Mt. Tsukuba

Mt. Tsukuba stands 877 meters in Ibaraki Prefecture with twin peaks, Nantai and Nyotai, connected by a ridge trail with wide views over the Kanto Plain. Japanese poetry has long celebrated it alongside Mt. Fuji, one in the west and the other in the east. A cable car and ropeway make the summit accessible without hiking, though trails ranging from 90 minutes to three hours offer a more direct climb. On clear winter days both Mt. Fuji and Tokyo Skytree are visible from the top. The February plum blossom festival at Tsukuba Shrine, at the mountain's base, is a good reason to visit in late winter.