[Mt. Maruyama in Sapporo] Mt. Maruyama Hiking Is Easy to Enjoy

Mt. Maruyama Hiking

The Mt. Maruyama is covered with virgin forests designated as a natural monument, and Japanese Judas trees grow at the foot of the mountain, and Mongolian oak trees grow around the top of the mountain, and Japanese linden trees and Acer pictum trees grow at the mountainside. Large trees grow naturally here and there, and visitors may feel the great natural environment of vitality. Hiking is popular, and 2 trails, Maruayama Hachijūhakkasho Course (円山八十八カ所ルート) of about 1 km length and Zoo Course (動物園ルート) of about 800 m length, are built, and the mountain has 3 trailheads, Maruayama Hachijūhakkasho Trailhead (円山八十八カ所登山口 * Northern Trailhead), Zoo Trailhead (動物園登山口 * Westrn Trailhead) and Maruyama Nishi-machi Trailhead (円山西町入口). Most of hikers go at the moountain through the Maruayama Hachijūhakkasho Trailhead nearest a subway station. A restroom is not built near the trailheads, so the hikers had better use public restrooms near an entrance of the Maruyama Park.

It takes about 30-40 minutes to go up the mountain on foot, and takes about 20 minutes to go down the mountain on foot. I went up the mountain through the Maruayama Hachijūhakkasho Course, and went down through the Zoo Course. I felt that the Maruayama Hachijūhakkasho Course was more crowded than the Zoo Course. As for clothes, I weared jeans, a shirt and sneakers. In addition, I did not bring water, but I sweated, so I guess that you had better bring about 500 ml water. I did not see hikers with a bear-avoiding bell, but it seems that a brown bear sometimes appear in the Maruyama Park, so beware of the bears. By the way, I think that visitors also had better bring mosquito repellent in a summer.

The Maruayama Hachijūhakkasho is a sacred place used as a motif of Shikoku Hachijūhakkasho (四国八十八カ所) that is famous for Shikoku Pilgrimage. Mr. Mapei Ueda (上田万平) and Mr. Zenshichi Ueda (上田善七) contributed to the development to Maruyama village as early-Meiji administrative unit for Hokkaido built the trail to make the Maruyama Virgin Forest widely known to a lot of people in 1914, and 88 stone images were set along the trail. Later also, stone images have been contributed, and about 200 stone images are set at present. Maruyama Daishido (円山大師堂) is built at the trailhead, and the statue of Dainichi Nyorai (大日如来像) and the statue of Fudo-son (不動尊像) are also built. Stone images are set here and there, so I can know a reason why here is called "A sacred power place". In addition, I am braced up by an atmosphere of the sacred power place and cold air of the forest here.

A large tree exposing its root grows nearby Inari Shrine (稲荷神社). A chipmunk appeared on the root when I saw the root unintentionally. It looked cute, and seemed to inhabit the tree.

After going up the mountain for a while, I heard the gay voices. A lot of kindergarteners with childminders went up the mountain, and a childminder carrying a kindergartener on here bag went up on foot, too. I thougt that it looked a just hard training. The childminder is a tough job. But the kindergarteners looked very fun, and thanks to their voices, I guessed that a bear did not get close to the mountain.

The mountaintop is a rocky place. A quarry used to be on the Mt. Maruyama, so I guess that it is a trace. The downtown of the Sapporo can be viewed from the mountaintop. The Mt. Maruyama is lower than Mt. Okura (大倉山) and Mt. Moiwa (藻岩山), but the view is very impressive because here gets close to the downtown of the Sapporo. I think that the view is worth seeing. A lot of hikers took a rest and had a lunch on the rocky place. I think that eathing the lunch is comfortable while seeing the good view.

I returned down through the Zoo Course. The down slope was sight. I felt that the trail with a few curves was more easyily than the Maruayama Hachijūhakkasho Course. The walking distance is also shorter than the Maruayama Hachijūhakkasho Course, so I think that hikers without any time should hike the Zoo Course.

A yezo squirrel appeared on the trail while going down the trail. It looked cute, too. I finished hiking for about 90 minutes. Trails were not so tough, and enjoying the good view was good to me.

Movie of Mt. Maruyama Hiking

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations near the Maruyama Park. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Sapporo Maruyama Guest House Tsumuri-an(札幌円山ゲストハウス つむり庵)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Weekly Hotel Sanden(ウィークリーホテルさんでん)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Maruyoshi Ryokan(まるよし旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Asano Hotel(あさ野ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Hamilton Sapporo(ホテル ハミルトン札幌)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten