Mount Tsukuba offers two distinct hiking trails to its twin peaks, Nantai (871m) and Nyotai (877m), plus a cable car option for those who prefer an easier ascent. The mountain has been a pilgrimage destination since the eighth century, and the trails reflect that long history — stone lanterns line sections of the path, and the forest has the feel of somewhere that has been walked for a very long time.
The Miyukigahara route starts from the cable car base station on the mountain's northeast side. The cable car itself runs from Tsukubasan Shrine to Tsukubasan Station near the summit, taking about eight minutes; if you ride it up, you can still hike along the ridge between the two peaks. The more popular hiking trail is the Otokotai (Men's Trail) on the east face, a moderately steep path of about two hours through cedar and oak forest. The Onnataï (Women's Trail) on the west face is gentler and slightly longer.
At the summit, a small shrine sits in the saddle between the two peaks, dedicated to the deity Tsukuba-no-Kami. On clear days — most likely in autumn and winter when the air is dry — the panorama stretches across the entire Kanto Plain, with Mount Fuji appearing as a white triangle to the southwest and Tokyo's skyscrapers a faint line to the south.
The mountain is busiest during cherry blossom season in April and autumn foliage in October and November. Weekday visits in spring and autumn offer the same scenery with fewer crowds on the trails.