Kanemi – dake

Kanemi-dake is a small but genuinely rewarding thermal and cross-country mountain in Miyazaki Prefecture, on Japan's Kyushu island — a little challenging to fly, but pilots who manage to thermal up get to tour the mountain range behind the peak. It's not a casual walk-up: the launch sits behind a fence that needs to be opened correctly, so first-timers should go with someone who already knows the site rather than working it out alone. Takeoff is a hang-glider-style pad right on the summit, tight but workable, and the modest elevation gain combined with the real distance to landing makes timing matter. The site's long, low ridgeline runs toward the landing and makes it very sensitive to wind direction — strong wind can build suddenly, and a rough ride is likely if it's not lined up with the ridges. That same unusual northwest-facing orientation, rare for southern Kyushu, also means Kanemi-dake is occasionally the only flyable site on all of Kyushu on a given day. The landing is the best in Kyushu: a beautifully kept lawn bigger than a football field.

Launch & conditions

Launch is a hang-glider-style pad right on the summit — tight but workable. The launch sits behind a fence that needs to be opened correctly, so go with someone who already knows the site if it's your first visit.

Getting there & local rules

20–30 minutes' drive south from the Miyakonojo interchange on the Miyazaki expressway.

Local rules & hazards

Don't fly over the chicken farm between launch and landing, even though it's a strong thermal source. The long, low ridgeline running toward the landing makes wind direction changes matter a lot — strong wind can build suddenly and gets rough if it's not aligned with the ridges.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Kanemi – dake, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Kanemi – dake with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.