For some hills & views, head to Utatsuyama Park. Located just east of the Asano River and the Higashi Chaya District, the 141m Utatsuyama Mountain is known for its lovely views of the city and the Sea of Japan from its summit, as well as the hydrangea & iris garden located halfway up. Notes: This is a hilly run!  See the map kiosks near the park entrance/parking areas. INFO

Path up Utatsuyama Mtn. Google Street View

There are a few ways to run this park. The shorter and more challenging route is to use the paths, which also include a fair number of stairs. From the Ponte Tenjin Bridge in Higashi Chaya District, use the twisty, wooded road to get into the park. Connect to the paths, which also include lots of stairs. It’s a There’s also a road, which lacks a shoulder in parts. A better road, with a decent shoulder, is the one leading to the 400 Year Forest. The hydrangea & iris garden has its peak bloom mid-June to mid-July.

To extend the route, run on the road to the 400 Year Forest at the northeast end of the park, or the Miharashidai observation deck at the southern end.