Hidden Gems in Nara - Mt. Katsuragi

Are you here in Kansai and looking for places to go in Nara? Already been to Nara Park and want to explore more of Nara? If you need some ideas on where to go in Nara that is not Nara Park, look no further! I have some suggestions for you for your day trip.

Let's preface this by saying that sightseeing places in Nara are much more spread out than say, Kyoto. So don't expect to be able to rush through Nara Park, whatever else is around there and then come here. I'm sure your go-getting spirit and physical strength is hella good, but the public transport here will probably want you to take a chill pill.

You will need to do a few train connections depending on where your starting point is, and the train/bus schedules might not be so agreeable.

If you have a few extra days in your trip, and want to be away from people, then I highly recommend this.

When to Go

The best time to go is at the end of October to November for "susuki" (silver grass).

In May, they famous for their bright red azaleas field.

I think those two times are the best times to go, but it seems like it is a pretty decent place to go hiking at any time. In this blog, I will be showing you Susuki from the top at the summit.

Going to Mt. Katsuragi

If you are going Osaka, your starting station will be at Tennoji Station - or Osaka Abeno Station (Kintetsu). The quickest way will be to take the Express Train towards Yoshino, and transfer to a Local Train at Shakudo Station to Gose Station. When you reach the end of the line, take the 80 bus to the ropeway.

Make sure you look ahead on Google Maps and time your transfers. The buses that operate between Gose Station and the Ropeway are quite scarce. If you don't time it well, you may be sitting around for awhile.

Scroll through the photos below for types of transport & schedules to/from Mt. Katsuragi as of November 2021.

Once you make it up the ropeway, the adventure starts!

Up to the Top!

When I was there, lots of people seem to have taken their pooches up there for a mild hike. There seems to be a few hiking courses intersecting the main path. The main path up to the summit is extremely well paved and very easy to follow.

There's a small temple along the way. Nothing too fancy but interesting nonetheless!

There is a small eatery right after the fork converges to this path. It opens at 11AM, but there is a patio area you can access to get some nice views of the city below. There are some benches there that you can sit to rest as well. But don't spend too much time here. There are much better places to get a view and take a break, I promise!

Take these stairs and start probably your most difficult part of the climb to the summit (if you used the ropeway, if you hiked all the way up then this is just a breeze I'm sure haha). Along the way you still start to see a lot of the Silver Grass, but don't get too excited yet. Keep going until you reach the top! At the end of the path, if you turn right....

This is the top! You made it!!

Enjoy the view near this post box, and send a postcard or two if you have one... but don't spend too long here. On the other side of the summit, you will get more photo opportunities with the Susuki. You can path through some smaller and denser paths to reach smaller open areas, some bring a bento or some snacks if you want to enjoy a picnic in the fields! There are stone benches all over the summit area, and just walk around the smaller paths if one area is full.

You may also find a spot with a view of the skyline, or the mountains. So don't settle! There are plenty of spots up here to rest your feet :)

As you keep heading this way, you will eventually find a slope that leads downwards towards a lodge.

The lodge is right next to those yellow/orange trees there. At the lodge, there is a public bath you can pay to use. It also has another dining area - their specialty seems to be duck meat. Their menu has nothing but duck - so if you're a fan of duck, this is your paradise!

Here's the menu:

Their most popular menu seems to be the duck nabe (hot pot) for 3900yen per person. A bit pricey if you ask me, but there are cheaper set meals between the 1000 - 1500 range... which is also not so cheap, in my opinion.

Not really sure why the Italian flag though...

Once you're finished, you can choose to hike back down, or take the ropeway back down. Here's a few more photos on the way down before I close off this blog:

Enjoy your travels! Until next time!!