Tsuzurato Pass

Overview

Tsuzurato Pass is a short, steep Category 2 climb in Japan. It runs 3.2km from a low start at 8m of elevation up to a summit at 340m, for a net elevation gain of 332m. At an average gradient of 10.31%, this is a climb that gives back almost nothing over its length — every kilometre is working uphill, and the distance is too short to let you settle into a rhythm before the top arrives.

There is a meaningful gap between the net elevation gain of 332m and the total ascent of 377m. That 45m difference is climbing you do twice: the road dips and recovers across the profile, so you gain, give a little back, and gain again. Undulation like this inflates the real workload above what the net figure suggests, and it means the effort is punchier and more variable than a single average gradient implies.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 10.31% average is already brutal, but an average always hides the shape of the road. With 45m of extra ascent folded in, this climb is not a smooth ramp — it is a sequence of steep pitches broken by short recoveries, and the steepest sections sit well above the average.

• Short flatter or descending recovery sections that account for the gap between net gain and total ascent
• Repeated short climbs stacked back-to-back rather than one continuous grade
• A steepest ramp that spikes far above the 10.31% average — the pitch that dictates your gearing

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-effort pacing beats even-speed pacing. Chasing a constant speed forces you to surge on every ramp and coast on every dip, spiking your power and draining you before the summit. Instead, hold a steady effort anchored to your sustainable power output: let your speed rise on the shallower recovery sections and drop on the steep pitches while keeping wattage roughly level.

Because the recoveries here are short, you cannot fully reset between ramps, so pace conservatively into the first steep pitch. If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator beforehand and set a target you can hold for the whole 3.2km, not just the opening slope.

Gearing

Gearing here is governed by the steepest pitch, not the average — and the steep ramps on Tsuzurato are severe enough that undergeared riders will be forced out of the saddle and into the red. Run a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette: think 34×32 or 34×34 to keep a survivable cadence on the worst of it. On a climb this steep and short, spinning a low gear costs you almost nothing and protects your legs for the ramps that matter. Check your setup before the ride — you do not want to discover your smallest gear is too big halfway up.

Summary

• Length: 3.2km
• Average gradient: 10.31%
• Net elevation gain: 332m
• Total ascent: 377m
• Category: 2

Tsuzurato Pass is a short climb with a big punch: steep, undulating, and unforgiving of a flat pacing plan. Gear low, pace to effort, and respect the 45m of hidden extra climbing that the net figure leaves out.