"Nokogiri-yama (saw mountain)" Chiba-ken Things to Do Tip by sunshine_01

Mt. Nokogiri is located on the Minami-Boso area in Chiba and it gets its name because the face of the mountain has edges like a saw. I took a ferry ride to Port Kanaya and it is a short walk from Port Kanaya to take the Ropeway up to the Mt. Nokogiri. The observatory at the mountaintop offers 360-degree panoramic views, and on a fine day you may be able to see Mt. Fuji across the sea.

It is a good hiking trail that offers stunning sceneries. You need a good pair of walking shoes because you will be climbing a lot of steep stairs. Along the trail, you would be able to see Great Buddha carved into the side of the mountain, stone statues of Sen-gohyaku-rakan (1500 disciples of Buddha), Jigoku nozoki(Valley of Hell) a small rock platform which sticks out over a cliff that allows you to look deep into the valley from cliffs, stone carving of Hyaku Shaku Kannon(Godness of Mercy) and Nihon-ji. Great Buddha in Nokogiriyama is twice the size of the one in Kamakura and Nara Daibutsu, making it the largest Big Buddha statues in Japan, constructed in the 1780s by Jingoro Eirei Ono and his 27 apprentices.

A round trip by ferry from Tokyo Ferry bay to Port Kanaya cost 900yen(adult) and 450yen(child). A round trip for the Ropeway cost 900yen(adult) and 450yen(child). The entrance fee to the temple covered all it's attractions. 600yen(adult) and 400yen(child).

Do take note of the operating hours of the Ropeway: from Feb 16 to Nov 15 (9.00am to 5.00pm), from Nov 16 to Feb 15 (9.00am to 4.00pm). You wouldn't want to miss the last Ropeway back to the foot of the mountain. The public transport links are horrendous; no bus to take you down to the foot of the mountain or Port Kanaya or JR station.

If you miss the last Ropeway, you'll have to walk down from the mountain and all the way towards JR Hota station(1 hr on foot). The JR Hota train schedule has infrequent service about one train every hour. From JR Hota station, you can travel back to Tokyo or you can go one stop to JR Hamakanaya Station. Alight at JR Hamakanaya station and walk about 10mins back to Port Kanaya. I found out all these through the hard way.... Gulp.... because i missed the last Ropeway.

Directions: To Mt. Nokogiri-yama, 1 hour 30 minutes by JR Line Limited Express from Tokyo Station to Hama-kanaya Station. Or you can take a bus(10min) from Kurihama station to the Tokyo Ferry Bay. Then take a 45 min ferry to Port Kanaya.
Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Chiba_%28prefecture%29 & www.chiba-tour.jp/eng/sightseeing/nanbo.html & www.allbusiness.com/government/3717250-1.html