Trekking Along The Osado Mountain Range

The trekking course between Donden Highland Lodge and Mt. Kinpoku is one of the most popular courses on Sado Island. It is so varied that you will never get tired of walking it. In springtime, the guides say that you can enjoy the course three times, as the floral patterns change every ten days. You will encounter rough terrain, grassy meadows, steep slopes, and oddly shaped trees. It can be said that this course allows you to fully enjoy the mountains of Sado at any time of the year, spring, summer, fall, and even partly during winter.

The traverse route starts nearby Donden Highland Lodge and takes you along the ridge line of the Osado Mountain Range from which you will catch glimpses of Lake Kamo on the right and the ocean on the left as you progress towards Mt. Kinpoku.

On your way, you may notice that there are many areas on the right side of the ridge – the Aikawa side – where no trees grow. This is a result of the winter monsoon, and the trees that do grow are extending their branches toward the Ryotsu side of the ridge. Naturally, the trees are not tall. One can see how strongly the Siberian northerly winds blow over the unobstructed waters of the Sea of Japan, crashing into Sado Island. This is said to be the reason why the mountain flowers on Sado Island bloom like those on the mainland at 2,000 meters.

From the summit of Mt. Kinpoku (1172m) you have a full view over the entire island from Ryotsu Bay to Mano Bay.

The gravel road from Mt. Kinpoku`s summit to Hakuundai is a defense road that belongs to the Japan Self-Defense Force, so notification is required for passage. Even walkers need to do so (TEL.: 0259-63-4111).