Mt. Nantai

Formed by ancient volcanic activity that also created Lake Chuzenji and shaped the surrounding Oku-Nikko landscape. The mountain has been considered sacred for over 1,200 years; in 782, the monk Shodo Shonin climbed to the 2,486-meter summit and built a small shrine there, now known as Okunomiya. Hiking trails pass through beech forest that transitions to northern hemlock at higher elevations. From the top on a clear day, you can see Lake Chuzenji below, the Senjogahara Wetland, and sometimes Mt. Fuji. The mountain is counted among Japan's 100 most notable peaks.