I had a conversation that might help other climbers visiting Kyushu Island from outside the area.
Q: Hello. I am planning a climbing trip to the Miyazaki area, and my friend directed me to ask you for advice on climbing crags or where to get information about climbing spots. I hope you can help me, as I can’t find much information online.
A: Hi there. I wonder which Miyazaki crag you are talking about, there are several.
Q: I am not aware of any specifically, but my partner and I are planning a trip down there and have heard that there is some amazing climbing in the area. We climb mostly in the 5.10 grades. Is there anything you recommend?
A: You know, the grade does not tell anything about cragging skills... it's only a grade. What type of climbing do you prefer? Trad, slab, overhang, or sport?
Q: Of course. We typically climb slab and sport. My partner is new to climbing, so I'm trying to show her around.
A: Most of the sport (bolted) routes in Kyushu are bolted with 40-year-old cut anchors, so if you want to climb sport routes, you have to know exactly which route to climb. Knowing the name of the route is important.
Trad routes in Kyushu are in Mt.Mukabaki, which is in Miyazaki prefecture, but they are rather advanced trad routes. Yamaoi (a Piolet d'Or climber) has routes there.
Kyushu Slab is very famous at Mt.Hiei, but it has a huge runout, which means you will die if you fall. It's not recommended for 5.10 climbers to lead, and you will need at least 5.11 slab skills to be on the safe side. However, many people still go there despite its infamous reputation for many deaths. There are some multi pitches.
Bouldering is very recommendable for climbers of any skill level. A 5.10 climber will be able to climb a 6th-grade Japanese bouldering grade. It's also in Miyazaki. It's Hinokage Boulder. Ashima visited and liked there.
Do you know past Kazumasa Yoshida in Hokkaido?
Q: I am an 11th-grade climber and do trad climbing, but my partner is more of a beginner, so I'm trying to find a good spot to take her. I don’t know Yoshida.
A: I see. Kyushu has a very unique climbing culture. For example, past Yoshida was once the world's top climber in 1987, on a trad route called Mars 5.14a. But in Kyushu, there is no such world-class climber in rope climbing. That means the quality of the lead routes, even the bolted routes, varies greatly. Most of them are made by unskilled developers.
The slab at Hiei still uses 40-year-old cut anchors, so you can't afford to fall. The other rope routes are mostly the same, unless the Japan Free Climbing Association reinstalls bolts that match today's standards.
The famous route like Dachura 5.14a (in Yamae crag) is probably safe since it's climbed by Dai Koyamada. So you must know the name.
In your case, go to the Japan Free Climbing Association(JFA) website and check the re-bolted (re-bolt is a Japlish) information in Kyushu, find the bolted routes that you would like to climb, and make sure that the route has been reinstalled with new bolts. Then, you can lead climb, and let your girlfriend climb top rope.
5.9 in Kyusyu is often not 5.9, it's 5.10b. What it says 5.10b, my partner fell, he was usually climbing up to 5.12. So it is best you know exactly which route you want to climb or just go to boulder. I took a US Marin soldier to Hyugami crag and to the route it says 5.9, he could not climb. It was too much runout for him, since he was used to bolt (sport) routes in indoor climbing. FYI. no offense.
Q: No offense taken, it is very helpful. I find some of the climbing in my area is similar. Old rusted bolts and huge runouts on 5.10a routes that feel more like 5.11. Thank you for information I will continue my research and hope we can find something simple to enjoy.
A: Hope you a good luck! By the way, Dai Koyamada, a world class boulderer, is the Kyusyu's Yosida. So in Kyusyu, bouldering is the one good thing I can recommend. It is very popular too.
Q: Problem is, we are living out of our van and don’t have any crash mats to use.
A: Hinokage will lend you a crash pads.
Q: Thank you for information I’m getting excited to be down in Kyushu.
The gym owner Kiyokawa is co-developper with Dai, in Hinokage.
