Mount Shōgigashira

What it is

• A 2,730-meter peak located in the Kiso Mountains of Nagano Prefecture.
• The mountain is named for its physical resemblance to a shogi playing piece.
• A site of historical significance following a major climbing accident in 1913.
• The summit serves as a drainage point for the Tenryu and Kiso Rivers.

What to see

• Colonies of Dicentra peregrina alpine flowers growing on the mountain slopes.
• The Nishikoma Sanso stone hut, a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property built in 1915.
• A memorial monument located south of the summit dedicated to the 1913 disaster.
• Gyojaiwa, a sharp granite rock formation situated near the mountain peak.
• The Tenmeisui spring located in the vicinity of the Nishikoma Sanso hut.

Getting there

• The Katsurakoba trailhead offers a route suitable for a day-trip climb to the summit.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.