Mount Kirikabu, Mountain summit in Kusu, Japan.
Mount Kirikabu is a mountain summit in Kusu, in Oita Prefecture, Japan, known for its notably flat top. From the summit, the view opens onto the surrounding hills and valleys of the region.
A local legend tells that a giant created this mountain by felling an enormous camphor tree, with the cut stump left behind forming the flat summit seen today. This story also explains the name, as "Kirikabu" means "cut stump" in Japanese.
The observatory building at the top was designed by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka, with glass walls that frame the surrounding hills and passing trains below. The space invites visitors to sit and take in the view as a deliberate, unhurried experience.
The summit can be reached by car, making it accessible in any season without a long hike. Comfortable shoes are enough to walk around the top area.
A swing installation standing about 15 feet (4.5 meters) high at the summit lets visitors swing out over the landscape below. It is the last thing most people expect to find at the top of a mountain.
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