Mt. Odaigahara (大台ヶ原山)
Mt. Odaigahara (Odaigaharayama) is located across Kamikitayama Village and Kawakami Village in Yoshino-gun, Nara Prefecture, and former Miyagawa Village, Odai Town, Taki-gun, Mie prefecture. It is 1694.9 meters high (Hidegatake). It is designated as one of `one hundred top mountains of Japan' by Kyuya FUKADA. It is also included in the 100 best sceneries in Japan, and in the 100 mysterious lands of Japan. It is the highest peak in Mie Prefecture.
Summary
Mountains with flat tops are concentrated in the vicinity of Mt. Odaigahara, and those mountains and Mt. Odaigahara are collectively called Odaigahara at times. Terrains with flat tops surrounded by steep cliffs are called a peneplane in cycle of erosion.
Odaigahara is an example of uplifted peneplain, which is rare in Japan,
In addition, Odaigahara is known as a rainy region from a global standpoint. This heavily affects the growth and distribution of living things such as plants and animals. Therefore, it is designated as a special protection area, which is strictly controlled, within Yoshino-Kumano National Park. Just below Mt. Hidegatake, the dieback of spruce and bamboo fields in Masakimine peak and Masakigahara are well-known. Behind these, forests were destroyed and trees were washed away by Isewan Typhoon which hit the Kinki region in 1959, and bamboo started to grow thickly instead of moss which had been growing naturally on the ground.
As a result, the number of the Japanese deer that mainly eat bamboo has increased and they even eat seedlings and barks of conifers; these complex factors affect the present environmental conditions. Some people say that the Japanese deer should be exterminated to protect the environment from the deer.
Mt. Odaigahara is important as a habitat for wildlife such as a blue-and-white flycatcher, Japanese robin, and Japanese scops owl. For this reason, it is designated as government-designated Mt. Odaigahara wildlife refuge (large-scale habitat) (1,403 hectares of special protection area within the total area of 18,054 hectares).
For enjoy hiking in Mt. Odaigahara, `Higashi Odai hiking course,' approximately 9 kilometers is recommended starting at the visitor center. In general, four hours are sufficient to go around. However, as there are bumpy roads or roads with high inclination dotting the mountain, the hiking can be tough for people who do not usually do any exercises. Three courses are shown on the hiking map sold at the visitor center (100 yen). Another hiking course with a half distance of the regular course is shown too.
Restriction on the entry to the mountain
From those stated above, the Ministry of the Environment decided to restrict the entry to the mountain in Nishiodai district.
After implementation of the restriction, climbers are required to apply for the paid entry to the mountain in advance to obtain a permit, and to take a lecture at the Odaigahara visitor center on the day of entry to the mountain. Higashiodai district is exempt from the restriction.
The number of climbers in a day
The numbers shown in parentheses are the numbers during the Golden Week Holidays, the Bon Festival period, and the foliage season.
Weekday 30 (50)
Saturday, Sunday, and National holiday 50 (100)
Living things
Ohdaigahara Salamander
dendrocopos major
Japanese deer
Forest green treefrog
Red spotted masu trout
Access
Nara Prefectural Route 40, Odaigahara-Park Kawakami Route (Odaigahara Driveway)