If you enjoy a bit of hiking, we would advise you to admire the sunset at Yudachiukeyama (夕立受山). Although the mountain only has a height of 210 meters, the panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea is even better than the one you get from Bizen♡Hinase Bridge. As the entire hiking trail is well-maintained, with a toilet at the trailhead, you won’t need any hiking equipment to reach the peak. This makes it the perfect hiking spot for all age groups, especially young families (^_-)-☆.
The View Atop Yudachiukeyama
There is a car park located at the trailhead. If you are taking a bus, it is just a 10 to 15-minute walk from the bus stop to the trailhead. To get to the top of Mt. Yudachiuke, you only need to hike for another 20 – 30 minutes.
Whilst the slope may be steep for some, it is definitely an easy mountain to climb. A stunning view awaits you at the end of the staircases!
If you have time, don’t just be satisfied with the view from the summit of Mt. Yudachiuke. The promenade keeps going all the way to the other summit that is connected with Mt. Yudachiuke (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ because it has an even better view of this part of the Seto Inland Sea.
The name of Mt. Yudachiuke came from the ritual the farmers used to perform during times of drought. The farmers back then would start a huge bonfire, and the smoke would go so high that it seemed like it was connecting the heavens with the earth. Because an abundant amount of rainfall usually follows the ritual, the mountain is named “rain receiving” with “Yudachi” meaning rain and “Uke” meaning received.
Trekking to the Other Observation Deck Close By
From Mt. Yudachiuke, if you follow the trekking trail by first climbing down before you head up again, you will reach the first lookout that will give you a view similar to the Instagram post. Continue trekking, there will be another two observation decks before you reach the turning back point.
The views from the three lookouts are all pretty similar. It just depends on how far you want the Katakami Bridge (片上大橋) to be in the distance for your photo of the sunset. The further away you want it to be, the more you have to trek.
If you are trekking the entire trail, a return trip will take around 2 hours from the trailhead. Of course, if you are waiting for the sunset or taking photos here and there, it will take longer.
Tip: Remember to bring a torch or flashlight if you are coming for the sunset.
If you are wondering what those rectangular things are on the surface of the water, those are the oyster farming rafts.
Mt. Yudachiuke’s Spring and Autumn
Along the trails of Mt. Yudachiuke, cherry blossom trees and mimosas are planted. Note that the mimosa here isn’t the cocktail you get from a bar. It is a type of plant that bears gorgeous yellow flowers (*´ω｀). So if you want your hike to be more colorful, come in early or mid-April!
For fall foliage, usually, you can expect some beautiful colors from late November to early December.
How to Get to Mt. Yudachiuke
It is a 10-minute drive from JR Iri Station (伊里駅).
If you don’t feel like splurging money on a taxi, you can also take the buses on the Hinase Line (日生線) from JR Hinase Station (日生駅) and get off at Kise stop (木生).
- Refer to HERE and scroll down to the bus route table for the bus timetable.
- 平日ダイヤ is the weekday timetable.
- For weekends and public holidays, please refer to 土日祝ダイヤ.
- You can also use one of Japan’s Transport Apps to plan your visit.
For the same bus service, you can also board the bus from JR Bizen-Katakami Station (備前片上駅), which is the terminal stop of the service.
Discover Other Amazing Attractions in Bizen City
A couple more attractions are worth your time in Bizen City, where Hattoji Furusato Village is located. The city is known as one of the six oldest kilns in Japan. There is a shrine that is mostly decorated with locally produced ceramics! And, if that isn’t enough to impress you, how about a shrine where they deified cows to worship as gods? When you pay homage, you throw little calves into the “donation box” instead of throwing money!
For more information, please refer to our article on Bizen City!
