The Ashikaga Foothills – Made for Hikes and Bikes

The Ashikaga Foothills – Made for Hikes and Bikes

Ashikaga is a small city in the western corner of Tochigi Prefecture. Home to the first ever school in Japan and one of the top flower parks in Japan Ashikaga is also home to a set of mountains that stretch north and west from town out towards Kiryu and Nikko.

Ashikaga City's official hiking map has a great view of the surrounding mountains!
Ashikaga Cityโ€™s official hiking map has a great view of the surrounding mountains!

Notable Peaks

The Nagaishi Pass Observation Deck is a regular meeting point for cyclists in the area.
The Nagaishi Pass Observation Deck is a regular meeting point for cyclists in the area.

Akayukiyama ่ตค้›ชๅฑฑ (elev. 620m)

The pavilion atop Akayukiyama.
The pavilion atop Akayukiyama.

A simple summit with a pavilion, Aka-yuki-yama (tr. Red Snow Mountain) sits above the Matsudagawa Dam Recreation Area ๆพ็”ฐๅทใƒ€ใƒ . The access point is from the Nageishi Forest Road Pass ้•ท็Ÿณๅณ  and just 1.4km to the summit.

Hiking Map

Senningatake ไป™ไบบใƒถๅฒณ (elev. 663m)

Views from Senningatake facing back towards Ashikaga.
Views from Senningatake facing back towards Ashikaga.

Sennin-ga-take (tr. Hermit Mountain) is the highest peak in the Ashikaga Foothills. It also boarders and connects to the Kiryu Hishimachi Kanakuzu Hiking Area.

Hiking Map

Gyodosan ่กŒ้“ๅฑฑ (elev. 441m)

The Joinji Temple viewed from the nearby Gyodosan.
The Joinji Temple viewed from the nearby Gyodosan.

่ถณๅˆฉ่กŒ้“ๅฑฑใใ‚‚ใฎใ‹ใ‘ใฏใ—

The painting is titled, โ€œClouds hang below Ashikagaโ€™s Gyodosan bridge.โ€
The famous Hokusai Ukiyo-e Painting of Gyodosan.
The famous Hokusai Ukiyo-e Painting of Gyodosan.

่กŒ้“ๅฑฑๆต„ๅ› ๅฏบ

Hiking Map

Oiwayama ๅคงๅฒฉๅฑฑ (elev. 417m)

View from the observation deck of the foothills below.
View from the observation deck of the foothills below.

Just south of Gyodosan, Oiwayama is home to two temples and a fantastic observation deck for viewing the Ashikaga Foothills.

Snapping a photo of the Oiwayama Bishamonten Temple.
Snapping a photo of the Oiwayama Bishamonten Temple.

If you are free on new years eve the Bishamonten Temple hosts one of the wildest festivals in Japan!

Hiking Map

More Rides & Reads