【宝篋山ハイキング】筑波山の隣にある人気の低山｜360度パノラマの絶景と癒しの里山コースを堪能｜4K 茨城散歩
Hello, and welcome to SANPO GUIDE. Today, we’re hiking Mt. Hōkyō — a popular low mountain on the border of Tsukuba and Tsuchiura in Ibaraki Prefecture. There’s a rest area near the parking lot. With tables and benches, it’s a great spot to get ready for your hike. There’s also a restroom here, so it’s a good idea to use it before heading out. Today, I’ll be taking the Gokurakuji Course—one of the most popular routes up Mt. Hōkyō. Mt. Hōkyō stands 461 meters tall, right next to the more famous Mt. Tsukuba. It may be a low mountain, but the view from the summit is incredible, making it one of the most popular hikes in the Kanto area. With a variety of trails and rich vegetation, Mt. Hōkyō has become a favorite for seasonal hikes throughout the year. The approach to the trailhead takes you through peaceful rice fields. You’ll start to see Mt. Hōkyō come into view straight ahead. It really feels like a classic Japanese countryside scene. Personally, I love the view of Mt. Hōkyō from right here. By the way, that spot with the antenna is the summit of Mt. Hōkyō. A little further on, there’s a gate to keep out wild boars. Open it and pass through. Don’t forget to close it behind you. After the rice fields, the trail enters a forested area and becomes a mountain path. The first half of the Gokurakuji Course features streams, small waterfalls, and unique rock formations. The shade and sound of running water make this stretch feel refreshingly cool. As I follow the stream, I spot a uniquely shaped rock up ahead. I don’t think this rock has an official name… …but I like to call it “Pac-Man Rock.” From a different angle, though, it looks pretty ordinary. One nice thing about Mt. Hōkyō is that rest spots come at just the right intervals. This spot, called Shirataki, is one of my favorites— the gentle sound of water here is so soothing. When you reach this open, sunny area, you’re about halfway to the summit. The view begins to peek through the gaps between the trees. From here, the trail stays gentle for a while. And then—a steep uphill climb appears ahead. I think this is the steepest slope on the Gokurakuji Course. But that mix of tough and gentle sections is what makes the Gokurakuji Course so well-balanced. It’s a perfect route for regular mountain training. And right at the top—there’s a bench waiting. It’s such a welcome sight. Time to take a little break. During the break, I heard something like a drone overhead… but it turned out to be a swarm of buzzing insects. A little scary, to be honest. After the climb, the trail opens up into a wide, gentle path—very pleasant to walk. There’s a bio-toilet near the summit,
so you don’t have to worry about bathroom breaks during the hike. Climb the path next to the toilet, and the summit is just ahead. And there it is—the antenna we saw from below, now right in front of us! After about 90 minutes of hiking from the base, we’ve reached the summit of Mt. Hōkyō. From the open summit area, you can enjoy a majestic view of Mt. Tsukuba. The summit is spacious, with plenty of benches and seats—perfect for relaxing while taking in the view. And this 360-degree panoramic view is one of the biggest reasons Mt. Hōkyō is so popular. Looking the opposite way from Mt. Tsukuba, you get a wide-open view of Tsuchiura city and Lake Kasumigaura. This is the view toward central Tokyo. On a clear day, you can even spot Tokyo Skytree and the skyscrapers of Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. By the way, the mountain gets its name from this stone pagoda— the Hōkyōintō—said to date back to the Kamakura period. It’s also a designated cultural property of Ibaraki Prefecture, and one of the oldest stone Hōkyōintō pagodas in the Kanto region. On sunny weekends, the summit area gets lively with hikers enjoying lunch, chatting, and relaxing together. Being able to enjoy such incredible views so easily— this place is really something special. Well then, time to head down. For the descent, I’ll take a different route— the Oda Castle Course. The Oda Castle Course is relatively gentle, with scenic lookout points along the way. It’s a bit longer than the Gokurakuji Course, but combining the two makes for a great loop trail. A short walk brings you to the entrance of a viewpoint. If you stop by the small shrine and turn around… …you’ll be rewarded with a stunning panoramic view toward central Tokyo. It’s hard not to get excited with a view like this. What a beautiful view. There’s a table and bench here, and not many people— this is one of my favorite viewpoints. Today, I’m going to have lunch right here. On hot days, I usually pack chilled items from a convenience store in an insulated bag. For hikes around two hours, it stays cool enough to enjoy—highly recommended. Cold noodles with a view like this—absolutely perfect. Now that I’ve eaten and recharged, it’s time to hit the trail again. From here on out, it’s just a steady descent back to the base. When you see the Jizō statue, that means the goal is near. And that wraps up today’s hike to the popular Mt. Hōkyō. From peaceful rice fields and the sound of streams,
to forest trails dappled with sunlight— —and the wide-open summit with its 360-degree panoramic views. This is also one of the rare spots where you can see Mt. Tsukuba up close from the summit. I know quite a few people who actually prefer Mt. Hōkyō to Mt. Tsukuba…
and honestly, I can see why. Once you walk the trails yourself, you’ll understand the charm of this mountain. If you ever get the chance, I really recommend paying it a visit. Thanks so much for watching all the way to the end. If you enjoyed the video, please consider liking and subscribing to the channel. See you again in the next hike!
今回は茨城県つくば市にある人気の低山「宝篋山（ほうきょうさん）」を歩いてきました。
標高は461mと低めながら、山頂からの360度の大パノラマや、静かな沢沿いの道、
奇岩・滝・四季の風景・歴史的なスポットまで、多彩な魅力が詰まった山です。
登山初心者の方でも安心して楽しめるルートをご紹介します。
ゆったりと歩きながら、自然に癒される時間をぜひ一緒にお楽しみください。
2025年6月27日撮影
※字幕あります。ON/OFFは動画プレイヤーのCCボタンからお願いします
– Capter –
00:00 イントロ / introduction
00:54 宝篋山駐車場 / Mt.Hokyosan Parking
01:11 宝篋山小田休憩所 / Mt.Hokyosan Oda Rest Area
05:13 パックマン岩 / Pacman Rock
05:56 白滝 / Shiro Taki Fall
08:51 宝篋山 山頂 / Mt. Hokyosan summit
09:14 筑波山 / Mt. Tsukuba
10:06 霞ヶ浦 / Kasumigaura
12:13 下浅間神社 / Shimo Sengen Jinja
15:09 大師堂のお地蔵様 / The Jizo statue at Daishido Hall
16:23 宝篋山小田休憩所 / Mt.Hokyosan Oda Rest Area
16:36 エンディング / ending
– 宝篋山トレッキングマップ – つくば市 –
https://www.city.tsukuba.lg.jp/material/files/group/110/houkyousan_trekking_map2024_8.pdf
– 今回歩いたルート（YAMAP／宝篋山周回コース） –
https://yamap.com/model-courses/24262
– SANPO GUIDE Instagram –
https://www.instagram.com/sanpo_guide/
– SANPO GUIDE Twitter –
Tweets by sanpo_guide
ご視聴いただきありがとうございます！
#宝篋山 #低山 #ハイキング #関東登山 #極楽寺コース #小田城コース #茨城 #つくば #登山Vlog #山歩き #SANPOGUIDE
#Hokyosan #Ibaraki #Tsukuba #hiking #Japan