Ebino Plateau
えびの高原
A highland about 1,200 meters above sea level in the Kirishima Mountains, home to a chain of crater lakes with walking trails and the trailhead for Mount Karakuni. In autumn, the pampas grass turns reddish brown.
Ebino Plateau sits in the Kirishima mountains on the border between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures. It takes its name from the reddish-brown color of the pampas grass in autumn, which resembles shrimp. The plateau contains crater lakes such as Fudo-ike, Rokkannon Mikaiike, and Hakushi-ike. A trail around the lakes takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, and the lake waters are clear. It is also the starting point for climbing Mount Karakuni, the highest peak in the Kirishima range at 1,700 meters, and on clear days, you can see Sakurajima and Kaimondake in the distance. Rime ice is common in winter. The plateau has a visitor center, foot baths, and accommodations. Caution: some trails and roads near Iozan have been closed for extended periods since its 2018 eruption, so check the latest status before you go. It is about 20 minutes by car from the Kirishima hot springs.
Opening hours
Open all day (some trails restricted by volcano alert level)
Nearby sights
- Mount Karakuni
- Lake Onami
- Kirishima Onsen Village & Maruo Falls
- Kirishima Open-Air Museum
- Ikoma Plateau
- Takachiho-gawara & Mount Takachiho-no-mine
- Kirishima Shinwa-no-Sato Park
- Kirishima-jingu Shrine