Kamuidake & Eboshi-dake 小喜茂別岳・烏帽子岳 Lake Sapporo Approach.
Kamui‑dake (加無山) & Eboshi‑dake (烏帽子岳)
Difficulty: Intermediate Distance: ~10.5 km round‑trip Elevation Gain: ~850 m Time Required: 5–6 hours Season: Late May–October
This route description and guide is for the Lake Sapporo route that starts above Jozankei Dam.
Please be advised that this area has a high number of Brown Bears that call the approach valleys home, so you must take appropriate cautions, and I strongly advise going with a guide who is familiar with traveling through bear habitat.
The route starts on a forest service road that leads into the same mixed forests of Oak, Elms, White Japanese Birch, and Ezo Spruce found on all trails in this part of the Region. The path is clear and well‑maintained, rising gradually as it approaches the main ridge. Expect cool, shaded walking for the first 30–40 minutes.
Ridge Climb → Kamui‑dake Summit (加無山, 983 m)
The trail steepens as you gain the ridge, with occasional viewpoints back toward Lake Sapporo. Once on the ridge, the route becomes narrow and airy after the ascent through a sasa bamboo grove. Negotiate the various downed trees and step ups, we reach a rope assisted section where the trail junction sits above where a left turn leads onward to Ebosh-dake, and right to the Kamui-dake summit. A final push of around 50 metres leads to the rather tight summit of Kamui‑dake, where you get your first wide panorama of the Yubari Mountains and the Ishikari lowlands. Care should be taken near the edges as steep cliffs border all sides.
3) Kamui‑dake → Eboshi‑dake Traverse (烏帽子岳, 1,108 m)
From Kamui‑dake, return to the junction and continue along the ridge toward Eboshi‑dake which is a 3000-metre return traverse. This section is the highlight of the hike: an undulating traverse with views in both directions as you gain the ridge of Eboshi-dake. The trail is straightforward, with short climbs with fixed ropes and descents before the final ascent to Eboshi‑dake. Although loose rock is present in the open areas and a slow, steady pace is the best and safest approach, especially on the descent!
4) Eboshi‑dake Summit
Eboshi‑dake offers the best views of the day. The summit is quite thick with sasa on both sides of the trail and the summit marker area will only fit 3-4 people at a time. Sweeping sightlines across the Yubari range and deep into central Hokkaido can be enjoyed. On clear days, you can trace the ridgelines all the way toward Mount Yubari itself.
5) Return via the Same Route
Retrace your steps back over Kamui‑dake and descend the ridge to Lake Sapporo. The descent is steady and uncomplicated, returning you to the trailhead in 2–2.5 hours.
