Chōei-koya (長衛小屋)

090-2227-0360

☎️

090-2227-0360 ☎️

Chōei-koya is the key trailhead/base hut on the Kitazawa Pass (北沢峠) approach in Japan’s Southern Alps. It’s the primary staging point for Mt. Kaikomagatake, Mt. Senjōgatake, and Mt. Kurisawa, and it’s also notable for being the only campsite base around Kitazawa Pass.

• Hut Overview

  • Location: About 500 m south of Kitazawa Pass, on the right bank of the Kitazawa River (Yamanashi side)

  • Altitude: 1,980 m

  • Type: Mountain hut + large tent site

  • Hut capacity: 27 people (directory listing)

  • Camping: Up to ~200 tents, no reservation required

  • Access from bus stop: ~5 minutes walk from the Kitazawa Pass bus stop

• Access & Approaches

  Chōei-koya is used as the “logistics anchor” for the whole Kitazawa Pass zone:

  • Arrive by bus to Kitazawa Pass, walk ~5 minutes to the hut, then stage summit days to Kaikomagatake / Senjōgatake.

• Facilities & Comfort

  • Operated by NPO Ashiyasu Fan Club (designated manager).

  • Hut stays require phone reservation (the official pages state lodging is reservation-only).

  • Camping does not require reservation (pay on site).

  • Winter room: a separate building is opened in the off-season; no water supply in winter mode.

• Food & Atmosphere

  Expect a classic trailhead base-camp atmosphere: lots of hikers organizing packs, checking forecasts, and leaving early for big summit days—more “operations hub” than quiet ridge hut.

• Routes & Alpine Context

  Chōei-koya is especially relevant for:

  • Mt. Kaikomagatake (Kita-/Kitazawa side itineraries)

  • Mt. Senjōgatake (popular staged summit plan)

  • Mt. Kurisawa
    All of these use Kitazawa Pass as the main gateway.

• When to Go

  The hut operates in the typical summer–autumn window, with some sources also listing special periods like New Year / Golden Week (confirm yearly dates on the official hut site).

• Who Is This Hut For

  • Hikers who want a strong staging base for Kaikomagatake or Senjōgatake

  • Campers who need a large, organized tent site at Kitazawa Pass

  • Multi-day Southern Alps trekkers linking routes through this gateway

Why This Hut Is Worth Visiting

At 1,980 m with a huge ~200-tent camping capacity, Chōei-koya is “infrastructure where it matters”: it turns major Southern Alps peaks into controllable, staged itineraries by anchoring the entire Kitazawa Pass approach network.