Tateishisan 立石山 & Kayasan 可也山 2019.2.23

Tateishisan 立石山 & Kayasan 可也山 2019.2.23

Tateushisan 立石山 is a small mountain right on the coastline of Itoshima. This hikes takes you through some beautiful beaches and has some great views even though the height and distance to not too punishing. I recommend taking gloves as there are some very rocky sections. 

The second mountain is nearby and I visited once before in the early summer of 2018. It is a more forested hike which also has some fantastic views from the the viewpoint just past the summit. 

Access: The easiest way to get to both is by car. For Tatesihan I parked at 芥屋第１駐車場 there is one more parking area a little closer to Keya beach. In the summer these get very busy so leave early. For Kayasan we parked at at smallish Aeon Mall イオン志摩ショッピングセンター however there are also local buses running to the area from Chikuzen-Maebaru station. 

Tateishisan 

We left the parking area and crossed the beautiful Keya beach. The water is clear and inviting here and it is a very popular beach in the summer. There is also a camping area here which is closed in the winter.

We followed the train through the forested area until we came to a large rock. After this the trail gets a lot more rocky with some climbing and steps.  The view is good here although there are plenty more views to come!

The large rock from the other side.

The trail was very sandy and there was a strong smell of the sea in the air.  Another good view point near an old dead tree.

The summit signposts. The views all around are impressive despite the mountain only being 209m Lots of ferns to plough through

The weather improved alot on the descent. This gave much better views of the sea and beaches. I highly recommend you visit on a sunny day!

Keya beach looks great even in the winter. We even met a brave surfer hitting the waves despite the water being very cold!

Return to Kayasan 

After eating some lunch and recharging we took on Kayasan. The trailhead is a short walk from the Aeon mall (alternatively there is another car park however it is further away) 

There are a lot of steps to go up Kayasan. It isn't an overly challenging hike however it can be steep in places.

Kanari Shrine 可也神社

The Summit

The view of the ocean and nearby Kazan is impressive. You need to walk another few hundred metres past the summit to reach the best views. Unfortunately the weather became cloudy just as we reached the viewpoint.

We finished the day with a trip to a nearby public bath; Ito no Yudokoro 伊都の湯どころ. It is a reasonably priced bath with a good variety of baths. All Shampoo, body wash and rinse are provided. They also have a good selection of Sauna's with salt, steam and a dry Sauna. You can find out more from their website.