Hiking in the mountains in Fukui -Mt. Aoba-

The view of Mt. Aoba from the road on the way to the starting point at Nakayama

The view of Mt. Aoba from Oi-cho (Fukui Photography from Fukui Tourism Guide)

Mt. Aoba is a mountain between Takahama-cho in Fukui Prefecture and Maizuru City in Kyoto. This mountain has twin peaks, the east peak of Mt. Hakusan (693m) and the west peak (692m). When viewed from the coastline in Takahama-cho, the eastern part of the mountain has a distinctly triangular shape. Because the mountain isn't a part of any range, the isolated peak of Mt. Aoba stands out in the horizon. I always wanted go hiking to Mt. Aoba and I finally went there on April 16th, 2017.

I followed the direction in the publication of the group of walking in the mountain in Fukui, “Why don’t you go hiking in the mountains in Fukui? Vol.7”. I hiked in the loop course in which I started from Nakayama-guchi, walked into Imadera settlement after walking along the east peak and the west peak, walked on a public road at the foot of the mountain, and went back to Nakayama-guchi. Mt. Aoba is a great mountain because there are varieties of roads that the hikeres can enjoy with the great views. Mt. Aoba has mountain trails, ridge lines, and the rock ridge area which was thrilling for me. The hikers can also enjoy beautiful flowers on the way going back from the end point of the hiking course to the parking lot.

First, searching "Aobayama Herbal Village" in a car navigation system ("Aobayama Seishonen Ryoko Mura, Aobayama Camp Site" was renovated to reopen as "Aobayama Herbal Village" in May, 2016.

Required Time

The parking lot at the starting point, Nakayama-guchi, for hikers of Mt. Aoba

Although in the publication, "Why don't you go hiking in the mountains in Fukui? Vol.7", it says that visitors can park cars at the parking lot of "Aobayama Seishonen Ryoko Mura (Aobayama Camp Site), there was a sign said the cars should be parked at another parking lot up ahead when visiting Aobayama Herbal Village. Therefore, at the paking lot in the photograph above, I only used the bathroom. And then, I went to the other parking lot near the starting point (Nakayama-guchi). The orange arrow in the photograph above indicates the starting point (Nakayama-guchi).

↓

At 1:15pm, entering the moutain from the starting point, Nakayama-guchi of Nakayama-dera course

↓

At 1:57pm, the observation platform in Nakayama-dera course

↓

At 2:37pm, the monument of the east peak of Mt. Aoba

↓

At 2:58pm, the area of ladders between the east peak and the west peak of Mt. Aoba

↓

At 3:15pm, the shrine and the summit of the west peak of Mt. Aoba

↓

At 4:11pm, a shrine of Imadera settlement

↓

A singing male pheasant by a paddy field in Imadera settlement

↓

At 5:07pm, I enjoyed listening to the sound of nightingale and pheasant, and I also enjoyed watching moneys as well on my way going back to the parking lot at Nakayama-guchi where I started hiking from.

※“Hiking in the mountains in Fukui” is a project in which hikers go hiking in the mountains in Fukui Prefecture along with the information in a publication of a group of walking in the mountains in Fukui, “Why don’t you go hiking in the mountains in Fukui?”.

Publication of the group of walking in the mountains in Fukui,

“Why don’t you go hiking in the mountains in Fukui?”

The left publication is 1992 edition. The right one is 2014 edition (the latest one).

I went hiking in Mt. Takasu along with the information in the 1992 edition.