🌏 中文版
Cape Hedo / Usa Beach (辺戸岬・宇佐浜; Cape Hedo is read Hedo-misaki) sits in Kunigami village, Okinawa Prefecture, at the northernmost point of Okinawa's main island. The walls line Usa Beach: from the parking lot you drop onto the sand and walk the shore for 10–15 minutes. Everything is bolted sport climbing. ROCKTOPO lists 42 routes from 5.7 to 5.13d, with the 5.11 range the largest group.
The first thing CLIMBING-net (in Japanese) says is about the rock: unlike the rough Ryukyu limestone at places like Gushikami, Usa Beach is "純然たる石灰岩" (pure limestone). Two things to sort out before you go: how you'll get there (climbing sites all say rent a car, and the village bus runs only twice a day each way on its fixed schedule), and the tide, typhoon and bolt issues that come with a seaside crag.
What kind of crag is it
| Item | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Hedo, Kunigami village, Kunigami District, Okinawa; north side of Usa Beach | CLIMBING-net, theCrag |
| Elevation | About 17 m | Mountain Project |
| Rock | Limestone | CLIMBING-net |
| Angle | 90–100 degrees | CLIMBING-net |
| Style | Bolted lead; top-roping on some routes | CLIMBING-net ("リード（ボルト）", "トップロープ 限定あり") |
| Main developers | 杉野保, 竹田遼 | ROCKTOPO |
theCrag's Cape Hedo page calls it "A beachside crag with a beautiful view of the ocean and places for Shade."
There are two takes on the rock. theCrag's Okinawa overview says Okinawa's climbing "consists mainly of coral rocks known as, Ryukoku limestone. The rocks are sharp." That's a statement about the whole prefecture. CLIMBING-net singles out Usa Beach as different from the coarse Ryukyu limestone elsewhere. Either way it's sharp: Mountain Project's Main Wall (Upper) page says "Rock is very sharp," and theCrag calls tape and bandaids essential.
Route counts and grades (checked 2026-10-12)
Each site gives a different number:
- ROCKTOPO: 42 routes, all lead face climbs. 5.2+: 8, 5.10a+: 7, 5.11a+: 14, 5.12a+: 8, 5.13a+: 5.
- CLIMBING-net: "40本程度" (around 40). The page notes "この資料は2002年以前のものです" (this data predates 2002).
- Mountain Project: 43 climbs under Usa Beach/Cape Hedo.
- theCrag: 44 routes under Cape Hedo.
ROCKTOPO splits the crag into four walls:
| Wall | Routes | Difficulty (ROCKTOPO: E easy / M moderate / H hard) | Grade range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquarium Wall (アクアリウムウォール) | 10 | E 5, M 3, H 2 | 5.7–5.12d |
| Andagi Rock (アンダギー岩) | 13 | E 5, M 7, H 1 | 5.7–5.12d |
| Main Wall (辺戸・宇佐浜メインウォール) | 17 | E 2, M 5, H 10 | 5.10a–5.13d |
| Half Dome (ハーフドームボルダー) | 2 | E 1, M 1 | 5.9, 5.11a |
Mountain Project and theCrag also list two spots ROCKTOPO doesn't: Hedo Spire, an offshore rock tower (theCrag tags it trad), and Paradise Wall (one 5.12a; theCrag records 29 m and 10 bolts).
Who it suits:
- 5.10–5.11 climbers: Andagi Rock is the heart of it. Mountain Project's Andagi Rock page: "a range of easy to moderate climbs. this is the most climbed formation at cape hedo."
- 5.12 and up: 10 of the Main Wall's 17 routes are H grade. Mountain Project's Main Wall (lower) page says "only one climb under 5.12," and most routes give access to the Upper Wall.
- Short routes: theCrag lists wall heights of 13 m for Andagi, 18 m for Aquarium and 21 m for Main Wall (lower).
When to go
| Source | What it says about season |
|---|---|
| ROCKTOPO | Season field lists January, February, March, November, December |
| CLIMBING-net | "通年" (year-round); the summary says "シーズンは冬はもちろん、夏でも日陰となる部分も多く充分可能" (winter of course, and summer works too thanks to plenty of shade) |
| theCrag (Okinawa overview) | "The best climbing season is from Nov-Feb. It can be wet and windy during the typhoon season June-Oct." |
Putting it together:
- November–March: where ROCKTOPO and theCrag overlap.
- June–October: theCrag calls this typhoon season, wet and windy. CLIMBING-net says summer is still climbable because of the shade. Both views are on record; if you go in summer, watch the weather and typhoon forecasts yourself.
- Sun: Mountain Project says Aquarium Wall "Routes get in the shade around 10:00. Much earlier than the main area," and the Upper Wall "gets afternoon shade." To dodge the sun, start the morning at Aquarium Wall.
- After rain: Mountain Project: "This area tends to get wet fastest during rain, but will dry out the quickest due to a sea side breeze."
- None of the crag sources I read give specifics on summer heat or sun exposure.
Getting there
By car (what climbing sites recommend)
- Both Mountain Project's Okinawa page and theCrag say "Rental cars are a must," remind you to carry a valid international driving permit, and note "Most are not easily accessible by public transportation."
- Route: CLIMBING-net says to head north on National Route 58, take the road to Cape Hedo, then turn right toward Usa Beach, where there's parking. theCrag says it's about 2 hours from the airport using the expressway. None of the crag sources I read name an expressway exit.
- Parking: theCrag says to use the lot near "Playa Usahama": "The parking lot is near a graveyard so please park your car at the designated place and respect the area." ROCKTOPO's parking page lists room for "約 10 台" (about 10 cars). CLIMBING-net puts the lot just before the beach.
- Approach: theCrag: "From the parking lot, go down a small pathway until you get to the beach. The crag should be visible and you can walk along the beach taking approximately 10-15min."
By public transport (possible, but few buses)
It takes two buses:
- To Hentona: Route 67, the Hentona line (jointly operated), runs from Nago Bus Terminal to Hentona Bus Terminal (Ryukyu Bus Kotsu route 67 sheet, in Japanese, revised 2024/04/01).
- Hentona to Hedo: the Oku line of the Kunigami Village Bus (in Japanese). The outbound direction is "辺土名 ⇒ 辺戸岬・奥方面" (Hentona to Cape Hedo / Oku), with stops including "辺戸岬" (Cape Hedo), "辺戸岬入口" (Cape Hedo entrance) and "辺戸" (Hedo).
Scheduled Oku line runs as posted on the village site when checked on 2026-10-12:
| Direction | First run | Second run |
|---|---|---|
| Outbound (from Hentona) | 15:00 | Summer (4/1–9/30) 18:10, winter (10/1–3/30) 17:30 |
| Inbound (from Oku; passes Hedo at 7:49 / 16:29) | 7:40 | 16:20 |
The village says "上記時間帯以外は予約式になります" (other times are by reservation). The reservation page (in Japanese) lists reserved runs at 10:00 and 11:30, booked by phone with the village general affairs section; the bus picks you up where you ask ("ご希望の乗車場所までお迎えに伺います"), and departure times are only approximate.
None of the sources I read say which stop is closest to the Usa Beach lot or how long the walk is. Timetables change; check the Kunigami Village Bus page before you go.
| By car | By public transport | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | North on Route 58, toward Cape Hedo, then right to Usa Beach | Nago → route 67 → Hentona → village bus Oku line → Hedo area |
| Park / get off | Lot by Usa Beach, about 10 cars (ROCKTOPO), next to a graveyard; use the designated spaces | Nearest stop and walking time not given by sources |
| To the crag | Walk the beach 10–15 min (theCrag) | Same |
| Restrictions | No driving onto the beach | Two scheduled Oku line runs each way per day; other times by reservation |
Rules to know before you go
When I checked, Usa Beach was not on the JFA list of access-problem areas (in Japanese), and none of the sources mention registration or a fee. The rules come mainly from CLIMBING-net and theCrag:
- No cars on the beach: CLIMBING-net: "砂浜への車の乗り入れは禁止。浜に入る手前に駐車場があるのでそこを利用する" (driving onto the sand is prohibited; use the lot before the beach).
- The lot is next to a graveyard: theCrag asks you to use the designated spaces and respect the area.
- There are sacred sites: CLIMBING-net: "岩の一部が信仰の対象になっているところもあるので非常識な行動は慎む" (parts of the rock are objects of worship, so behave sensibly).
- Pack out your trash, and some extra: CLIMBING-net: "ゴミは必ず持ち帰る" (always take your trash home). theCrag says the beach is littered and locals are cleaning it up, so please try "bringing some extra trash back after your climb."
- Don't leave quickdraws or ropes: CLIMBING-net: "クイックドロー、ロープなど残置物を残さない".
- Don't top-rope through the rings: theCrag's Okinawa overview: "Please do not top rope through the rappel rings, as this will wear down the permanent anchor." Build your own anchor to top-rope.
- Camping and fires: the sources disagree: CLIMBING-net (pre-2002 data) says "キャンプは基本的に可能ですが指定されたキャンプ場ではありません" (camping is basically possible, but it's not a designated campground) and that there's basically no water. theCrag's Okinawa overview says "camping is not permitted unless it is a designated camping area," and campfires are generally prohibited outside campgrounds. The newer theCrag line is the safer one to follow; if there's signage on site, follow the signage.
- Toilets: theCrag says you can use the public facilities up at Cape Hedo, which also have vending machines. The Kunigami Tourism Association (in Japanese) lists the Cape Hedo tourist information center as open 10:00–17:00 every day, next to a 70-car lot.
Seaside hazards
- Tides: Mountain Project says you reach Hedo Spire "During Low tide walk along the shore," and Paradise Wall "At low tide walk along the shore from usa beach." Aquarium Wall "can also be accessed during high tide without getting wet." Check the tide before heading for the Spire or Paradise Wall.
- Bolts: some routes now have titanium. Mountain Project says of Aquarium Wall, "All routes have been bolted with titanium glue-ins," and Habubari (2022/4/22) and Uruma (2023/3/25) were rebolted with Titan Eterna bolts. But theCrag flags "Rusty bolts" on two Andagi Rock routes, Akabana (赤花) and Andagi-Cant. theCrag's Okinawa overview also says an unlisted route "is either a closed project or the condition of the bolts is not good."
- Loose holds: CLIMBING-net: "まだ岩が安定していないルートや風化のために、ホールドが欠けやすくなっています" (some routes aren't fully stable yet and weathering makes holds break easily), and it asks climbers, belayers and anyone resting nearby to stay alert.
- Typhoon season: see above; theCrag puts it at June–October.
- None of the crag sources I read give specific guidance on waves or heat.
Notable routes
ROCKTOPO's popular routes (Cape Hedo / Usa Beach page, 2026-10-12):
- ハブバリ (Habubari): Andagi Rock. ROCKTOPO 5.10a/b, Mountain Project 5.9+, theCrag 5.9. Mountain Project notes "Originally set at 5.10b."
- アンダギーマン (Andagi Man): Andagi Rock. ROCKTOPO 5.11a/b; Mountain Project and theCrag both 5.11b/c, three stars on theCrag.
- うるま (Uruma): Main Wall. ROCKTOPO 5.12a/b; Mountain Project 5.12b, noting "Originally set at 5.12a/b."
Mountain Project's classics list adds Puffy Pufferfish (5.10a, Aquarium Wall), ハブハブトラップ / Habu Habu Trap (5.10b), 初日の出 / Hastuhinode (Mountain Project's spelling) (5.11a, PG13), ブエノチキン / Bueno Chicken (5.11-) and タコライスチーズ / Taco Rice Cheese (5.12).
The hardest line in ROCKTOPO's route table is "habu sake" (5.13d) on the Main Wall, with Tommy Caldwell in the first-ascent field. The same wall has "江湖 (Jiang Hu)" (5.13c) and "Chris's Garlic Chicken" (5.13c/d), both first ascents by Guanying Li.
Where to look things up
- ROCKTOPO: Cape Hedo / Usa Beach (in Japanese): route tables for the four walls, grade distribution, popular routes, first ascensionists; the parking page has location and capacity. Downloading crag data requires a login.
- CLIMBING-net: Cape Hedo / Usa Beach (in Japanese): Yama-kei's crag entry with rock type, rules and camping notes, but flagged as pre-2002 data; the guidebook field lists "中国・四国・九州".
- Mountain Project: Usa Beach/Cape Hedo: approaches, shade and tides per wall; individual route pages show rebolting dates and hardware.
- theCrag: Cape Hedo: parking, toilets, approach time and the beach trash situation; the Okinawa overview covers season and ethics and links to the Okinawa climbing Facebook group.
- Kunigami Village Bus (in Japanese): Oku line timetable and reservations.
References
- ROCKTOPO: Cape Hedo / Usa Beach (in Japanese)
- ROCKTOPO: Cape Hedo / Usa Beach route list (in Japanese)
- ROCKTOPO: Cape Hedo / Usa Beach parking (in Japanese)
- CLIMBING-net: Cape Hedo / Usa Beach (in Japanese)
- Mountain Project: Okinawa Prefecture
- Mountain Project: Usa Beach/Cape Hedo
- Mountain Project: Andagi Rock
- Mountain Project: Main Wall (lower)
- Mountain Project: Main Wall (Upper)
- Mountain Project: Aquarium Wall
- Mountain Project: Hedo Spire
- Mountain Project: Paradise Wall
- Mountain Project: ハブバリ (Habubari)
- Mountain Project: うるま (Uruma)
- theCrag: Okinawa
- theCrag: Cape Hedo
- theCrag: Andagi wall
- Japan Free Climbing Association (JFA): List of access-problem areas (in Japanese)
- Kunigami Village: Village Bus (in Japanese)
- Kunigami Village: Reserving the village bus (in Japanese)
- Ryukyu Bus Kotsu: Route 67 Hentona line (via Nago High School) fare table (in Japanese)
- Kunigami Tourism Association: Cape Hedo Tourist Information Center (in Japanese)
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