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Getting to Mt. Tsukuba is easy by bus from Tsukuba Station's Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal. Tsukuba-san Shuttle buses going directly to Mt. Tsukuba leave every 30 min. on weekends or every hour during weekdays and non-peak hours.
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Mt. Tsukuba ahead. It takes about 50 min. to reach Mt. Tsukuba by bus from Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal.
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Mt. Tsukuba has two peaks, Mt. Nantai (male peak) on the left and Mt. Nyotai (female peak) on the right. They are wedded peaks due to the wedded gods Izanami and Izanagi. 男体山 女体山
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I got off the bus at Tsutsujigaoka, the last stop. I hiked it from Mt. Nyotai (female peak) to Mt. Nantai (male peak). It's also possible to do it in the opposite direction from Nantai to Nyotai. つつじヶ丘
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Tsutsujigaoka has a ropeway aerial tram terminal taking you up to Mt. Nyotai, Mt. Tsukuba's female peak. 女体山
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The ropeway runs every 20 min. The fare is 600 yen one way.
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It's possible to climb up to Mt. Nyotai as well.
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Approaching Mt. Nyotai. Mt. Tsukuba is noted for fall leaves. But I was a little too late. The leaves here turn color earlier than on the plains. 女体山
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Lookout deck on Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.
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View from Mt. Nyotai.
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View from Mt. Nyotai.
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Mt. Fuji as seen from Mt. Nyotai.
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Mt. Nantai in the distance.
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In the middle of the two peaks is another lookout deck and gift shops.
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Climbing up the peak of Mt. Nyotai.
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Nyotai Honden on Mt. Nyotai. It worships Izanami, wife of Izanagi.
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People climbing on the narrow peak of Nyotai. Mt. Tsukuba is one of Japan's 100 Famous Peaks.
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Atop the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.
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Views from the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.
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Tsutsujigaoka Ropeway Station below, as seen from the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.
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From Mt. Nyotai, it's an easy hike but rocky trail to Mt. Nantai.
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Rock formation called Gama-ishi. ガマ石
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The trail continues to a clearing in the middle of the two peaks.
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Between Mt. Nyotai and Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba is a row of tourist shops in this palce called Miyukigahara (御幸ケ原). That's Mt. Nantai in the background.
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The round building has a gift shop on the bottom, restaurant on the 2nd floor, and a revolving lookout deck on the roof (free admission).
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Tsukuba-san Shrine on Mt. Nantai, the male peak.
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View from Miyukigahara.
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View from Miyukigahara.
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Miyukigahara.
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Looking toward Nyotai from Miyukigahara.
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View from Miyukigahara.
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Mt. Nantai
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Trail to climb up to Mt. Nantai.
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About Mt. Tsukuba's geology in Japanese.
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The trail soon gets steep and rocky, but not a problem for most people. High heels and miniskirt are not recommended.
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Shrine atop Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.
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Mt. Nantai marker for 871 meter elevation.
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Tsukuba-san Jjinja Shrine atop Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba. This is the Honden for the male god Izanagi.
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View from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.
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View from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.
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Mt. Nyotai as seen from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.
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Ropeway station on Mt. Nyotai.
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On Nantai, there's an easy hiking trail going around the peak.
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Hiking trail around Mt. Nantai. There are two other lookout points along the trail.
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This is one of them.
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View from Mt. Nantai on Tsukuba-san.
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Miyukigahara also has a cable car station.
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Tsukuba-san cable car on Mt. Tsukuba's Miyukigahara, near Nantai.
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The cable car runs every 20 min. Fare is 570 yen one way. There are trails going down the mountain as well.
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Cable car going up to Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.
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Bottom cable car station.
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Entrance to Tsukuba-san cable car station.
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Around the cable car station below the mountain, the fall leaves were very nice.
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Autmun maple leaves on Mt. Tsukuba-san.
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall is adjacent to the cable car station. The Honden Hall is atop the two peaks on Mt. Tsukuba. 筑波山神社
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall. The shrine is dedicated to both Izanagi and Izanami, Japan's parent gods.
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In autumn, a chrysanthemum display is held on the grounds of Tsukuba-san Shrine.
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Depicting Mt. Tsukuba.
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Gate to Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall
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Torii to Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine
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When I was there, a helicopter hovered about Mt. Nantai to rescue an injured hiker. I took a bus back to Tsukuba Station.
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