Mount Karakuni, Lake Onami & the Enchanted Forest

What?
Mount Karakuni (韓国岳) is with its 1700m the highest peak in the Kirishima Mountain Range (霧島山). Starting from the nearby Ebino Plateau (えびの高原), there are many hiking paths with impressive views of both the mountain and the surrounding scenery, including vistas of nearby Mount Shinmoe’s (新燃岳) smoldering crater and Lake Onami (大浪池). Due to volcanic activity, several paths have been closed off since 2021 though.
Where?
Although both the Karakuni peak as the Ebino Plateau (which serves as starting point for most of the hiking routes) are technically located in Miyazaki Prefecture (宮崎県), most people including me approach the top from Kirishima on the Kagoshima Prefecture (鹿児島県) side. It is possible to take a bus from Maruo Onsen (丸尾温泉) in Kagoshima Prefecture towards the Ebino Plateau, bus as service has become spotty since corona, check before you go. I took a rental car and parked it at one of Ebino Plateau’s big parking lots.
URL
National Parks of Japan

Mount Karakuni has been on my to-see list for what feels like forever.
I remember two failed attempts — the most recent one during a trip to Miyazaki, when I ended up switching plans and visiting Yatogi Falls instead due to a bad weather forecast.

And this time too, the weather almost ruined my plans. Out of my five days in Kagoshima, I had originally picked Friday to climb the mountain, but it turned out only Thursday promised grade-A weather.
So today was Thursday. I usually prefer to take it easy on travel days, but I had no choice this time. After waking up at 4:30 a.m., I flew from Kobe to Kagoshima, picked up my rental car, and drove straight to the Ebino Plateau. I reached the trailhead around 10 a.m., which meant I had to shorten my planned hike — I had hoped to include loops around the smaller lakes on the plateau. Instead, I decided to head straight up the mountain, descend from the summit to Lake Onami, circle it, and take a forest path back to the parking lot. Even though it was a shorter route than planned, I was not disappointed!

Mount Karakuni is a popular mountain, so it can get crowded. But in Japan, if you avoid the weekend, you’re usually fine — something my recent visit to Mount Norikura reminded me of.
The first part of today’s hike was straightforward but steep. It was all about finding a good rhythm, glancing back occasionally to admire the view, and persevering to the top. I arrived just before noon, around the same time other hikers began to reach the summit. Fortunately, it wasn’t too crowded — enough people to share the fun, but not enough to spoil the scenery. Most hikers stayed around the summit anyway, leaving the rest quiet and peaceful.

Most of Mount Karakuni’s crater rim is closed due to volcanic activity, but it’s still possible to walk about a quarter of it. No one else seemed to bother, so I had the spectacular views all to myself.
Well, “views” — Mount Shinmoe’s smoldering crater was constantly covered in clouds, so there were really only two clear vistas: one of Karakuni’s dried-up crater, and one of Lake Onami with Kagoshima’s iconic Sakurajima volcano in the background. Only two, yes — but both absolutely stunning, and worth every step, even without seeing Shinmoe’s iconic peak.

After a quick lunch break, I headed down toward Lake Onami to circle its rim.
The descent started well, with some scenic wooden walkways, but I soon understood why some hikers say the trail is in dire need of maintenance. The walkways consist of many stairs, and in several places they were either wobbly or outright broken. Sometimes a step looked questionable but turned out solid; other times a firm-looking plank wobbled alarmingly under my weight. Let’s just say a small heart attack was never far away. Crews were actually working on repairs — a team from a landscaping company, with a helicopter flying in materials — but for now, it was a risky descent. The rickety stairs reappeared here and there for the rest of the hike, though never as bad as on that stretch between the summit and the lake.

Glancing backwards on the way to the top.

Most people stopped at the very peak.

The crater of Mount Karakuni.

Quietly.

Circling the lake was an entirely different experience. I chose to go clockwise, starting with the eastern rim. I didn’t realize it at first, but the lake’s rim has two distinct characters: the eastern side, though higher, is densely forested and feels like a quiet woodland walk, while the western side is more like a ridge hike, with low vegetation and open views toward Mount Karakuni — and the helicopter, still buzzing back and forth.
There are several viewpoints along the rim where you can stop to admire the lake and its backdrop.

Finally, there was the descent from the lake back to the parking lot.
I wanted to see the summit, and I wanted to circle Lake Onami — but I only chose this forest route to make the hike a complete loop. As it turns out, this section outshone both the spectacular summit and the charming rim walk.
The forest path was breathtaking from start to finish. It’s not untouched — the occasional wobbly staircase, signpost, or safety rope shows that people do come here — but the nature around it feels undisturbed, even sacred. I slowed down deliberately, trying to walk as silently as possible. The setting felt like something straight out of Princess Mononoke, perfect for an ethereal encounter with forest spirits. Of course, the sound of the helicopter made sure I wouldn’t encounter any wildlife – real or spiritual, but I was still completely enthralled. The autumn colors hadn’t quite arrived yet, but I can only imagine how stunning this place will be in a few weeks.

I was honestly disappointed when the forest gave way to the road, but I’d enjoyed it to the fullest.
The road led me back to my car in about ten minutes, though I made a short detour through a field of Japanese pampas grass (susuki). Autumn may not have reached southern Japan yet, but the pampas grass was already at its golden best.

And so, I drove on to my room for the night in Kirishima Onsen. Mountains, lakes, forests, an onsen, and a beer to close it all off. Tomorrow’s rain can’t bother me anymore.