Ebino Kogen (えびの高原, Ebino Kōgen) is a small town in the mountains of Kirishima just inside Miyazaki Prefecture's borders. Ebino Kogen means "shrimp highlands" and is so named because in late summer the pampas grass that blankets the ground takes on a pinkish hue from iron in the soil, making the area appear to be covered in fields of shrimp.
Ebino Kogen is surrounded by beautiful landscapes, famous mountains and popular hiking trails, and as such, attracts a lot of visitors. Nevertheless, the town remains small, offering little more than two hotels, a campground and a visitor center.
A popular hike around Ebino Kogen starts at the visitor center and loops around Rokkannonmi Pond and back. It is an easy two hours, with good views of the surrounding mountains and highlands. About 30 minutes into the hike is a one hour detour that takes you around Byakushi Pond.
Mount Karakuni, the highest peak of Kirishima, overlooks Ebino Kogen and is another popular day hike. The ascent to Karakuni's summit is steep and takes about two hours. It is also part of Kirishima's spectacular 12 kilometer ridge trail, which leads from Ebino Kogen over several volcanic peaks to Mount Takachiho-no-mine at the other end of the national park.
Getting there and around
Bus network around Kirishima:
Ebino Kogen is best accessed by rental car, as public transportation is infrequent. Two to three buses per day run between Maruo Onsen and Ebino Kogen (30 minutes, 490 yen one way).
From the Miyazaki side
There is currently no public transportation available from the Miyazaki side to Ebino Kogen. There used to be infrequent buses from Kobayashi and Miyazaki City, but they were discontinued due to the road closures caused by volcanic activity.
How to get to and around Kirishima
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Links and Resources
Japanese
