Kushigata Range is situated at Nakajo in Niigata prefecture. It lies between the Kazi River to the southwest and the Tainai River to the northeast. It is said it,s the shortest range in Japan. The highest mountain is Kushigata-yama of 568 meters in height. The mountains are covered with a natural forestry up to the high ridge. There are many possible routes climbing up to mountains of Kushigata range. All of them offer ideal one day hikes from Niigata City.

  The attractive route I recommend is from a forestry park of Nakajo. This route was opened recently as a forestry park was constructed. There is a ruin of an old mountain castle on a peak called "Yogai-san", on its way up.

  I turned left towards the mountains at Sekisawa intersection of route 8 in Nakajo. Soon the entrance of a forestry park came out. There was an open space enough to park 15 cars near the entrance. The track continued to an office house with a lavatory. But it was closed in late March and no one stayed there.

  A hiking trail started from a flight of steps on the back of the office house. The trail went up gently along the left slope to the sub ridge.

  The trail met a trail fork at the ridge. There was a wooden look-out shelter by the fork. Taking a right trail, I followed up the ridge. The trail continued going up and down a few peaks to Yogai-san. There was an open clearing with a signboard saying that there was a mountain castle here a long time ago.

  The trail crossed a man-made ditch and went up gently to a main ridge where there was a second fork.

  A right trail comes from Oosawa, while the left trail leads to the main ridge. The left trail gave me a pleasant ridge walk through a natural forest including beech trees and at last reached the main ridge. There was an important point here, a part of the traverse route.

  I turned right (southwest) and descended to the bottom from where I climbed steeply to the top through a beech forest. 10 minute steep climb brought me to the top of Kushigata-yama.

  From a flat and open top there was a marvelous view of Iide range to the southeast. It was covered with white snow in May. Going forward a little there is a beautiful beech forest. (If you'd like avoiding sunshine and wind on the top, take a lunch in the forest.)

  After lunch I took the same course back. On my way down, I chose another trail at the second fork and went down to the forestry park to pick up my car.