Mountain peak · Honcho

Mt. Yokotsu

AT A GLANCE

Why go?

Mount Yokotsu (Yokotsu-dake, 1,167 m) is the highest point of the Kameda Peninsula and one of the mountain ridges that rise directly behind Hakodate. Yet it is anything but remote: a paved maintenance road climbs almost to the top, leaving only a final walk to the summit, so its wide 360-degree panorama—Mt. Komagatake looming close, the islands and shores of Lake Onuma below, the Tsugaru Strait shimmering to the south, and on clear days Mt. Yotei to the northwest—can be reached in an unhurried half-day. Easy of access but generous in views, it is a favourite local outing that rewards hikers and photographers alike.↗↗↗

Protected within Esan Prefectural Natural Park, Yokotsu-dake is a stratovolcano clothed in beech forest and summer alpine meadow, with well-trodden trails ranging from a gentle shrine walk to a fuller ridge loop over the neighbouring peaks of Eboshi and Hakamagoshi. There is a human layer too: an aviation radar dome crowns the summit, a memorial marks a tragic 1971 air crash on the south slope, and the abandoned lifts of a former ski field stand quiet among the trees. It is a mountain you can take in on your own terms, whether you want a short, breezy climb or a proper day on the ridge.

A LITTLE INSPIRATION IS ON ITS WAY

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Mountain peak · Honcho

Mt. Yokotsu

Honcho, JP 4.1 (30 Google reviews)

Photo: Google Maps

AT A GLANCE

Why go?

Mount Yokotsu (Yokotsu-dake, 1,167 m) is the highest point of the Kameda Peninsula and one of the mountain ridges that rise directly behind Hakodate. Yet it is anything but remote: a paved maintenance road climbs almost to the top, leaving only a final walk to the summit, so its wide 360-degree panorama—Mt. Komagatake looming close, the islands and shores of Lake Onuma below, the Tsugaru Strait shimmering to the south, and on clear days Mt. Yotei to the northwest—can be reached in an unhurried half-day. Easy of access but generous in views, it is a favourite local outing that rewards hikers and photographers alike.↗↗↗

Protected within Esan Prefectural Natural Park, Yokotsu-dake is a stratovolcano clothed in beech forest and summer alpine meadow, with well-trodden trails ranging from a gentle shrine walk to a fuller ridge loop over the neighbouring peaks of Eboshi and Hakamagoshi. There is a human layer too: an aviation radar dome crowns the summit, a memorial marks a tragic 1971 air crash on the south slope, and the abandoned lifts of a former ski field stand quiet among the trees. It is a mountain you can take in on your own terms, whether you want a short, breezy climb or a proper day on the ridge.

↗↗↗

The Summit and Its Views

From the top of Yokotsu-dake the land falls away in every direction. The triangulation point that officially marks the summit sits beside the aviation surveillance radar that gives the peak its modern, antenna-crowned profile, and just beyond, on adjacent knolls, you can pick out the Doppler weather radar run by the Hakodate meteorological service along with a cluster of telecom and government radio installations. These give the immediate summit a technical, windswept character, but they do nothing to blunt the outlook.↗↗

What hikers remember is the sweep of it: Mt. Komagatake, the great volcano of the region, appears close enough to study in detail; the patchwork of water and green that is Lake Onuma spreads out to one side; the line of the Tsugaru Strait and the hills of far-off Honshu sit to the south; and with a clear sky the dome of Mt. Yotei reveals itself to the northwest. Because it is the highest ridge of the Kameda Peninsula, standing just south of Hakodate city, the view is the kind that quietly orients you to the whole sweep of southern Hokkaido in a single look.↗↗↗

Two Ways to the Top

The appeal of Yokotsu is that the same summit can be reached at two very different intensities. A paved road runs most of the way up, but a gate stops private vehicles about the final two kilometres, so from the trailhead gate you finish on foot. The easiest outing follows this short climb and the nearby Yokotsu Shrine, a roughly two-hour, four-to-five-kilometre round trip with modest gain—comfortable enough for families and casual walkers who simply want fresh air, the breeze off the ridge and a view over Hakodate and Komagatake.↗↗↗

For those with appetite for more, the standard line is a full-day loop that runs Yokotsu together with the sister peaks of Eboshi-dake and Hakamagoshi-dake—roughly twelve kilometres and five hours of walking with around 535 m of climbing. The high point of this ridge walk is the climb up Hakamagoshi, the highest summit within Hakodate city itself and a satisfying final stretch of legs-on-the-trail effort. Linking the peaks lets you stay above the treeline along the crest, which is where the panorama and the wildflowers are at their best.↗↗↗

Seasons, Flowers and Forest

The mountain changes its mood through the year. In late spring the Kuril cherry (Chishima-zakura) comes out on the slopes, and through July and August the open ridgeline carries alpine flowers that the local forestry office singles out—the pink of the alpine crane's-bill and the spike of the soldier orchid among them. Autumn is when the broad-leaved slopes turn a brilliant, layered colour, a season that consistently draws hikers up for the foliage as much as the summit. These warm-season months, roughly June to October, are when the trails are snow-free and most pleasant to walk.↗↗↗

Around the mountain's flanks stands forest that the prefecture actively protects, including old-growth beech—trees whose range in Hokkaido is largely confined to this southwest corner of the island. Because parts of the slopes fall inside protection and natural-park zones, gathering plants is prohibited, so the rule of the place is to look and photograph, not to take.↗

In winter the mountain turns to snow: the northern slopes are home to an operating ski field, and the south slope still carries the weathered lifts of a resort that closed after the 2004–05 season, with snow vehicles and special winter access used to bring people partway up. For summer hikers the abandoned runs are a quiet reminder of the slopes' other life.↗↗

A Somber Memorial

Yokotsu also carries a weightier history. On 3 July 1971 an Eastern Domestic Air Lines YS-11 named "Bandai" crashed into the mountain's southern slope on approach to Hakodate, killing all 68 passengers and crew. A memorial now stands at the site on the mountainside, reached from the trailhead gate, and many walkers pause there. It is a useful place to understand that this peak rises directly across the flight path above Hakodate, and that its weather and its proximity to the city have long shaped how people come to and from it.↗↗

Visiting

Plan around the gate: because general vehicles are barred for the last two kilometres to the summit, you should drive as far as the trailhead gate, park there, and finish the climb on foot. The trailhead also holds the Bandai memorial, so the two can be combined in a single short outing. Parking can fill and the surface has noticeable cracks and ruts, so leave room when you park and watch your step.↗↗

Choose your route to your fitness: the shrine-and-summit round trip suits a relaxed half-day, while the Yokotsu–Eboshi–Hakamagoshi loop is a real full day and deserves an early start. Carry a bear bell—bear warnings are posted in the area—and make noise on quieter stretches of trail, and pack rain protection, since summit weather in southern Hokkaido can turn fast even when the valley below is bright.↗↗

The best balance of access and reward comes in the snow-free months from June to October: July and August bring the alpine flowers on the open ridge, and autumn brings the foliage, while spring and late fall offer cooler, calmer climbs. After walking, the surrounding lowlands—toward Lake Onuma and the onsen towns of the Nanae area—make an easy place to soak away the day's aches.↗↗

What makes it special

01

The highest peak of the Kameda Peninsula at 1,167 m, with a full 360-degree view of Komagatake, Lake Onuma, the Tsugaru Strait and, on clear days, Mt. Yotei.↗↗

02

Easy of reach: a paved road climbs nearly to the top, leaving a short final walk from the gate for an unhurried half-day summit trip.↗↗

03

A fuller ridge day links Yokotsu with Eboshi-dake and Hakamagoshi-dake, the highest summit within Hakodate city.↗↗

04

Summer alpine flowers on the open crest and brilliant autumn colour, set within Esan Prefectural Natural Park and protected beech forest.↗↗

05

A memorial at the trailhead marks the 1971 'Bandai' air crash on the southern slope, a sober piece of the mountain's history.↗

A little planning goes a long way

Drive only to the trailhead gate—private vehicles are prohibited for the final roughly 2 km, so budget the extra time to walk on.↗
Match the route to your group: the Yokotsu Shrine summit round trip (~2 hours) suits families and casual walkers; the Yokotsu–Eboshi–Hakamagoshi loop (~5 hours, 12 km) is a proper day hike.↗
Carry a bear bell and rain gear: bear warnings are posted in the area and summit weather can shift quickly even on fine days.↗↗
Aim for June to October for snow-free trails—July-August for alpine flowers and autumn for foliage—and watch your footing, as paths can be slick after rain.↗↗

About this guide

Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below; this is not a first-hand visit. Place details collected October 5, 2026. Hours, access and ratings can change; confirm with the venue before visiting.

Finding your next place…

Mt. Yokotsu

Why go?

More of Japan: Matsumoto

Finding your next place…

Mt. Yokotsu

Why go?

More of Japan: Matsumoto

The Summit and Its Views

Two Ways to the Top

Seasons, Flowers and Forest

A Somber Memorial

Visiting

What makes it special

A little planning goes a long way

About this guide