Yanagisawa Pass

Overview

Yanagisawa Pass is a Category 1 climb in Japan that runs 15.4 km from base to summit. It starts at 461 m and tops out at 1,489 m, for a net elevation gain of 1,028 m. On paper it is a long, sustained ascent at an average gradient of 6.69% — a full-length effort that rewards a rider who arrives with pacing discipline rather than raw punch.

But the net figure only tells part of the story. Against 1,028 m of net gain, the climb logs 1,497 m of total ascent. That 469 m gap means the road gives back roughly 469 m of descent along the way, so you are climbing considerably more than the summit-minus-base number suggests. Every metre you coast down has to be re-earned, and those recovered-then-repeated pitches cost more energy than a clean, uninterrupted grade of the same net gain.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 6.69% average is a blend, not a constant. Undulation on this scale means the profile swings above and below that number repeatedly, and the steepest ramp bites hard at 24.34% — a pitch steep enough to force you out of the saddle or into your lowest gear regardless of how you have paced the rest.

• Flatter and downhill sections that let you recover but break your rhythm and bleed accumulated altitude.
• Repeated short climbs that re-take the elevation you just lost, stacking up to the 1,497 m total ascent.
• A maximum ramp of 24.34% that dictates your smallest gear — plan for it before you see it.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this lumpy, chase even effort, not even speed. Holding a fixed pace forces your power to spike on every ramp and collapse on every descent, which torches your legs before the summit. Instead, target a steady sustainable power output: ease slightly on the 24.34% pitches so you do not blow past threshold, and resist hammering the flatter recovery sections. Let the numbers, not the terrain, set your ceiling. If you do not know your limit, run the FTP estimator first and ride to a percentage of that figure across all 15.4 km.

Gearing

The 24.34% maximum ramp governs your setup. A standard chainset will leave you grinding or walking. Fit a compact or sub-compact crank paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives the low end you need to spin the steepest section at a survivable cadence. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride, not at the base of the climb.

Summary

• Length: 15.4 km
• Average gradient: 6.69%
• Maximum gradient: 24.34%
• Net elevation gain: 1,028 m
• Total ascent: 1,497 m
• Category: 1

Yanagisawa Pass is a sustained Category 1 effort where the undulation — 1,497 m climbed for 1,028 m gained — is the defining challenge. Pace by effort, gear for the steepest ramp, and the length becomes manageable.