Mt. Ontake

Mt. Ontake, which is located on the boundary of Nagano Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture, is the second highest volcano in Japan after Mt. Fuji, rising to a height of 3,067 meters. Since ancient times, Mt. Ontake was renowned as a sacred mountain, and attracted practitioners of Shugendo (a form of mountain asceticism that combines elements of Shintoism and Buddhism); it is still an object of veneration to this day. Visitors can travel up to the Seventh Station via the Ontake Ropeway; from there, it takes around one hour to walk to the Eighth Station, which is a marvelous place for viewing the autumn foliage (the autumn foliage is at its best from late September through to early October). In summer, from late June through into July, there are many beautiful alpine plants to be seen on the mountain slopes. The restrictions on entering areas near the summit of the volcano are gradually being relaxed, and safety measures have been strengthened, with the establishment of new shelters, etc.