Shiroyama Historical Hiking Course城山ハイキングコース

In 1180, Minamoto no Yoritomo lost the Battle of Ishibashiyama to the Taira clan and retreated through the hills above Yugawara before eventually crossing to the Boso Peninsula. Shiroyama (城山 - “castle mountain”) is part of that escape route. A local samurai, Doi Sanehira, sheltered him. The hiking course is signposted with historical markers at key points, including the castle-ruin site near the summit, and reads as a proper historical walk rather than a generic ridge hike.

The loop is 13.6 kilometres, runs for about 3 hours and 50 minutes at a steady pace, and starts and ends at Yugawara Station. The summit at 563 metres gives you a long view across the Odawara plain toward Hakone. Trail surface is mostly packed dirt and stone steps; one section gets exposed in summer and benefits from early starts in July and August.

Part of the Kanagawa Prefecture hiking-route network, which means signage is in both Japanese and English on the main waypoints. The 2025 summit-section closure has been lifted; check Kanagawa Prefecture’s hiking page before a trip in case of landslide advisories. Free. No permits. Bring water and proper shoes.

場所: Shiroyama area, Yugawara, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa

アクセス: Start walking from Yugawara Station.

シーズン: Year-round; best spring and autumn

営業時間: Daylight hours

料金: Free

所要時間: 3 hours 50 minutes (13.6 km loop)

難易度: moderate

持ち物:

• Hiking shoes
• Water (1L+)
• Sun protection
• Rain layer in Jun-Oct

ハイライト:

• 13.6 km loop starting and ending at the station
• 563 m summit with Hakone views
• Minamoto no Yoritomo historical route
• Castle-ruin signage at the summit section
• Part of Kanagawa’s official hiking-route network

複数のプラットフォームで収集した情報に矛盾があった箇所です。

• Summit section closure (2025): Summit section was temporarily closed Jun-Dec 2025 for trail repair per Yugawara Tourism. Confirm current status on the town tourism site before planning a trip. If the summit is closed, the lower-loop alternative still gives 10+ km and ruins signage.

• 城山ハイキングコース - Yugawara Tourism
• Kanagawa Prefecture hiking route PDF