Mount Kintoki

Mount Kintoki is the highest point on the outer rim of the Hakone caldera, at 1,213 meters, an old stratovolcano that was active between 350,000 and 270,000 years ago before its south side collapsed. Its other name, Inohana-dake, boar's-nose peak, comes from its outline, and a small Inohana Shrine stands on top. Folklore says Kintaro, the strong boy who grew up to become Sakata no Kintoki, one of Minamoto no Yorimitsu's four retainers, was raised on these slopes. The Sengokuhara route starts by the Kintoki Shrine at the foot and passes the Yadori-ishi, a giant boulder where Kintaro and his mother are said to have spent the night. The Hakone Geopark puts the climb at about 75 minutes from the Kintoki-jinja-iriguchi bus stop. It is steeper than the time suggests: hard lava layers form stair-like rock steps, slippery when wet, so wear proper shoes. At the summit, by the stone marker reading Tenka no shuho Kintoki-yama, two teahouses sell food and drinks, and Mount Fuji rises to the west above the Sengokuhara grassland. Fuji is often hidden by cloud, so an early start improves the odds. There is no gate and no fee.