Summit of Mt. Takaiwa

Mt. Takaiwa reaches 881 meters as the southernmost peak of the Unzen volcano cluster in Nagasaki Prefecture, formed by eruptions between 300,000 and 150,000 years ago. Just before the summit, where this trail meets the Kyushu Nature Trail, the forest opens to reveal views of the surrounding Unzen peaks including Mt. Myoken at 1,333 meters and Mt. Heisei Shinzan at 1,486 meters. A small shrine at the top is dedicated to Ukemochi no Kami, a deity worshipped by farmers in the valley below. A nearby statue of Misogorō, a mythical giant said to have helped local farmers and rested on the mountain, adds an unexpected note of local folklore.