Samuraihama: Seaside Granite Bouldering and Old Bolts on Iwate's Sanriku Coast | Japan Climbing Crags

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Samuraihama (侍浜, さむらいはま) sits on the Sanriku coast north of Kuji City in Iwate Prefecture. CLIMBING-net (in Japanese) gives the location as "岩手県久慈市北侍浜" and the rock as granite. The name covers bouldering, bolted sport routes, cracks and top-rope problems, and CLIMBING-net notes that "侍浜のエリアは10カ箇所以上ある" (there are more than ten areas). This is the first Tohoku crag in this series.

The one thing to know before going is in CLIMBING-net's "その他" (other) field: "設置されているボルトのほとんどは古いもので、さらに海岸なので通常の岩場より腐食している。十分に確認して、不安であればトップロープでトライすることをおすすめする" — most of the bolts are old and, being on the coast, more corroded than at an inland crag; check them carefully and top-rope if you have any doubt.

The reading follows the kana that Tabi Tohoku gives for the local campground and sea pool ("…さむらいはまかいすいぷーる").

What kind of crag is it

CLIMBING-net's overview in the original: "1984年より沼田弘樹を中心にボルダー、クラック、トップロープ・プロブレムの3種類のジャンルが平行して拓かれてきた。ボルダーにはかの戸田直樹も参加している。90年代に入り長内宏之を中心にボルト・プロテクションのルートが展望台下エリアに拓かれた".

The boulder that gives the 侍石周辺 area its name, Samurai Rock (侍石), is also a tourist spot. The GOOD LUCK TRIP page on 侍石 (in Japanese), supervised by the Kuji City Tourism and Products Association, describes it as "浅海の海食棚が隆起した天然石畳で、約1億3千万年前（前期白亜紀）の花崗岩でできている" — an uplifted wave-cut shelf of granite about 130 million years old (Early Cretaceous), on the 田子の木歩道 promenade to Tagonoki fishing port.

Route counts and grades (checked 2026-10-12)

The three sites give different numbers:

• ROCKTOPO: 95 lines — 52 boulder problems, 39 face routes, 4 cracks.
  • Face: ungraded 2, 5.2+ 2, 5.10a+ 13, 5.11a+ 10, 5.12a+ 12.
  • Crack: 5.2+ 1, 5.10a+ 2, 5.11a+ 1.
  • Boulder: 10-kyu+ 2, 7-kyu+ 21, 4-kyu+ 17, 1-kyu− + 6, shodan− + 3, nidan− + 2, sandan− + 1.
• CLIMBING-net: "50本以上(リード&トップロープ)" (50+ lead and top-rope routes) plus "50課題以上" (50+ boulder problems), with a grade line of "～5.9：10、5.10台：30、5.12台：30、5.13台：10" — no 5.11 band is listed. CLIMBING-net also says it only covers the representative areas.
• theCrag: 42 routes in three areas — Main Area (26), Sansa Area (11), Nakano Area (5) — graded 5.8–5.12c. The page says "This crag is unlocated".

ROCKTOPO's sub-areas:

Who it suits:

• Bouldering: most of the 52 problems fall between 7-kyu and 1-kyu, and the sectors around the campground are mostly E grade — good for easy problems by the sea. The hardest is sandan, so there is little for high-end projects.
• Sport climbing: face routes spread evenly from 5.10a into the 5.12s, concentrated in the 展望台下エリア. The old bolts affect whether you want to lead them; see the rules section below.

When to go

In practice:

• Late March to late November is CLIMBING-net's season; the page gives no reason.
• Winter: CLIMBING-net's season excludes December to mid-March. Kuji City's Kita-Samuraihama campground page (in Japanese) says the accessible toilet closes every year "12月上旬頃～翌年4月上旬頃まで" (early December to early April) "水道管凍結防止のため" (to stop pipes freezing), and "近隣に、他の公衆トイレはございません" — there are no other public toilets nearby.
• July–September: the campground is open (see "Where to stay"), and the neighbouring Samuraihama sea pool opens each summer (the 2026 season was 18 July to 31 August). Kuji City's sea pool page (in Japanese) says "駐車場は、北侍浜野営場と共同となります" — it shares the campground's car park. Summer may be busier around the campground; none of the sources say how that affects climbing.
• ROCKTOPO's chart counts user-logged ascents. With so few logs it only shows that people climb here in spring and autumn, not an official recommendation.
• None of the crag sources say which areas are affected by waves, swell or tides. Check the sea below the wall when you arrive.

Getting there

By car (the only method the sources describe)

• CLIMBING-net's access field is one line: "車利用。久慈市内から国道45号線を北上し15分ほど" — by car, about 15 minutes north of central Kuji on Route 45.
• Tabi Tohoku gives these times to the Kita-Samuraihama campground, where ROCKTOPO's キャンプ場周辺エリア is: "三陸沿岸道路侍浜南ICより車で約５分" (about 5 minutes from Samuraihama-minami IC on the Sanriku Coastal Road), "久慈駅より車で約20分" (about 20 minutes from Kuji Station), "九戸ICより車で約80分" (about 80 minutes from Kunohe IC).
• ROCKTOPO lists three parking spots:

• Kuji City's campground page mentions "無料の駐車場" (free parking) on site. ROCKTOPO doesn't say whether its 侍浜の駐車場 is that car park.
• CLIMBING-net's "駐車場GPS" and "公衆トイレ" fields are both "-".

Public transport

None of the crag sources describe public transport. Tabi Tohoku and GOOD LUCK TRIP only give drive times from Kuji Station (about 20 minutes to the campground, 25 minutes to Samurai Rock), with no bus or walking route. Without a car, check with the Kuji City Commerce and Tourism Division or local transport operators whether any bus serves Samuraihama.

Where to stay

• CLIMBING-net says you can stay at "北侍浜キャンプ場で可能(5月~10月)" and bathe at "侍の湯きのこ屋(旧国民宿舎北限閣)", or head back to central Kuji for places like "古墳の湯", about 10 minutes by car.
• The two sources disagree on the campground season: CLIMBING-net says May–October; Kuji City (page updated 15 July 2026) says "利用期間 7月～9月末" (July to end of September), with a cleaning contribution of ¥200 per adult per night or ¥100 for a day visit. If you plan to camp, call the number on the city page first.

Rules and things to know

• Old, corroded bolts: CLIMBING-net says most bolts are old and more corroded than usual because of the sea — "不安であればトップロープでトライすることをおすすめする". Its features list marks top rope as "限定あり" (limited).
• Don't block the road: both ROCKTOPO roadside spots say "邪魔にならないように注意すること".
• No toilets in winter: the campground's accessible toilet closes from about early December to early April, with no other public toilet nearby (Kuji City).
• Bears: the Kuji City campground page notes "クマ出没の増加に伴い" — bear sightings are increasing — so don't leave food or rubbish out.
• Pack out rubbish, no pets: the same page says "ペットの立ち入り禁止・ゴミは各自お持ち帰りください" (these are campground rules).
• JFA: the JFA access-issue list (in Japanese, checked 2026-10-12) does not list Samuraihama.

Registration and fees: none of the CLIMBING-net, ROCKTOPO, theCrag or JFA pages read for this post mention registration or fees for climbing. None of them say whether the crag or its access roads changed after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Notable routes

ROCKTOPO's top-rated routes for Samuraihama (2026-10-12) include:

• 入学試験 (5.10a, 展望台下エリア): ROCKTOPO describes it as "花崗岩の長いスラブフェイスの⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ルート。ムーブが楽しい" — a four-star long granite slab with fun moves.
• YellowWave (5.9, 展望台下エリア): "ダイクが面で剥がれたような、インパクトあるオレンジ色のスラブ" — a striking orange slab where a dike seems to have peeled away.
• 海は広いな大きいな (5.8), 中間試験 (5.10b), 追試 (5.10b) and 東風（やませ） (5.11c), all in the 展望台下エリア.
• Boulders: Cappellini (1-kyu−, 侍石エリア), ブロンズ (7-kyu, Voxボルダー), ハングドッグフライヤーJr. (7-kyu, Voxボルダー).

CLIMBING-net's cover photo is the "おはようモーニングボルダー". theCrag also lists a Yamase (5.11c), matching the name and grade of ROCKTOPO's 東風（やませ）.

Where to look things up

• ROCKTOPO Samuraihama: problem counts and difficulty for nine sectors, top-rated routes, three parking spots. Offline downloads need a login.
• CLIMBING-net Samuraihama (in Japanese): Yama-Kei's crag entry with history, season, bolt condition, camping and baths; topos are in the "北海道・東北" guidebook.
• theCrag Samuraihama: English route list, 42 routes, no coordinates.
• Kuji City: Kita-Samuraihama campground (in Japanese): season, cleaning contribution, winter toilet closure, bear notice.
• JFA access-issue list (in Japanese): check for new restrictions before you go.

References

• ROCKTOPO: Samuraihama (in Japanese)
• ROCKTOPO: Samuraihama top-rated routes (in Japanese)
• ROCKTOPO: 侍浜の駐車場 (in Japanese)
• ROCKTOPO: 展望台入口の路肩スペース (in Japanese)
• ROCKTOPO: 侍石周辺の路肩スペース (in Japanese)
• CLIMBING-net: Samuraihama (in Japanese)
• theCrag: Samuraihama
• Japan Free Climbing Association (JFA): access-issue area list (in Japanese)
• Kuji City: Kita-Samuraihama campground (in Japanese)
• Kuji City: Samuraihama sea pool (in Japanese)
• Tabi Tohoku: Kita-Samuraihama campground and sea pool (in Japanese)
• GOOD LUCK TRIP: Samurai Rock (supervised by the Kuji City Tourism and Products Association) (in Japanese)