michi-no-Eki Kyonan, Daikokuyama above Katsuyama, or the ferry itself. Arrive 30 minutes before sunset. For the first sunrise of the year the ropeway and the temple gates open at 5:30 on 1 January.

Crowds: the Jigoku Nozoki photo queue is longest on weekend and holiday afternoons; ride the first ropeway at 9:00 or walk the Shariki-michi before 9:00 to have the quarries almost to yourself.

Mt. Nokogiri FAQ

Can I visit Mt. Nokogiri as a day trip from Tokyo?

Yes. It is about 2 hours 15 minutes by JR to Hamakanaya, about 2 hours by Keikyu and the Tokyo-Wan Ferry, or about 1.5 hours by car. With the ropeway you need 3 to 4 hours on the mountain. An overnight stay in Kyonan lets you add the coast, the sunset and the ferry crossing.

How many steps are there?

The figure of 2,639 steps circulates online but is not official. What matters: from the West Gate it is 3 minutes of slope and 4 to 5 minutes of steep stairs to Hell Peek; from the East Gate it is 2 to 3 minutes of stairs to the Great Buddha; the full circuit between them is about 1.5 hours of stairs and paths.

Is Mt. Nokogiri suitable for children?

Yes, with the ropeway. Children aged 6 to 11 pay ¥320 one way and the temple charges ¥400 from age 4. Hold small children firmly at Jigoku Nozoki. Strollers can only be used between the Daibutsu Gate and the Buddha plaza. The box-scope cruise at PORTCLUB and the school-lunch cafeteria at the old Hota Elementary School are popular with families.

Is it accessible for wheelchairs?

Only the Great Buddha plaza, via the Daibutsu Gate on the toll road, and the temple asks that wheelchair users come with assistance. Everything else involves stone stairs.

Can I bring my dog?

Dogs on a lead are allowed in Nihonji. Confirm the ropeway's policy with the operator before travelling, and note that the trails are rocky.

What should I wear?

Closed shoes with grip (the worn stone is slippery when wet), layers for the windy ridge, a hat and plenty of water in summer. No special equipment is needed in winter.

Do I need cash?

Carry cash for the temple gates and the toll road; card acceptance is not guaranteed.

Can I see the sunset from the top?

No. The temple's last entry is 15:00 and the ropeway's last descent is 17:00 (16:00 in winter). Watch the sunset from the Kyonan beaches or Daikokuyama instead.

Are there bears or snow?

Chiba has no bears, and snow on Mt. Nokogiri is rare. Rockfall is the main hazard in the quarries, so stay on the paths.

Official sources

Fees, hours and closures were checked in October 2026 against the official sites of Nihonji Temple, the Nokogiriyama Ropeway, the Tokyo-Wan Ferry, WeGuide NOKOGIRIYAMA, Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko, Kyonan Town and Chiba Prefecture. Please confirm current details before your visit.