Mount Unzen - Climbing an Active Volcano

What?
Mount Unzen (雲仙岳) is the collective name for a bunch of peaks in the middle of the Shimabara Peninsula (島原半島). The volcanic activity of this mountain shaped the peninsula, and as recent as 1990 a new peak appeared after a disaster that killed many people. This new peak named Heisei Shinzan (平成新山) tops at 1472 meters, but it is prohibited to climb it due to continued volcanic danger. Other peaks around it give beautiful views over the whole peninsula as well as a clear view of the peak.
Where?
Mount Unzen in Nagasaki Prefecture (長崎県) is difficult to access with public transport. The Nita-Toge Pass (仁田峠) is the place to start your ascent either on foot or by cable car, but despite a big parking lot and the vicinity of Unzen Onsen (a mere 15 minute drive), there are no buses that connect the town with the Nita-Toge Pass. Before corona it was possible to reserve a shared taxi (like I did to climb Mount Ryozen), but they don’t accept reservations anymore. The only way is to drive to the pass or to take a taxi. One way costs around 2000 yen.
URL
Japan Guide

I don’t know what I was expecting. I think maybe one of two extremes; an overdeveloped mountaintop teaming with tourists (there is a big parking lot and a cable car), either a boulderous, volcanic, ultra-dangerous route.
I wasn’t at the top of my game with back ache and calf-ache. So I decided to take the cable car up and see how far I would go.
What I encountered was a mountain unique in a way that I haven’t climbed before. The path around the (inaccessible mountain top) is narrow and at certain points very boulderous (low hanging trees and rocks everywhere – golems and trolls could have jumped out and ambushed me at any time), however very well-maintained with many informative panels and nowhere as tough as a volcano can be. There were some icy patches here and there but never slippery. And maybe because it was a Monday: there were barely any people around.
I didn’t plan on going all the way, and while my leg only got worse, I don’t regret taking the whole loop around the mountaintop.

I bought a return ticket for the cable car, but the conductor said that if I was planning to circle the mountain top, it was best to go down on foot. I already bought my ticket though and wasn’t sure how far I’d get. I just got going.
Before I knew it though I was at the perimeter that protects visitors from volcanic gases at the top. In front of me was the Heisei Shinzan peak, the youngest mountain of Japan created in a volcanic disaster in 1990. It’s strange to say, but it feels like a young mountain. It feels like it’s still searching for its definite shape. It’s rocky surface remind me of pimples, it is spontaneous and reckless in the sense that a normal path hasn’t yet formed, it’s like it is still searching for its own characteristics. Vegetation is spotty at best; the plants haven’t got time yet to grow on this mountain.
As it is impossible to reach the Heisei Shinzan peak (1472m), hikers will have to settle for the Fugendake peak (普賢岳) (1359m) which was the top of Unzendake before 1990.

One of the many perfect views.

There were still a few ice patches and icycles left.

Winter landscape.

The top was not accessible.

Tracing my way back down I started feeling better so I contemplated going all the way down and not taking the cable car back. But then I realized I forgot to climb the Kunimidake Peak (国見岳) (1347m) near the cable car. How stupid of me. But it made my decision easier: I would backtrack towards the cable car but along the way I would climb the Kunimidake peak. It would also reassure the cable car staff who would be expecting me to come back.
It was a very good decision. The top of Mount Kunimi is only reached by a steep track, a basically vertically rock climb where you have to pull yourself up by chains. But the reward at the end is fantastic.
The marker of the top is ridiculously simple; the view from the top is simply fantastic. I sat myself down had a few sips of water and took out my only snacks for today. It was a little bit early but this was the absolute best spot to have my lunch.

One tip: a cap or hat is imperative. You will bump your head several times on low hanging branches. And maybe also on the cable car door, but that might just have been me.