The loop over Mount Sengen is my second and longer hike in the Hakone area, after my quick ascent of Mount Byobu on the previous evening (we have two days in Hakone on our three-week Japan trip). There’s a network of signposted hiking trails on the mountain offering many different hiking options; the route I’m taking visits a couple of waterfalls, and provides a panoramic view towards Sagami Bay.
The easiest way to get to the start of the hike is from the Sounzan ropeway station, where an easy two kilometre walk along the road gets you to the start of the hike.
The path descends gently to Chisuji Falls.
I’m surprised there’s no-one else here; although not the most spectacular waterfall I’ve visited in Japan, Chisuji Falls (Thousand Strands Waterfall) is a well-known local attraction.
From here there’s a lot more signage, with the trail I’m taking crossing the river via a wooden bridge and climbing up the valley.
It’s a constant but gradual ascent, with the trail soon reaching a junction with a trail that heads towards Mount Takanosu. I ignore this, and continue climbing.
It’s a pleasant walk under towering trees, with the trail zig-zagging up the steep eastern side of Mount Sengen.
Just before the summit there’s another junction, with a trail that provides an alternate route to Mount Sengen from Miyanoshita on the Haya River.
The last few hundred metres is a very gradual ascent (Mount Sengen is less steep near the top), passing another trail – which I will later take to descend the mountain.
The Mount Sengen summit (804m altitude) is a little underwhelming; there are no views from the treeless and grassy peak, although it would no doubt be much more appealing in autumn or spring. The mountain was originally called Shimo-Takanosu, but in the Edo period (1603-1878), a Sengen shrine was built on the mountain by worshipers of the deity of Mount Fuji which gave the mountain its current name.
In hope of some views, I continue along the ridge Mount Shiroyama summit (745m) – but there are no views from here either.
From here I retrace my steps to Mount Sengen (you could also continue down the ridge to the town of Hakone Yuryo, which is serviced by the Hakone Tozan Railway, Japan’s oldest mountain railway) and take the trail towards Mount Takanosu.
The trail dips a bit along a saddle, before a short but steep climb up the northern side of Mount Takanosu (745m).
From here there are some great views: to the north-east is the sprawling city of Odawara…
…and a little more to the east is Sagami Bay, which is part of the Pacific Ocean.
Mount Takanosu was (probably) the site of Takanosu Castle, which was built during the warring states period (1467-1615) for the protection of the main castle in Odawara – but its exact location is not known.
The trail now descends the southern side Mount Takanosu towards Ashinoyu.
The route down Mount Takanosu passes a tall forest as it descends quite steeply – and past a side trail that isn’t for public use!
The trail soon reaches a small stream, with a side-trail going to a bridge and some small cascades.
The main track continues to descend steeply towards Hiryu Falls.
The trail passes the bottom of Hiryu waterfall, which is the largest waterfall in Kanagawa Prefecture, and cascades over two tiers.
Below the falls, the trail contines to descend along the river, which has many more smaller cascades.
Just before the trail reaches the road, there’s an interesting and intriguing rock wall, which is natural but looks almost like it’s been constructed with odd-shaped bricks. It’s a columnar joint, formed by lava cooling and hardening in a regular hexagonal pattern.
The last few hundred metres is along a paved trail, which crosses the river on a wooden bridge before reaching the road.
The bus stop is only a couple of hundred metres from where the hiking trail meets the road.
Getting to Mount Sengen
There are many routes that traverse this area, and few routes to get to Mount Sengen… the route described here passes both Chisuji Falls and Hiryu Falls, as well as Mount Takanosu which offers great views. It starts/finishes at the Sounzan ropeway station with a short downhill walk to the start of the hiking trail and from Route 732 (the Old Tokaido Highway) which has a bus service every half an hour to Motohakone (about a 30min trip).
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