ACTIVITY
Let go of your smartphone, drive into nature!
Mine is blessed with beautiful nature and perfect for outdoor activities! Especially in the signature place Akiyoshidai Plateau, everyone can safely enjoy many different kinds of outdoor activities and sports.
Cave Walk
The country’s largest karst plateau Akiyoshidai holds 453 caves underneath. Three caves among them are open to the public, that is; Akiyoshidō, Kagekiyodō, and Taishōdō. No specific equipment and skills are required for these three caves.
Walking and running
Akiyoshidai is absolutely a great walking/running site for you! You will merge into the nature that changes its colors with season and time. Please have an SNS-detox/tech-detox time in the nature that has no Wi-Fi and even cell phone signals.
Akiyoshidai Plateau is conserved as a quasi-national park. Please refrain from picking/catching stones, plants, and animals.
| Fee | Free of charge |
| Equipment |
-Put on shoes suitable for walking/running unpaved trails -Prepare shading devices (eg. hat, sunglasses, sunscreen) and a rain jacket as you will not find shades! -Long sleeves and long pants are recommended. -Bring your drinks. There are no vending machines or shops except in the parking areas. |
| MODEL COURSE FOR WALKING | -See the five courses here. The information about parking lots and restrooms also included. -Estimated time varies from 1 hour to 3 hours. |
| MODEL COURSE FOR RUNNING | See the three courses here. The information about parking lots and restrooms also included. |
Cycling
How about cycling on Akiyoshidai or in whole Mine city? Tourist Information Center and a souvenir shop/restaurant Seifū-en have bicycle rental services. You can rent it the whole day at reasonable prices. Bringing your own bicycle is a good idea as well. There are some cycle aids within the city for all cyclists.
Bicycle rental
| WHERE TO RENT/RETURN | -Cycle station at the tourist information center and Seifū-en. -You can return the bicycle at either cycle station. |
| TYPES OF BICYCLES & RENTAL FEE |
-Cross bike: ¥1,000/Day -Power-assisted cross bike: ¥2,000/Day -Power-assisted mountain bike: ¥2,000/Day |
| AVAILABLE HOURS | 9:00～16:30 |
| HOW TO RENT | -How to apply for a Bicycle rental -Come to the information counter and show your ID. -Fill out the application form. -Make an advance payment (cash only) and go! -Tourists may reserve bicycles. Download application form from here and send it to info@akiyoshidai.com. |
| CONDITIONS OF USE | Cross bike: for those whose heights are 163cm and taller Power-assisted cross bike (Small): 150cm and taller Power-assisted cross bike (Large): 160 cm and taller Power-assisted mountain bike: 157 cm and taller -Each bicycle is lent out with a helmet. |
| MODEL COURSES | Beginners Intermmediate Advanced For more courses |
| INQUIRY | Tourist information center EMAIL：info@akiyoshidai.com (Japanese, English, Chinese) |
Segway Tour in Akiyoshidai
"Feel the wind of 300 million years with your heart~♪"
Ride a Segway around Japan's largest karst plateau!
The Segway used on the tour is an off-road type that can travel through fields and mountains.
It is powered by a motor and does not emit gas, so it is an environmentally friendly vehicle.First, you will start with a 60-minute lesson led by an instructor.
Once your body has acquired a sense and gotten used to it, you will depart for a 90-minute Segway tour!
At each spot, there will be a talk about Akiyoshidai and photo time.
After a break on the way, you will head to your final destination, the Mito Observatory.
There, you may be able to see the view from a different perspective than usual.
The tour will be held twice a day, in the morning and afternoon.
Why not get on a Segway and feel the wind of Akiyoshidai?
| Fee | ¥9,000 per person (tax included) ※Lesson 60 minutes, tour 90 minutes ※Helmet and rain poncho rental included |
| Meeting place/Time |
Akiyoshidai Chojagamori Parking Lot / ①9:50 ②12:50 except summer, 15:50 in summer (mid-July to late August) In case of light rain.Cancelled in case of inclement weather "※Please enter the parking lot from Karst Road (Prefectural Route 242) (You cannot enter via the management road from the Mito Town side)" |
| Application/Payment | Advance reservations required only on the web (Jalan.net) ※100% cancellation fee will be charged if you cancel on the day ※Closed in winter |
| Number of participants | 5 people (per session) |
| Conditions of Participation | Age: 16-70 years old Weight: 45kg-118kg *Drinkers, pregnant women, and people with walking difficulties cannot participate |
| Planning/Sponsor | Mine City Tourism and Commerce Department Tourism Policy Division |
| Contact | Akiyoshido Cave Information Center Inquiry hours: 8:30-17:30 (March-November), 8:30-16:30 (December-January) TEL：0837-62-0018 FAX：0837-62-1334 |
Tuk-Tuk Rental
Why not try a new "vehicle" in Akiyoshidai?!!
Run through Akiyoshidai easily in that tuk-tuk!!!!!!!!
"In addition to the 7-seater tuk-tuk rental, we have started operating a 3-seater EV tuk-tuk!(*Tuk-tuk is a three-wheeled motorcycle used as a taxi in Southeast Asia, mainly Thailand.)On a nice day, why not enjoy a friendly drive to the ""Karst Road"" or ""Beppu Benten Pond"" with your friends?Please make a reservation in advance using Jalan net!We look forward to seeing you there.
(* If there is space available, same-day reservations are also possible.)"
Click here for advance reservation (Jalan net)
Tuk Tuk Rental Flyer
-How to apply for a Tuk Tuk
| Fee | <3-seater (EV)> 1 hour: 3,000 yen 2 hours: 4,000 yen 3 hours: 5,000 yen *Per vehicle. Includes insurance and charging *Excess charge: 1,000 yen for 30 minutes, 2,000 yen for 1 hour <7-seater> 1 hour: 7,000 yen 2 hours: 11,000 yen 3 hours: 14,000 yen 1 night, 2 days: 25,000 yen 2 nights, 3 days: 35,000 yen *Per vehicle. Includes insurance and fuel *Excess charge: 3,000 yen for 30 minutes, 6,000 yen for 1 hour |
| Rental and return location | <3-seater (EV) 7-seater> Akiyoshidai Tourist Information Center (next to Akiyoshido Bus Terminal) <3-seater (EV)> Mine Akiyoshidai Geopark Center (Calstar) *Currently under preparation |
| Operating hours |
9:30-17:00 *Reception available from 9:00 *Available after rental procedures and prior training (test drive) |
| Number of rental cars | 3-seater (EV/driver included) tuk-tuk 1 7-seater (including driver) tuk-tuk 1 |
| Important Points | ・Drivers must have a regular driver's license (AT only acceptable) *18 years of age or older (high school students not allowed) ・All drivers must show their driver's license and undergo prior training (test drive) ・Rental may be cancelled if driving skills are deemed to not meet our company's standards ・For safety reasons, rentals will be cancelled and driving on expressways (motorway only) will be prohibited in the rain ・There are no child cheating facilities ・There is no space to put large luggage inside the vehicle ・Smoking is prohibited inside the vehicle. Repair costs will be charged if damage is caused by fire. ・If no one is present at the reserved time, the reservation will be considered cancelled *Separate cancellation fee required (Cancellation fee) Up to 7 days in advance: Free, Up to 3 days in advance: 20%, Up to the day before: 30% On the day: 50%, Cancellation after start time or without notice: 100% ・Use may be cancelled due to vehicle trouble or bad weather |
| Contact | Mine City Tourism Association TEL： 0837-62-0115 |
| Important Notice | Please obey traffic laws. There are steep slopes and narrow roads that can be dangerous, so please be careful to avoid traffic accidents and drive safely. You cannot drive on expressways or motorways. |
Driving & motorcycling
Karst Road is the must if you come here by car or motorcycle. Karst Road is the way through Akiyoshidai Plateau. You will drive/ride the 10km road being surrounded with a 360-degree panorama of grassland and limestones.
Wild animals such as hares, badgers, raccoons, boar, deer may jump into the road. Please be cautious about them.
Please find the parking lots and gas stations here.
Yoga
We believe that Akiyoshidai is one of the loveliest places for Yoga in Japan! You will be deeply relaxed as you will see no human-made stuff like electric wire but just the sky and the earth. Especially, the morning time in spring and autumn is awesome! Park and walk to the best point with your yoga mat and favorite drink.
Recommended spots: Kitayama, Just below the top of Kan-muri-Yama, Chōja-ga-mori, Mito Viewing Spot
Parking: Chōa-ga-mori parking (Free of charge)
Camping
There are two camping sites within the Akiyoshidai area. One is Akiyoshidai Family Trip Village near from Akiyoshidō. Another is Akiyoshidai Refresh Park. Various forms of camping such as auto-camp and log houses are available at both sites. Additionally, Akiyoshidai Family Trip Village offers different kinds of outdoor classes: woodcraft, ponpora meshi cooking (cooking rice in bamboo tubes), soba (buckwheat) noodle cooking, pizza making (reservation is required).
Botanical observation
The most prominent plant observation guide Ms. Nakazawa have identified 1541 species of flowers in Akiyoshidai Plateau (at the end of 2018). Aside from enjoying the grand scenery of Akiyoshidai, finding pretty little flowers at your feet also heals you. (Please refrain from picking flowers no matter how lovely they are. They are subjected to protection by law).
And Akiyoshi-dai Museum of Natural History shares information about the flowers on Twitter (@akihaku_amnh , Japanese only).
Star watching
What about a night in Akiyoshidai? Neither street lights nor building will disturb your view up the sky. We recommend that you park and walk to the spot far from the road with your flashlight so that your eyes will not be dazzled by headlights.
Recommended spots: Kitayama, Just below the top of Kan-muri-Yama, Chōja-ga-mori, Mito Viewing Spot
Parking: Chōa-ga-mori parking (Free of charge)