Kuwadai Pass

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[When]              　Late Spring ～ Mid-Autumn
[Where]                 Kuwadai Pass
[Address (Eng)]    Point A - Hama Gaido Kuwadai Pass

                                         Kami Arakawa River, Toni-cho, Kamaishi, Iwate 026-0121

                              Point B - Yoshihama Train Station

                                         Yoshihama Okita, Sanriku-cho, Ofunato, Iwate 022-0102

[Address (Jap)]     浜街道鍬台峠、026-0121 岩手県釜石唐丹町上荒川

                                        吉浜駅、022-0102 岩手県大船渡市三陸町吉浜沖田

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The trail within the Michinoku Coastal Trail that ties Ofunato City and Kamaishi City is this Kuwadai Pass. The hike is fairly long which took us more or less 6 hours without including lunch. But this natural mountain path is definitely a hiker's dream as it takes you within the woods and into the mountain which are flat at times, rocky at parts, and possibly grassy if you aren't careful.

 

Now, although I do say this, this trail is fairly tricky. You'll have the Michinoku Hiking Trail signs along the way marking your directions, but forks on the road as well as slightly open fields can make you question if you're going in the right direction. But I don't mean to scare you off, rather, want to fully prepare you on this exhilerating experience! And you are always open to take the option of asking a ranger to guide you through the pass or if timing permits I can also help to provide some support as well!!

 

Going back to the trail, my recommended path when taking this trail is to go from A to B.

Two reasons to why is:

1. The starting point at A has a clear starting point which is easily visible and trail starts with a mountain path. Although you'll need to take the paved road when you get closer to point B, starting the path from a hiking trail will definitely get you into the hiking mood.

2. Point B is the train station, meaning you'll easily be able to catch transportation be it a taxi or even the Sanriku Railroad train. Also this station will have a booth that is open to the public as a rest stop for your after hiking needs.

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Okay, so 6 hours of hiking, not so clear paths, up and downs, along with a section of paved road hiking near the end... In all honesty its a challenge. You'll also need to think about transportation before and after if you don't have a car, so I highly advise asking help from a ranger guide if you're thinking of taking this path.

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BUT if you're are still committed to hiking the Kuwadai Pass even after these warnings, I will be proud to say that you are in for a treat as the scenery along this trail is nothing but gorgeous.