Jirogyu
Trails radiate from Tsurugi in a number of directions, one of the most popular being across Jirogyu and Maruishi and down directly to the Oku-Iya vine bridges and campground.
Hiking in the valley, especially the eastern end, is quite popular and there are many trails of various lengths mapped out.
Mt. Tsurugi
å£å±± tsurugi-san, also known locally as ken-zan, 1955m is the most popular hiking destination and the 2nd tallest in shikoku #1 being mount ishizuchi. the name may mean "sword mountain", but this is a singularly inaccurate description of this gently rounded fell, and you can even take a chairlift up most of the way ¥1000. from the chairlift terminal, it's a half-hour climb to the summit. alternatively, if you choose to hike up or down the long way 2 hours or so, you can stop at o-tsurugi shrine ãå£ç¥ç¤¾ along the way for a free sip of holy sake and a quaff at a clear mountain spring with drinkable water.
Miune
ä¸å¶º is another popular trip, but less crowded than mt. tsurugi. locals say it is the best hike to see the autumn foliage. the trail starts at the hamlet of nagoro and takes about 2.5 hours up. the area is currently the focus of much construction with a hot spring resort, cable car and even a monorail being carved into the mountainside.