Mt. Washu
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.5
176 reviews
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75
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Koen R
Amsterdam, The Netherlands195 contributions
Some of the online information about how hard it is to reach the top by bus is not correct. We visited the top by bus from kojima station. Take bus 4 just outside the station, departure time is from 08.30 till 17.30 every hour. It takes 30 min to reach the top, from there you'll need to walk for another 10 minutes to get there. Busses back to the station departure from 09.00 till 18.00 every hour. It is definately worth the view!
Written October 15, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
SzczRob
Chicago, IL199 contributions
We walked from the Kojima Train Station following street signs and the sight of the Ferris wheel on the top of the mountain, taking about an hour. Following the tunnel through the hill the Seto Ohashi bridge comes into sight. Following the trail up the hill leads to Mt. Washu (or Washuzan). The peak provides a great vantage point for the Seto Ohashi Bridge (longest double decker span in the world) and the Seto Inland Sea. Spectacular in any weather, the sunrises and sunsets are supposed to be even better (we were there mid-day).
These is also a bus that does a loop including the parking lot for Mt. Washu, I don't remember the number. Enter at the rear door of the bu and take a ticket. The ticket will have a number. Look at the board at the front of the bus above the driver. The board has prices listed after stop numbers. The numbers change as the bus progresses - the price associated with your number will go up the longer you stay on the bus. When you are at your stop, pay the price on the board corresponding to your number and deposit the ticket.
These is also a bus that does a loop including the parking lot for Mt. Washu, I don't remember the number. Enter at the rear door of the bu and take a ticket. The ticket will have a number. Look at the board at the front of the bus above the driver. The board has prices listed after stop numbers. The numbers change as the bus progresses - the price associated with your number will go up the longer you stay on the bus. When you are at your stop, pay the price on the board corresponding to your number and deposit the ticket.
Written April 11, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
GAIDA2014
Tokyo, Japan612 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
Very good view of Setonaikai(Sea) and Seto-Ohashi(bridge) but access by public transportation is not good.The bus runs every hour so it is not frequent.At the view point there are visitor center and cafe , but nothing else.If you take a taxi from the railway station it will cost about 1800 yen one way.
Written August 18, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Zhengguan
Shah Alam, Malaysia5 contributions
I guess I lucked out on the day I picked to check out Washuzan.
It got cloudy as I was on the way the way there and it was a full on rain by the time I walked up. If you're hoping to get a good shot in such weather, forget it. A clear weather day is the best time to go up.
Nevertheless, there is beauty seeing the Seto Ohashi in cloudy weather. First, you still see the magnificently built bridge and although slightly disappointed, I don't feel it's time wasted.
Secondly, with clouds swirling around the bridge, it does feel like it's a bridge in heaven.
Still, I recommend going on a clear sunny day. Unless you're stuck in a week when it's Raining the whole week.
As for getting there, there is a bus loop from Kojima Station and it's pretty easy. If you're not sure how, head for the tourist information centre in the station. Can't go wrong with that.
It got cloudy as I was on the way the way there and it was a full on rain by the time I walked up. If you're hoping to get a good shot in such weather, forget it. A clear weather day is the best time to go up.
Nevertheless, there is beauty seeing the Seto Ohashi in cloudy weather. First, you still see the magnificently built bridge and although slightly disappointed, I don't feel it's time wasted.
Secondly, with clouds swirling around the bridge, it does feel like it's a bridge in heaven.
Still, I recommend going on a clear sunny day. Unless you're stuck in a week when it's Raining the whole week.
As for getting there, there is a bus loop from Kojima Station and it's pretty easy. If you're not sure how, head for the tourist information centre in the station. Can't go wrong with that.
Written April 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
kaywai
Singapore, Singapore192 contributions
Jun 2018 • Family
Drive all the way up to the Washuzan Observatory Post. The Seto Inland Sea, as well as the Seto Ohashi Bridge, is beautiful.
Written June 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
jameshuang
Taipei, Taiwan2,007 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
Mount Washu (鷲羽山, Washuzan) is located in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan. It is also part of the Setonaikai National Park, Japan's first national park. The name of the 133 m (436 ft) Mount Washu came from the shape of the mountain which looks like an eagle (washi in Japanese) with the wings spreading. Viewing the sunset from Mount Washu is so astonishing that it has been chosen as one of the "100 Best Sunsets in Japan" and a special place of scenic beauty by the Japanese government.
We stayed at the Wasyuzan Shimoden Hotel right at the foot of Mount Washu. We learned there is a trail on the opposite side of the hotel that could lead us to the hilltop Washuzan Observation Deck. We needed to grab this opportunity of going up to the observation deck before the nighttime came. It was less than 1.5 hours before sunset. My wife and I left our luggage, climbed up to the hilltop, and passed a large parking lot before we arrived the observation deck (later we learned it was the # 1 observatory). The view from the summit was stunning. We could spot the Shiwaku Islands (塩飽諸島) spreading across the Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海) and the Seto Ohashi Bridge (瀬戸大橋) which connects Okayama prefecture and Kagawa prefecture. The highlight at the observatory is the 9.37 km ( 5.82 mi) Seto Ohashi Bridge, opened in 1988, which is composed of six separate bridges including suspension, cable-stayed and truss bridges. It is also the world's longest double-decker bridge that accommodates both road and rail traffic across the Seto Inland Sea. Since we were here in the late afternoon, we could enjoy the pre-sunset scene and took lots of photos. The nearby observatory’s rest house also offers a scenic dinning and gift shop but they closed quite early.
It is better to visit Washuzan Observation Deck in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset. The view from here is fantastic, and we can understand why it received one of the “100 Best Sunsets in Japan”. Washuzan has two lookout points. The one we visited is #1. The #2 is not so far away just follow the road around the parking lot at the other end of the parking lot. You will need comfortable shoes if you use the trail. There are other ways to visit here such as by taking the bus from Kojima station for about 25 minutes.
We stayed at the Wasyuzan Shimoden Hotel right at the foot of Mount Washu. We learned there is a trail on the opposite side of the hotel that could lead us to the hilltop Washuzan Observation Deck. We needed to grab this opportunity of going up to the observation deck before the nighttime came. It was less than 1.5 hours before sunset. My wife and I left our luggage, climbed up to the hilltop, and passed a large parking lot before we arrived the observation deck (later we learned it was the # 1 observatory). The view from the summit was stunning. We could spot the Shiwaku Islands (塩飽諸島) spreading across the Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海) and the Seto Ohashi Bridge (瀬戸大橋) which connects Okayama prefecture and Kagawa prefecture. The highlight at the observatory is the 9.37 km ( 5.82 mi) Seto Ohashi Bridge, opened in 1988, which is composed of six separate bridges including suspension, cable-stayed and truss bridges. It is also the world's longest double-decker bridge that accommodates both road and rail traffic across the Seto Inland Sea. Since we were here in the late afternoon, we could enjoy the pre-sunset scene and took lots of photos. The nearby observatory’s rest house also offers a scenic dinning and gift shop but they closed quite early.
It is better to visit Washuzan Observation Deck in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset. The view from here is fantastic, and we can understand why it received one of the “100 Best Sunsets in Japan”. Washuzan has two lookout points. The one we visited is #1. The #2 is not so far away just follow the road around the parking lot at the other end of the parking lot. You will need comfortable shoes if you use the trail. There are other ways to visit here such as by taking the bus from Kojima station for about 25 minutes.
Written September 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Asn
2 contributions
Mar 2017
How to go !
1) take a train to Kojima sta.
2) take a bus at terminal 4 to Washuzan mt. take 20 min , you can ask the tourist information at the train station for the bus schedule.
3) enjoy your trip ;)
1) take a train to Kojima sta.
2) take a bus at terminal 4 to Washuzan mt. take 20 min , you can ask the tourist information at the train station for the bus schedule.
3) enjoy your trip ;)
Written March 16, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Yuan_MY
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia130 contributions
Feb 2019 • Solo
The hourly loop bus from JR Kojima Station bus stop no. 4 to Washuzan Second Observatory runs from 08:30 to 17:30 and costs ¥260.
After getting off the bus at Washuzan Second Observatory, there is a useful information board highlighting the six lookout points showing different angles of the magnificent Seto Ohashi Bridge. This served as my walking map.
Too bad it was not a day for sunset views but the varying picturesque views of the great bridge spanning to Shikoku over Seto Inland Sea and the surrounding islands really made up for it.
After getting off the bus at Washuzan Second Observatory, there is a useful information board highlighting the six lookout points showing different angles of the magnificent Seto Ohashi Bridge. This served as my walking map.
Too bad it was not a day for sunset views but the varying picturesque views of the great bridge spanning to Shikoku over Seto Inland Sea and the surrounding islands really made up for it.
Written March 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ruckdee
Bangkok, Thailand881 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
I would not classify this as an attraction in the sense of a place with things to see inside. Rather, you are there to have a clear view of the Great Seto Bridges that connect the islands ahead. There is no need to hike up to the top as the view from outside the souvenir shop is the same. The only extra at the top is a round stone with map and compass engravings on it.
Be careful where you park. Try to bring your car to the top level. From what I understand, the big parking lot at the second level from top has an automated system to block entrance and exit after a certain hour in the evening (like 18:00). Signage is in Japanese so I could not understand. This is what I gathered from an elderly gentleman with a bicycle who tried to give a warning in Japanese plus hand gestures.
Be careful where you park. Try to bring your car to the top level. From what I understand, the big parking lot at the second level from top has an automated system to block entrance and exit after a certain hour in the evening (like 18:00). Signage is in Japanese so I could not understand. This is what I gathered from an elderly gentleman with a bicycle who tried to give a warning in Japanese plus hand gestures.
Written December 25, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LoveTravel620110
3 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
My grandparents live here, and my dad grew up here. It's so pretty and there aren't many people. I love watching the boats go under the bridge, it's so relaxing. The walk up to the top is tough for my grandmother because she is frail, but it's pretty easy for most people. There isn't much to do but walk to the top, but it's absolutely breathtaking. The Seto Bridge is a long bridge that connects Okayama and Kagawa prefectures across five island in the Seto Inland Sea. On a hazy day, the bridge appears to disappear in a cloud of fog. On a clear day, the bridge appears to go on forever, extending beyond the horizon. Either way, it's gorgeous. On certain night, the bridge will light up, and is on the southwest side of the mountain. The north side of the mountain is beautiful too, and so is the west side, where the Washuzan Highland amusement park can be seen. It's really gorgeous and if you are looking to go to a mellow, very "Japanese" part of Japan, I recommend going to Okyama prefecture (although I'm biased because I go often) and seeking out non-touristy places such as this. (There are a few signs here and there, none of them have English by the way).
Written January 13, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mt. Washu (Kurashiki) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Mt. Washu
- Hotels near Mt. Washu:
- (0.17 mi) Washuzan Shimoden Hotel
- (1.07 mi) Washu Blue Resort Kasago
- (9.06 mi) Uno Slope House
- (8.94 mi) Uno Port INN
- (1.03 mi) Setouchi Kojima Hotel
- Restaurants near Mt. Washu:
- (0.00 mi) Washuzan Rest House
- (0.53 mi) Tokinokairo
- (0.67 mi) Fukusen Main Store
- (0.79 mi) Isonoyokanhompo
- (0.98 mi) Gansotakoryori Honoya
- Attractions near Mt. Washu:
- (0.01 mi) Mt. Washu Observation Deck
- (0.22 mi) Washuzan Visitor Center
- (0.54 mi) Kaze no Michi
- (0.57 mi) Washuzan Station Trace
- (0.79 mi) Yohashira Shrine