Located right next to Higashizawa Bara-en, Tohoku’s biggest rose garden, Tate-yama has a low elevation, and is a Satoyama enjoyed by people of all ages.

The Japanese Emperor, the national butterfly, made an appearance after a long break eight years ago. The beautiful butterfly can be seen in summer, and there is even an event for it. Sightings of serow living in the mountain are not uncommon. In addition, there are more than 100 wild bird species, 78 species of butterflies, and more than 400 species of insects.

Tate-yama is formed of tuff (rock made of volcanic ash, the same stuff the Mo'ai are made out of!). In the past, the mountain was the location of Tateyama Castle, whose remains are still there. There are many shrines and temples in the vicinity, and it’s fun to go around and check them all out.

There are more trails than the three introduced here as well, be sure to check them out!

Tate-yama Hachiman Jinja Trail (30 minutes one-way)

Starting on the left-hand side of Hachiman Jinja, you will first come across a giant inuzakura (dog cherry tree). Here you may see honey bees making hives in the roots, or mushrooms growing in the autumn. There is a lookout at the summit from where you can see Tateoka and all the way out to Higashine.

Tenman Jinja Trail (25 minutes one-way)

The Tenman Jinja trail starts at Tenman Jinja right next to Hachiman Jinja. The trail takes you up the main path to the shrine from behind Tateoka Elementary School, to the right of the main shrine building. Along the way there is a huge rock that looks like a frog called ‘Bikki-Ishi”. Once past there, the trail meets with the Hachiman Jinja Trail that takes you to the summit. There is a path connecting both these trials, so it’s easy to try both.

Nanamagari-kita Trail (25 minutes one-way)

The Nanamagari-kita Trail starts at the back of the Higashizawa Bara-en (Rose Park) and is the closest to the remains of Tateoka Castle. There is a relatively large carpark here, so you can enjoy the rose park, and the Higashizawa wetlands.