Odaigahara is a mountain located on the border between Mie and Nara prefectures, standing at an altitude of 1,695 meters. It is renowned as one of the most popular hiking destinations, not only in Nara Prefecture but throughout the Kansai region.

This is a primeval forest, home to many rare species of animals and plants. It was officially recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve in 1980. Join us for a day of exploration at one of Japan's 100 most beautiful mountains.

Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/cXc7TQpSZap51tf17

You can reach Odaigahara by Nara Kotsu bus, or by motorbike/car. We highly recommend traveling by motorbike or personal car, as the road leading to the mountain is truly a masterpiece, especially during the fall season!

The scene on my way up to Odaigahara.
Yellow leaves and red leaves everywhere.

If you're traveling by personal vehicle, it's best to leave early, as the autumn season attracts many visitors, and parking spaces fill up quickly.

This is one of the reasons why traveling by personal vehicle is ideal—the roads are lined with vibrant colors, especially during the autumn season, offering a stunning view as you drive.

This trip I departed from Osaka at 6am, it took about 3 hours to get here, and I was also very lucky to have the last parking spot 😀

The photo I took quickly in the car. Quite blurry but still very beautiful.

Odaigahara is divided into 2 areas, Nishi-Odai and Higashi-Odai.

Nishi-Odai is a natural forest reserve, designed to protect the environment while offering a more structured exploration experience. To ensure sustainability, the number of visitors is limited each day. You will need to register, pay the fee to the management, and you’ll be assigned to a group with a guide and security guard for your journey.

Higashi-Odai is an area open to everyone for exploration. Today, I’ve chosen this spot as my hiking destination.

This place is also quite suitable for beginners, as the trail is relatively flat with a gentle slope, making it easy to walk and enjoy the scenery.

I walked while admiring the scenery and taking photos so I didn't feel too tired 😀

Due to the high humidity, frequent rainfall, and the elevated location, the weather here is much colder compared to Osaka at the same time. It’s advisable to bring a waterproof jacket or raincoat before heading here.

From the top of the mountain, you can catch a glimpse of the Kumano Sea, provided the weather is clear and there’s little fog.

Luckily, the day I went, the weather was very nice.

After about 2 hours of climbing, I finally reached the top of Hidegatake (日出ヶ岳), the highest point of Odaigahara.

The person accompanying me today, my colleague.
The feeling after conquering the mountain 😛

Just looking at that makes my hands feel so cold that I want to fall off 😀

After that, I descended and headed towards the next area.

Continue climbing to another part of the mountain.
View looking to Hidegatake peak just now.
This area is also easy to see the sea from a closer distance.

The next part is the remnants of a forest destroyed by a storm, with deer chewing on tree trunks, leaving a striking and somewhat eerie scene.

I rested and had lunch here, before continuing the journey.

The next destination features rugged terrain, which can be quite dangerous if it rains or if there are strong winds.

This is a steep mountain, about 800 meters high. When I visited, I saw a few people climbing here as well.

After about 30 minutes of climbing, I reached Daijagura (大蛇嵓), a spot with jutting cliffs that offers a stunning view of the entire majestic surrounding landscape.

The video I recorded here:

This cliff is quite slippery and windy, so I didn’t dare take my camera down there =)))

In return, I had my colleague take a photo of my "virtual life" hehe!

Most valuable view today.
This view is equally beautiful.

After 20 minutes of filming and taking photos, I began my descent, preparing to wrap up the journey.

The climbing group is quite large.
The road back is also quite long and arduous :v

I ended the journey with about 5-6 hours of climbing, with a lunch break. This journey is quite easy for a beginner like me. So don't hesitate to try it here. You should also prepare plenty of food and drinks in advance to fuel your trip. A cup of instant noodles on top of Hidegatake will truly be the best cup of noodles you will ever eat in your life haha 😀

On the way back, I made a few stops to take some photos.

The photo is quite blurry.
The scenery is truly majestic.

On the way back to Osaka, I passed by a temple.

This temple is located near the Osako Hydroelectric Dam, a spot with incredibly majestic scenery on the way back.

And this marks the end of my journey to explore Odaigahara. Thank you for reading until the end of the article!

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