Mount Misen

This guide to Mount Misen on Miyajima near Hiroshima walks you through the mountain's three hiking routes: the steep, short Momijidani course, the temple-lined Daisho-in path past five hundred carved stone statues, and the longer, quieter Omoto trail. It follows the local debate over which route is truly hardest, and covers the cable car option for hikers who'd rather save their legs. You'll want water bottled before the tree line, since machines thin out fast, and deer, not monkeys, are what you're likely to meet at any trailhead these days.