Gozen Iwa, Sport climbing

YDS

5.10c 5.11a 5.11c 5.12a 5.12c 5.13a 5.13c 5.14a 5.14c 5.15a

Map

7 4 6 5 3

3 エレファントロック東面 4 エレファントロック北面 5 エレファントロック南面 6 Dragon Rock 7 Castle Rock

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Description

Amazing limestone crag 2 hours from Tokyo. A hidden gem in the middle of Okutama, this area has everything for intermediate and advanced climbers. Famous for Soul Mate 9b, the hardest route in Japan opened by Sachi Amma in 2018 this crag will give you plenty of hard challenges and problems. With short and long routes (up to 30meters), anything from 6b to 9b grades, an easy access with public transportation, and good sun exposure, this is a must-visited area for climbers in the region.

A lot of work has been done to make the place easily accessible, nice, and comfortable. Please respect it by being nice, taking your trash back with you, and using the restroom at the climbing center.

Access issues

Please visit the Oku-Tama Climbing Center before visiting the crag (situated after the restroom on your left before crossing the bridge to go to the crag; you can also find it by searching: 奥多摩クライミングセンター on google maps) In front of the climbing center building, there is a small wooden box that you can open. You will find a notebook and some envelopes inside. Please register your name and starting time in the notebook when arriving and leaving time when leaving the place. Please add your name on an envelope, add 500JPY in the envelope and insert it inside the wooden box. Please add an additional 500JPY if you use the parking.

Please respect these small rules that allow us to enjoy an amazing crag that has been through a lot of work to be climbable by the community.

Approach

Take the Chuo Line from Tokyo to Oku-Tama station. Then take bus 21 in front of the station. Ride 6 stops until Osawa 大沢 bus stop. Walk in the direction of the small bridge and go left before crossing to visit the Climber Center (after the toilet). When you have registered your name and paid the access fees, cross the bridge and turn directly right on a small hiking path. Turn left at the first intersection and you will arrive at the crag (around 10min walking from the bridge).

Ethic inherited from Japan

There`s not a lot of information about climbing in Japan in English. Much of the information is only available in Japanese - or of course here on theCrag!

The Japan Free Climbing Association (http://freeclimb.jp/seibi/seibi.htm) is a good point of contact and there is a set of 5 guidebooks (all in Japanese) and an alpine guide book in English available covering all of Japan and its thousands of sport and trad routes and boulders.

http://www.yamakei.co.jp/products/2811180810.html

https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Alpine-Climbs-Japan-Climb-ebook/dp/B01ARU5KR0